Serial Numbers

[Mike J]

Dear All,

I'm wondering how you all create new serial numbers.

Here is the background. We have a core service provider who require requests. Within the request is a list of histology blocks. A histology block (paraffin wax with tissue in it) can be sectioned like cheese. These sections are put on to slides for us to analyze or manipulate. These slides need the serial number because it tells you how far within the original block you cut into.

Right now the button/script,

From the histology block line item - GTRR to slides, sort by the serial field, capture the last serial number and add one and create new slide set field with new serial number. Obviously I have the controls and error capture to tell me if this is the first section from this block.

If I create many sections in one go, then I just loop and add until my counter is 0.

I'm at the point where I may want to duplicate the whole request. I like using the import records (GTRR of previous request slides), import found set back into the original table and apply the new primary request key to them, but then I lose my ability to serialize the slides. I forgot to mention, these slides come from different blocks and each group of blocks belong to a patient.

My initial thought is to run through each block in that new request and loop through (exit after last). But some requests can have about 100 line items, each requires 5 new slides.

Any thoughts or is this still to complicated and requires further explanation.

Thanks

Mike

Edited May 20, 2009 by Guest