Auto number 13 numbers

[dmaddox]

First and Foremost, absolute beginner here. Done a couple databases and worked but now I have an issue that I don't know.
I have an autonumber that needs to be 13 characters and stay that way but increase by 1 on each record.



I have figured out up to 10! Question is how do I get it to accept 13 characters and not get the " The value you entered does not match the number data type in this column" in which I search for answers and never figured it out.

If not doable, then I have a field called bar code and would need it the previous record bar code to be available for the new record? So the librarian can just change the last number!

Thanks Everyone.

[alansidman]

In the properties section of your table for your particular field in the format line, put 13 zeros (ie. 0000000000000)

See attached example

[dmaddox]

In the properties section of your table for your particular field in the format line, put 13 zeros (ie. 0000000000000)

See attached example

Ok this worked, but the numbers are not autoincreasing, 1003530000001 1003530000002 1003530000003 and so on, each one stays 1003530000001 but yours is working, what am I doing wrong in my database?

[orange]

Be very careful of autonumbers. Autonumbers are meant for system use; they are meant to be UNIQUE only, and may not be incremental and may not be positive. If you need a field that means something to you, then define a separate field and control how it is incremented.

see http://allenbrowne.com/ser-40.html
http://allenbrowne.com/ser-26.html

http://www.utteraccess.com/wiki/index.php/Autonumbers

[dmaddox]

Yes, it will be barcodes and unique to that individual. What would be your recommendation to start with 1003530000000 and then increase, now I have librarians and they will create a record or two by mistake and call me up and say.. Oops over and over.

[orange]

To reset an autonumber to 0, you have to delete existing records and do Compact and repair.

Hopefully you are working on a test/development database.

You're not playing with an Operational database!!!!

I don't know anything about barcodes, but others on the forum do. Ask specific questions; get prepared and design your database to do what your business needs. Don't make decisions before you understand the problem, nor before you appreciate some of the consequences.

People get hung up on incremental numbers.... the key to database is unique identifiers to distinguish 1 record from all others.

[dmaddox]

No, not an Operational Database. Just starting it and its working with the autonumbering and I already Compacted and repaired. But will research the issue with a differant format about barcoding and thanks for the help in getting this far! So far the site is wonderful!

Thanks Orange

[alansidman]

To reset an autonumber to 0, you have to delete existing records and do Compact and repair.

This is no longer true in AC2007 and AC2010.

Here is a link from Microsoft.

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/812718

Alan

[orange]

Hi Alan,

You see how much I'm involved in 2007 and 2010.
Thanks for the link.

[alansidman]

I knew. Thought you might appreciate it. BTW. You should check and see if your company subscribes to the HUP (Home User Program) through MS. I was able to upgrade at home to MS Office 2010 Pro for US$15.00

Alan

[orange]

Alan,
An interesting thought Alan, but my company is me. I've been retired from govt for 4 1/2 yrs. Perhaps there is a method???? It would be nice.