Serial Numbers: Can They be Added to Already Existing Records?

[Peterteneldas]

Hello, everyone.

I’ve added a Serial Number field to my database, and set the auto-entry properties to On Creation.

I’ve noticed that the serial number appears only in records I’ve created AFTER creating this field.

Is it possible to have serial numbers for the records I created PRIOR to establishing the Serial Number field? If so, what is the procedure, please? Also, is it possible to reset the serial numbers so that they begin with the first record entered? Doing a "reset" is not critical for the purposes of my database; I’m just curious if that can be done. Thank you! PT

[Lee Smith]

Which Serial are you referring to, this one?

 

[Steve Martino]

Assuming your database is set up properly, and your serial number field has the proper validations, specifically On create, you can do this..

First, make a back up of your file.

Then, find out your current highest serial number.

Perform a find for all records without a serial number.

Click on your serial field, you may have to uncheck in Manage Database the "prohibit modification" of the serial field (for now).

Making sure you clicked the serial field with a found set of records that have no serial number in them, Select into the top menu item "Records", then Replace Field Contents...  

The second radio button "Replace with serial numbers and choose a starting number and an increment.

[Lee Smith]

FileMaker has two other ones, they are internally kept but you can see them but not alter them. However, they are handy to know about.

Get (RecordNumber) 

and then the UUID 

Using the Fields Options, Calculated Value (Specify) Get (UUID)

To Reset the Serial Number, I use the Replace Calculation. If you need help, let us know.

[Peterteneldas]

Lee, 

Yes.  The screen shot you posted is what I am using, yes.

20 minutes ago, Steve Martino said:

Perform a find for all records without a serial number.

Working on it....Done!   It worked.  Thank you!  

Edited March 17, 2018 by Peterteneldas

[Lee Smith]

Hopefully you are not using this serial number for anything important such as Relationships. Tell us what you use if for.

[Peterteneldas]

Lee, the database I'm working on is flat-file.  It's a movie database, whose sole purpose is to track where my movies are in my house.    

The fields are Movie Title, DVD Color,  DVD Number, Timestamp, Serial Number, and Main Genre.    My movies are color-coded, and each one is numbered.  (The DVD number is not the same as the Serial Number.)  The purpose of the serial number is to keep track of how many movies are in the database.  I know it's not really necessary, because FileMaker keeps track of how many records are in the database at the top of the screen, but I wanted to learn how to work with serial numbers.  This exercise helped.  Thank you.

[Lee Smith]

Here are the steps,

In Browse Mode.

Show all record,

Go to the first record

Put your curser in the Serial Number field

hit CMD + = or go to the Menu and select

See Replace png

and then fill in the Replace Field Content,

Be to put in the first value (i.e. "1")

Be sure you do this carefully i.e. the right field, because you can't undo this.

Let me know if you need more help