Autonumbering for different levels

[Tom]

Currently, I have a spreadsheet that contains the data below (*****). At
this time though, I would like to convert all the sample data into
MS-Access.

More background info:
- The data content is very straightforward... I have task numbers and
associated task names.
- In the actual spreadsheet though, I have hundreds of tasks that constantly
change (adding and deleting tasks)

What I need to achieve in MS-Access:
- As shown in the data below, there are currently up to 5 sublevels (e.g.
"1", "1.1", "1.1.1", "1.1.1.1", "1.1.1.1.1", etc.). I may have to go to
yet a 6th or 7th sublevel.
- In Excel, the taskno were all of the data type "text" since any task no
beyond the 2nd level contains "2 dots/periods". Consequently, I could not
do any automatic renumbering (very tedious to maintain the data). The
"auto renumbering" is something I would like to achieve in Access.... 'not
sure if I need to put all task numbers that are on the "same level" into
separate tables and then somehow string some prefix data to make the number
appear as if it had e.g. 5 digits (1.1.1.1.1).
- Be able to insert/delete rows and automatically adjust the numbering of
the tasks (MS-Project came to mind at this moment; however, I cannot go this
route of utilizing that particular tool).


So, the task seems relatively easy... end up w/ a database that will allow
me to run reports that create the sample data below. Again, I believe the
main problem resides in the auto numbering of the tasks so that inserting
and deleting rows (records) will automatically renumber the entire data
range within its main task hierarchy (1 or 2).

Does anyone have some idea as to how I can achieve this best?

Any help is appreciated!!!


Thanks,
Tom



**** Spreadsheet Data (Snapshot) ****
============================
1 Task1
1.1 Task2
1.1.1 Task3
1.1.1.1 Task4
1.1.1.2 Task5
1.1.1.3 Task6
1.1.1.4 Task7
1.1.2 Task8
1.1.3 Task9
1.2 Task10
1.2.1 Task11
2 Task12
2.1 Task13
2.1.1 Task14
2.1.1.1 Task15
2.1.1.1.1 Task16

 

[Jeff Boyce]

Tom

I'm not sure that you and Access have the same definition of the term
"autonumber". What you've described sounds like a combination of level and
sequence.

For instance, you might want to insert a new task somewhere in the list of
tasks three levels down, then have the tasks "below" the inserted task
re-numbered to reflect the fact that they'd been "pushed down".

If you are regularly "adding and deleting" tasks, perhaps Access is not the
tool you need to use. For those of us (like me) who are data bigots, Access
provides a way to add and KEEP information. Have you looked into the
auto-level, auto-renumber feature of MS Word, in its outline numbering
capabilities?

Good luck!

Jeff Boyce
<Access MVP>

 

[Tom Bock]

Jeff:

Thanks for you prompt reply...

Yes, you're right, I do need to change the numbers after inserting/deleting
records. They don't necessarily have to be "autonumbers though".

As a matter of fact, I had hoped to maybe do some math on these (not sure
how yet though) via a regular number field.

Well, maybe you're right, Access might not be the most appropriate tool for
this particular task.

Thanks for confirming my initial thoughts,
Tom