Status(CurrentRecordID) as a serial number?

[stefangs]

is there any caveat using Status(CurrentRecordID) as a serial number? seems to me it works just about the same and perhaps you don't have to mess around when importing records. i just added a field that displays Status(CurrentRecordID) in a text field and out came a very high number. could this be the total number since i've created the database, including all records that were ever created and deleted?

[CobaltSky]

Status(CurrentRecordID) produces a non-contiguous series of numbers - there are large gaps, so it rapidly increments into five and then eight digits. It is a little-known fact, but if you are interested, there is an article on the FMI Kbase that gives some details about this. It is at:

http://www.filemaker.com/ti/104663.html

That would be the explanation for your numbers being so high so rapidly.

In itself, this is not a problem, though it does have some implications for number generating systems which cap the number of digits at five or six (eg using the Right( ) function) - and therefore do not provide anything like as many unique values as may be assumed.

The chief issue you need to consider in relations to building your db structure around Status(CurrentRecordID) as the uniqueID generator, is what happens if you at some point want to import records into a clone or copy of the database (where the clone/copy may not have advanced to the same recordID. You will then find that either your values are changed (via calc or auto-entry on import) or that new values produce non-unique entries - or possible both.

You don't have the same level of control over Status(CurrentRecordID) as is available with the auto-enter serial option, which from v5.5 has the Get Next Serial and Set Next Serial commands with which to control the process.

There is no one 'right answer' on this - it depends on how the database will be used and what the numbers are 'for', but it isn't safe to assume that Status(CurrentRecordID) is always the better option.

[stefangs]

thanks much for clarifying! the gaps are not a problem, but i think i'll stick to the more traditional methods of making serials then.