Why are FMP template ID fields 'text', not 'number'?

[Boot]

I'm busily modifying a template file to suit my purposes. When I add tables, my instinct is to set up the main match field (things like User ID, Query ID, etc) as auto-assigned numbers in number fields. But the bundled template fields are auto-numbers residing in text fields -- beginning with something like 000001.

Why is this??? I can see why you'd need the leading zeros to keep a logical sort order for text, by why not just use number fields which already treat 11 as bigger than 2 without having to resort to such tricks?

Baffled...

[RalphL]

Welcome to the Fourms,

You can use either text or number for the auto-entered serial number. You need to be consistant. Related keys must be the same type. I like to use text and add a prefix for each table. I reserve the use of numbers to fields that are used in a mathamatical way, i.e., +, - , *, /, ^, etc.

[Boot]

Interesting...

Thanks for the tips and the welcome.