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Better to use numeric or text field for table IDs?

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    Better to use numeric or text field for table IDs?

    All- I was wondering one is better off using an numeric field or an text field for the ID field of a table (auto-incrementing). Or, does it really matter?

    I think Steve Workings's video showed him using auto-incrementing, but the incremented number was converted to text and then stored in a text field. (I THINK this facilitated the insertion of leading zeros?!)

    Thanks.

    -Kurt

    #2
    Re: Better to use numeric or text field for table IDs?

    I know that the recognised standard is to use text files, but I personally always use numeric and have never had any problems. Far simpler to auto increment and they can always be converted to a string if need be.

    Michael

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      #3
      Re: Better to use numeric or text field for table IDs?

      I always used text fields for auto-incrementing fields, on the grounds that, if a field wasn't going to be used for calculations, it was better to make it character than numeric. However, now that I'm switching to a MySQL back end, I regret the decision, because the auto-incrementing fields in MySQL have to be numeric. I don't know whether other SQL back end databases have the same restriction.

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        #4
        Re: Better to use numeric or text field for table IDs?

        Please accept my amateur status, but until I came over to Alpha, I always used numeric for table ID's as per instructions of the programs I used. I am still uncertain if there is any advantage to going the text route, rather than using a numeric field. Seems as if Dr. Wayne has found a pretty good reason to go the numeric way.
        "Ollie, remember how dumb I used to be? Well, I'm much better now."

        Pete

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          #5
          Re: Better to use numeric or text field for table IDs?

          But then again, with web applications requiring character fields, you could also use this for a reason for using character fields.

          I think it comes down to what way you are planning to use a database/application and regardless there will be times when conversions between numeric and character will have to be done.
          Mike
          __________________________________________
          It is only when we forget all our learning that we begin to know.
          It's not what you look at that matters, it's what you see.
          Henry David Thoreau
          __________________________________________



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