how to auto increment ?

[Jack]

Hi Everyone !

I have a file with 500 products. I want to sequentially number each product.

Had I been thinking, I would have created a field with incremented serial numbers before entering data. But I didn't do that.

Now I have added that field but it seems serial numbers are only created when creating a new record.

What can I do at this point ? Will expoting all the info into a new file work ?

Is there a better way ?

Thanks for the help.

~jack

[Girwin]

One way to do it would be to first define a global number field called gCounter.

Then, create a script with the following, and assuming your serial number field is called "Serial Number":

Set Field ["gCounter", "1"]

Go to Record/Request/Page [First]

Loop

Set Field ["Serial Number", "gCounter"]

Set Field ["gCounter", "gCounter + 1"]

Go to Record/Request/Page [Exit after last, Next]

End Loop

That should do it, but you'll want to change the Auto-enter number for "Serial Number" to 1 + the total number of records afterward.

[BobWeaver]

In the Records menu, do a "Show all Records." Then click on the serial number field and go to the Records menu and select the Replace Contents command. It will give you a dialog that lets you select a serial number option. It will serialize all the records in the found set.

[neile]

Define the field as auto enter serial number. In browse mode, find all records, and go to the first one. In the field, enter your first serial number, then select "replace" from the "records" menu.

Select "replace with serial numbers", and check the "update serial number in Entyr Options" box. Click 'replace', and your existing records are updated, and subsequent records will be sequentially numbered.

[Girwin]

What a much easier way to do that! Thanks, Bob & Neile.

My "newbie" status is justified...

[mdpres]

Find all records, goto first record. Then click into your serial number field. Then under the "Records" Menu select "Replace Contents" then select Replace with serial number Increment by 1, then check the Update serial number Entry Options and click "Replace".

Now your records are upto date and any records you create after that.

Dean

[BobWeaver]

Wow, talk about simultaneous posting!!

[mdpres]

Bob,

When I entered the forum there were no replies, by the time I finished the answer and posted I saw all these other replies. WOW is right!

Dean

[Jack]

Thank you all for the help.

It's almost like the Jeopardy game where you have to be the fastest to hit the buzzer to respond.

It works !

~ jack