I updated a db from fp5 to fp7 and am having trouble with the auto enter serial number.

the db has an item# Field(auto enter serial, under the hood, unique,no user mod) that has never been on any layout in either version.

Now that I've imported all my records and done tons of expansion work, the most basic thing is preventing this from working. When I try to add a new inventory record, I get a message about that Field not being on this layout. It's never been on a layout, and shouldn't be. it's under the hood. every other db I have does has an auto enter serial under the hood and not on a layout. no problems.

So, I put it on a layout and try to add a new record. It tells me that the Item# must be a unique value, Revert Record? I can't add any new records. I'm not doing anything to this field, it's just auto entered. No scripts are trying to modify it. I'm just creating a new record, and it can't do it.

any help would be greatly appreciated. somehow I've spent a year on and off on this project without every trying to add a new inventory record outside of importing them, and now I'm close to launching it and finding this problem.

well, I don't really know what I did, but it's working now.

I have the field on the layout, but hidden.

No idea why this was a problem or why it's working now.

"Now that I've imported all my records"

Did you set the auto-enter serial to the next highest value?

You wouldn't need the field on the layout unless you are using the Paste script step or Insert script steps.

"Now that I've imported all my records"

Did you set the auto-enter serial to the next highest value?

You wouldn't need the field on the layout unless you are using the Paste script step or Insert script steps.

thanks for responding bcooney. funny, the guy who originally built this db's last name is Cooney. go figure.

I did check that the next serial number was higher than the highest existing value, but thanks, because I didn't think of it until after I posted. Alas, that's not what was wrong, because I didn't change it, and it started working. again, go figure.

anyway, thanks a lot.