RE: [PHP] Mysql Rows

[snip] >You must have a column that is sequential in some way. An >auto-incremented column, timestamp, or some other device that will allow >you to step through regardless of gaps in sequence. If you do not have >such a column then you could add one. You see, now that's the problem. If you have a field that has auto-increment and then delete a record, auto-increment does not go back and fill up the gaps. As such, if you don't renumber, then the only thing left is to use a timestamp, I guess. [/snip] No, if you have gaps you can still step through sequentially, like 14, 15, 18, 19, 20... [snip] >The simplest example (most recent to oldest): > >select * from table order by datefield desc; > > >To get them in the order they were entered: > >select * from table order by id asc; > > >To get them in reverse order: > >select * from table order by id desc; Which I could be used in such a way that you also provide a counter outside of mysql to show the user a number as they step through the records. However, the next time they want to review record xxx, it may not be in the same position because of deletions. [/snip] But if you never change the record number it will always have the same record number. If someone searches for a particular record and it is not there it has been deleted. Renumbering makes this far worse, because if I am searching for record xxx and the table has been renumbered it may now be record yy....I'd have no way of knowing.