Setting Primary Key

[calliex]

I have created a database from importing the database from a comma separated text file. The first line of the text file contains the field names. I now want to use one of the fields as a primary key. I can not find anything in the define database that allows me to do that.

 

Do I need to create a new field before I import database and allow filemaker to set an internal record Id for the primary key? The field the currently in the database is unique and would make a better primary key.

 

Joe

[David Head]

FileMaker doesn't have a checkbox/option like Access to define a specific field as a Primary Key. You can use any field as a primary key and many developers have a field naming convention to remind themselves which field they are using.

 

The main thing you should really do with your field you want to use as a primary key is to turn on th validation option to ensure the values are unique and not allow the user to override that.

[Maarten Witberg]

The best kind of primary key is an auto-enter serial number.

You can create a number field with auto-enter serial number before import and, upon import, choose to have auto-enter options enabled. Then your new records will have a serial number that is unique, and when new records are created or imported, you won't have any validation problems.

 

 

kjoe