Generating sequential numbers automatically

[Malcolm41]

In the latest version of access microsoft in their wisdom have removed the facility to merely press the down key and generate the next number in a sequence in the same field ad infinitum.
They say this is because it has been reported as a nuisance to some pros. What about all us amateurs that found this really useful when adding records to databases to help with the archiving of photographs, railway engines, books etc etc?


Is it possible to set up this useful function again?

[June7]

I never knew this was a feature of Access and I started with Access 2003. How does this impact 'archiving'? Does the autonumber type field not serve this purpose?

Review https://www.accessforums.net/databas...try-21975.html

[Malcolm41]

The autonumber is fine if you only need to enter record numbers.

Where the feature was really useful was where, for instance, you were entering details of railway rolling stock and the unit number consists of a class type plus a set number. Example Class 143 No of sets 121-170. These are entered as 143121 - 143170.

Also individual sets have different types of numbered carriages which also are in sequential order and so again the feature was extremely useful.

At the moment whenever I wish to add new stock to my database records I have resorted to using my previous versions of Windows, which is apain but not such a pain as having to enter numbers one at a time.

Another handy feature that also seems to have disappeared is the ability to repeat a macro (ctrl-whatever) by holding down the ctrl key and the whatever key.

I always thought that the reason for updating anything was to improve it. That is certainly not the case here.