Auto Enter attribute in header

[nickelsto]

I didn't see an area dealing with attributes so hopefully this is the right place.

I've placed an auto-enter serial no. attribute in the header of a report layout. With each new occurrence of the report a new serial appears in the header but when I attempt to print this auto enter attribute does not print. The 'do not print this element' is not clicked in the format menu so I know that's not the problem. 'print/sliding' is also not clicked just in case there might be some issue with that.

Am I breaking some basic DB rule by having an auto enter in the header? The auto enter criteria creates a new record with each report I pull up. This is a batch report that gets deleted after it is printed.

Thanks in advance for the help

[bcooney]

I believe the terms that you use are adding to the confusion here, as they are not "FileMaker" terms.

What is an attribute? A field?

When you say a report layout, that means a layout that is not used for data entry.

The auto enter criteria creates a new record with each report I pull up.

Hmm, do you mean, the field that is defined to have an auto-entered serial number is working fine when I create a new record in the layout I use for data entry?

You see, we're "lost in translation" here. Because, in a report, you wouldn't put a record ID in the header, you'd put it in the body part so that it shows for each record in the report.

[nickelsto]

Right, thanks for the response, but sorry for the confusion.

I do mean 'field' when I say 'attribute'.

I'd like to have a unique number in the header every time I generate a report. I thought I could accomplish this with auto enter fields, as I had stated, but these don't print. I'm not interested in having the auto entry field in the body because the report is discarded after it is generated and I don't need the auto entry number related to fields, only to the report.

So instead of a field might there be a way to create auto entry text in the header? I know about the // for date. Can this be formatted so that it shows date and time in serial form? Then that would be all I need.

Thanks again

[bcooney]

Well, if you put //:: in the header you will get the date and time that you print. Does that help?

[nickelsto]

yes it does, just simplify it that way, thanks, really appreciate it

[bcooney]

Also, you can select the // :: and format how you wish them to be printed using the choices from the Format menu.