auto number

  • Thread starter Thread starter Chapco Ryno
  • Start date Start date
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Chapco Ryno

I have a basic question but for some reason I cannot find
where to turn off the auto number feature, so that if I
am in a field in table and entering a number, and then go
to the next record (same field) sometimes the next may be
consecutive, and if it is, then when I tab to the next
field it increments it automatically.

I want to turn this feature off. Where would I do this?
Thanks in advance!
 
I want to turn this feature off. Where would I do this?
Thanks in advance!
Click to expand...

To be honest, practically everyone wants to turn this off but it can't be
done. There are two theories:

1: It was put in by someone just transferred from the Excel team
who knows nothing about databases, and probably thought it was
cool.

2: It was put in by someone who knows a lot about databases and
wanted to stop users from entering data into table datasheets.

In either case, the only way to avoid it is to close the table datasheet
and start using a form -- which is what forms are for anyway. If you are
addicted to the grid-type layout, then you can use the form in continuous-
forms mode or in datasheet mode.

Hope that helps


Tim F
 
I have a basic question but for some reason I cannot find
where to turn off the auto number feature, so that if I
am in a field in table and entering a number, and then go
to the next record (same field) sometimes the next may be
consecutive, and if it is, then when I tab to the next
field it increments it automatically.

I want to turn this feature off. Where would I do this?
Thanks in advance!
Click to expand...

You can't "turn it off". If you look at the table in design view and
look at the field type of this field it's either Autonumber - which
will always give you an automatically assigned number, whether it's
sequential or random or GUID; or the datatype is something else, which
won't.

If you want just a Number change the datatype from Autonumber to
Number/Long Integer. You'll then need to always assign a value, either
by typing it in or in custom VBA code.
 
Thanks Tim, I figured that was the answer. I was racking
my brain being an advanced user and couldn't find the damn
option to turn off. I was not in an "autonumber" field
type as the first responder to my email thought. Just an
annoying feature that I will workaround using a form.
Thanks again for your response.
 
John, thanks for responding, but I was trying not to
confuse my problem with the "autonumber" data type. Even
if you have the field as Long Integer as I have, if you
are in datasheet view of the table and entering
consecutive numbers in the field and working your way
down, it thinks you want to "autofill" and it figures out
your pattern, just like Excel.
 
John, thanks for responding, but I was trying not to
confuse my problem with the "autonumber" data type. Even
if you have the field as Long Integer as I have, if you
are in datasheet view of the table and entering
consecutive numbers in the field and working your way
down, it thinks you want to "autofill" and it figures out
your pattern, just like Excel.
Click to expand...

Sorry! Misinterpreted the question.

You're right, a Form is the preferred getaround. This is a REALLY
stupid misfeature, but IIRC there's still no way to turn it off.
 
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