Re: Restart Autonumber

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From: Bernard Peek (bap_at_shrdlu.com)
Date: 07/19/04 

Date: Mon, 19 Jul 2004 10:09:32 GMT

In message <3iDKc.53536$Mr4.10789@pd7tw1no>, Albert D. Kallal
<PleaseNOOOsPAMMkallal@msn.com> writes

>
>The real wrong being done here is that users can see, or use the
>autonumbers. I mean, do you want ms-word to start showing you the memory
>segment numbers it uses to load a document into memory? It would be crazy to
>force users to deal with memory segment numbers when using word.

That isn't really a problem at all. The fact that the US government
allows people to know their own SSN doesn't really present a problem at
all.

>
>With ms-access, YOU NOW are the software developer. So, just like those
>developers who creased word, they don't show users what memory location the
>documents load into. You as a developer has a responsibly to NOT LET USERS
>see the autonumber.

No, that's not true. The limitation is that once you have published the
autonumber you can't change it.

>
>If you need some number for your users, then you need to write your own
>custom code that generates those numbers for human consumption (say, things
>like invoice number etc.). You do NOT want to use the invoice number for
>relations etc (you still use a internal autonumber, and that way you don't
>even care if the invoice has a invoice number, or perhaps you wait a
>specified time until a invoice number is given. Either way, you can still
>have your relational database function...but behind the scenes it is using a
>autonumber).

So now you want to create two autonumbers and hide one of them. Don't
forget that the invoice number is itself an autonumber.

>
>Your database should not crap out just because you don't have a order number
>handy. Who even cares if you enter a order number, or not? Why should your
>database stop function if you don't enter a order number?

Because your users need a key to retrieve information from the database.
If you don't have a good natural key then you have to use an autonumber
instead.

> Even if you change
>the order number, again..why should your database not work?

Your database will work. Your data processing system will not, because
it includes the users who want to get data out of the database. Changing
the number inside the database does not change the numbers in their
head, or on existing documents. 

-- 
Bernard Peek
London, UK. DBA, Manager, Trainer & Author. Will work for money.

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