[AccessD] 2 quick questions

John,

<<It is not air-tight, so to speak, but I don't see another way...I'm just
looking for opinions on this...>>

  You need to:

1. Use an auto number as the "primary key" for the table.
2. Add an additional index on the table based on the last name, first name,
middle init and DOB (this is the true primary key).  You should never use
parts of field as part of a key. It's the whole field or nothing.
3. Provide a lookup in the interface for the user to select the right person
based on the true primary key.

  The auto number just gains you performance within the DB.

Jim.

-----Original Message-----
From: accessd-bounces at databaseadvisors.com
[mailto:accessd-bounces at databaseadvisors.com] On Behalf Of John Clark
Sent: Thursday, May 26, 2011 02:26 PM
To: Access Developers discussion and problem solving
Subject: [AccessD] 2 quick questions

1) 
The data for the program I am working on, comes w/no real good unique
identifier, so I'm trying to create my own.  The only personal data I am
getting is name (last, first, MI) and DoB. The rest is survey data. This is
a dental survey form, and they want to track clients if/as they go from
infant to adult, so I told them we need some sort of identifier. 
 
The method I've come up with, to create an identifier is using the 1st 3
letters of the last name, the 1st 2 of the first name, the middle
initial...if there isn't one, I place an "X" into the ID...then 6 digits of
DoB.
 
For example: a client named Joe T Murphy, born on Dec 7th, 1994 would be
assigned an ID of MURJOT120794
 
It is not air-tight, so to speak, but I don't see another way...I'm just
looking for opinions on this...
 
2)
This one is a dumb one...
 
I don't like whole screen forms, if they're not needed. In all the earlier
versions of access, if you didn't have your form maximized in design view,
it would default to run in a smaller window. But, w/A07 it doesn't seem to
work this way. My form keeps running full screen and I don't want that...how
do I do this?
 
Thanks...J Clark
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