recycling id...

[Batfastad]

This is surely possible...

We have a contacts database with each company having a company id which is a serial number.

Obviously when a record is deleted, there is a gap in the sequence of serial numbers like 0098, 0099, 0100, [deleted record], 0102, 0103... etc

Is there a way to return a list of the serial numbers that aren't present?

[Lee Smith]

This topic has been discussed in the past many times (a search for "Serial", "Recycle Serial" or "Recycle Numbers", etc. should provide some heft reading). In short there are dangers in doing this and it should be avoided. After all, they are only numbers. However, to reuse one could come back to haut you in things like relationships.

HTH

Lee

[Batfastad]

I guess it could cause problems, but the database in question has no relationships.

I think I've found a way to do this by looping through all the records so I'll give that a go first.

Thanks

[Vaughan]

The best bet is to prevent users from really deleting the records; instead, mark the record for recycling. The New Record process should first search for records to be recycled and return one of these, and only make a new record if no recycled records are found.

[Batfastad]

Good idea!

Yeah that's what I'd like to do, so I'm going to get a list of the ids that aren't used, then create blank records for them and just recycle them as you say.

Thanks for your help.