Clone and reset counter key to zero

[Dchall_San_Antonio]

This may have been covered many times, but the search engine on this board doesn't seem to find it.

I am new to FMP from an Access background. I have a database structure and input form I like to use, so I set it up in FMP and got it working. Then I cloned the db but didn't get the result I was expecting. Traditionally (using Access) each time I would start a new project I start with a spankin' new copy of my formatted database. Is it possible to clone the FMP database and have the key field reset to zero?

[Lee Smith]

If you save your database as a clone, with or without records, the enternal structure remains the same. Hense, the reason they call it a clone. Removing the relationships are not that hard, all you have to do is to trash them in the Relationship Graph.

HTH

Lee

[Dchall_San_Antonio]

Thanks, Lee; maybe I wasn't clear (and wouldn't that be a first!). But your reply did jog my memory. Here's how I fixed it (for the next schlump looking for how to do this)...

1. Clone with no records

2. Open the clone

3. Select File> Define> Database (or Ctrl+Shift+D)

4. Bring up the Fields tab

5. Select the key field you want to reset

6. Click the Options button

7. Reset the "next value" to 1

8. Ok

9. Ok

:)

[comment]

If you do this often, you could automate this somewhat by having an opening script to reset the serial if there are no records in the table. I think having Filemaker do this automatically would require too many assumptions: note that your topic says 'reset to zero', but your script resets to 1.

[Dchall_San_Antonio]

The first assumption would be that I could correctly present my thoughts in a cogent statement. I guess I do want to reset the first record to have a key value of 1, not zero. I am assuming that my 'next record' would be my first record if I follow my routine. A script running automatically would really be good. Now I have to learn about scripts. Next project!