Incrementing Column Values

Use the Records | Increment menu or toolbar options to increment values in successive records. Increment can operate on both numeric and alphanumeric (character) columns.

Option Description
Increment One: set the value of a field in the next record as the value in the current field incremented by 1 (CTRL + U).
Increment Many: set the value of a field in subsequent records or a specified number of records as the value in the current field incremented by 1 or by the increment value you have set - see below (CTRL + SHIFT + U).
Increment = <n>: If you plan to use an increment value other than 1 (the default) set the increment value (CTRL + SHIFT + I).
Replicate One: set the value of a field in the next record as the value in the current field (CTRL + R).
Replicate Many: set the value of a field in subsequent records or a specified number of records as the value in the current field (CTRL + SHIFT + R)
In order to overwrite existing column values when you increment or replicate values, you will need to ensure that the Toggle Overwrite button (Records | Toggle Overwrite) is turned on.

Increment One and Increment <n>

To set the value of a field in the next record as an increment of the value in the current field, use the Records | Increment | Increment command (CTRL + U).

  1. Select a field value (or enter a value if it is a new record).
  2. If you plan to use an increment value other than 1 (the default), select Records | Increment = to Set an Increment Value.

For example

If the value in the highlighted NORTH field is 20230.328, selecting the Records | Increment command will increment the value (add one) and set the NORTH field value in the next record to 20231.328.

When applied to a character field, for example DH-123, the next field will be set to DH-124. The numeric part of the field is incremented and the alpha part is replicated.

In order to overwrite existing column values when you increment or replicate values, you will need to ensure that the Toggle Overwrite button (Records | Toggle Overwrite) is turned on.

Increment Many

To automatically write to multiple records in the same field, use the Records | Increment | Increment Many command.

  1. Select a field value (or enter a value if it is a new record).
  2. If you plan to use an increment value other than 1 (the default) select Records | Increment =to Set an Increment Value.
  3. Select Records | Increment | Increment Many.

    The All records from current position check box option is useful when you need to increment field values in ALL successive records. Alternatively, enter the number of increments you require in Number of times to increment.

    Select the Overwrite data option if you want to overwrite existing data. If Overwrite data is not selected, only the blank fields will be assigned incremented values.

    The application will place incremented field values in the number of successive records you have specified.

You can limit the fields to which the replication will apply by selecting them. When increment is applied to a field that has no numbers, the value in the first field will be replicated.

Only the first set of numbers will be incremented where the contents of the field comprise two or more sets of numbers separated by characters.