Should be a simple question

Hi Bob,

The "feature" that Mick describes is indeed unique to Access 2007. Mick is
tabbing within the *same* record. I think this is somehow related to how one
can add a field to a table, without first opening the table in design view.

The ID field is increment by one every time that you add a
field to a new table in Datasheet view in Access 2007

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/924741


Tom Wickerath
Microsoft Access MVP
http://www.accessmvp.com/TWickerath/
http://www.access.qbuilt.com/html/expert_contributors.html
__________________________________________

"boblarson" wrote:

> That would be an autonumber that is set up automatically as an ID field when
> you create a table in datasheet view in Access 2007. It is supposed to do
> that, but don't be misled. It will not always necessarily go in sequence.
> If you start a record and then cancel it, your number is lost. If you delete
> a record, that number is lost.
>
> Autonumbers are only guaranteed to give you a UNIQUE number and not
> necessarily incrementing. So, it is best to use them behind the scenes as ID
> fields for the Primary Keys of tables (of which you store that ID number in
> the other tables as a long integer - foreign key).
> --
> Bob Larson
> Access MVP
> Access World Forums Administrator
> Utter Access VIP
>
> Tutorials at http://www.btabdevelopment.com
>
> __________________________________
>
> "Mick34" wrote:
>
> > Hey,
> >
> > I am as green to Access as you can be. I'm going through some tutorials on
> > creating records in a table and noticed something. Not sure why it occurs,
> > but the tutorial does not mention anything about it.
> >
> > When I 'tab' through the fields of the first record, the record ID
> > increments by 1. So when I hit the 4th field the ID has gone from 1 to 4.
> >
> > Before going any further with the tutuorial, I wanted to know why this would
> > be happening, or should it even be happening.
> >
> > BTW, it's Access 2007
> >
> > Thanks in advance

Much appreciated guys.

This was the 1st time I've been able to get back to my attempts at learning
Access. I thank you both for your input, and it seems that Tom's link is spot
on. I thought I was going crazy. Glad to see tha it wasn't something I was
doing, but an issue with 2007.

So, how many other views are there in Access to create Dbs? Is this just a
problem with Datasheet View

"Tom Wickerath" wrote:

> Hi Bob,
>
> The "feature" that Mick describes is indeed unique to Access 2007. Mick is
> tabbing within the *same* record. I think this is somehow related to how one
> can add a field to a table, without first opening the table in design view.
>
> The ID field is increment by one every time that you add a
> field to a new table in Datasheet view in Access 2007
>
> http://support.microsoft.com/kb/924741
>
>
> Tom Wickerath
> Microsoft Access MVP
> http://www.accessmvp.com/TWickerath/
> http://www.access.qbuilt.com/html/expert_contributors.html
> __________________________________________
>
> "boblarson" wrote:
>
> > That would be an autonumber that is set up automatically as an ID field when
> > you create a table in datasheet view in Access 2007. It is supposed to do
> > that, but don't be misled. It will not always necessarily go in sequence.
> > If you start a record and then cancel it, your number is lost. If you delete
> > a record, that number is lost.
> >
> > Autonumbers are only guaranteed to give you a UNIQUE number and not
> > necessarily incrementing. So, it is best to use them behind the scenes as ID
> > fields for the Primary Keys of tables (of which you store that ID number in
> > the other tables as a long integer - foreign key).
> > --
> > Bob Larson
> > Access MVP
> > Access World Forums Administrator
> > Utter Access VIP
> >
> > Tutorials at http://www.btabdevelopment.com
> >
> > __________________________________
> >
> > "Mick34" wrote:
> >
> > > Hey,
> > >
> > > I am as green to Access as you can be. I'm going through some tutorials on
> > > creating records in a table and noticed something. Not sure why it occurs,
> > > but the tutorial does not mention anything about it.
> > >
> > > When I 'tab' through the fields of the first record, the record ID
> > > increments by 1. So when I hit the 4th field the ID has gone from 1 to 4.
> > >
> > > Before going any further with the tutuorial, I wanted to know why this would
> > > be happening, or should it even be happening.
> > >
> > > BTW, it's Access 2007
> > >
> > > Thanks in advance

Hi Mick,

> So, how many other views are there in Access to create Dbs? Is this just a
> problem with Datasheet View

As far as I know, this autonumber thing is only a problem with Access 2007,
and only in datasheet view. Personally, I don't think that allowing one to
create new fields on-the-fly, by simply typing data, is a good thing. Take a
quick look at a four-page paper written by database design expert Michael
Hernandez.

Database Design Tips by Michael Hernandez

You can access this document at this link:
http://www.accessmvp.com/JConrad/accessjunkie/resources.html#DatabaseDesign101

Michael is quoted as follows:

"Always design the database on paper first. This one tip will probably save
you an enormous amount of time."

The add-a-new-field-on-the-fly feature is the DEnormalization wizard, in my
opinion. Always design on paper first.


Tom Wickerath
Microsoft Access MVP
http://www.accessmvp.com/TWickerath/
http://www.access.qbuilt.com/html/expert_contributors.html
__________________________________________

"Mick34" wrote:

> Much appreciated guys.
>
> This was the 1st time I've been able to get back to my attempts at learning
> Access. I thank you both for your input, and it seems that Tom's link is spot
> on. I thought I was going crazy. Glad to see tha it wasn't something I was
> doing, but an issue with 2007.
>
> So, how many other views are there in Access to create Dbs? Is this just a
> problem with Datasheet View