Auto-number 'increment' changed to 'random' converting to access 2

[Finn.Rudd]

Help Pls: Why does Access 2003, when converting a DB from Access 2000,
replace an 'increment' primary-key auto-number "record id #" field, by a
'random' number field for generating " record id #'s," for records I am
now adding to the Data Base, subsequent to the conversion?

The values now generated for new records are lengthy, complex numbers, and
they are cumbersome, and not helpful.

When I try to change this property in 'design' view, back to an 'increment'
setting, as I had originally designed the Data Base, the system returns an
error message saying:

"You can't change a random-valued AutoNumber field to an incremental
AutoNumber field." "(The values of random-valued AutoNumber fields aren't
continuous)"

In converting the data-base, would there have been some way I could have
avoided this ? Thanks much, in advance, for your guidance. FINN RUDD

 

[Steve Schapel]

Finn,

I don't know the reason why this happened. I just tried it out with a
couple of Access 2000 databases, and Autonumber fields were retained as
Incremental when converted to Access 2002-3 format.

If you wanted, you could reasonably easily put it back to how it was.
It would involve making a new table with the same structure as the
existing one, except with the AutoNumber set to incremental, and using
an Append Query to add the records from prior to the convwersion from
one to another, and then re-enter the records that have been added since
the conversion.

 

[Steve Schapel]

Jamie

The existing numbers will be appended, whether they are sequential or not.