Carl's right, but I want to add that re-importing the data to a new 
file set and resetting the auto-enter index stops ebase from creating 
new duplicate record numbers, but doesn't deal with any that you 
currently have.

The problem is that apparently you now have more than one names 
record with the same record number. Whichever of those records you 
look at, you will see the same set of payments, actions, contacts, 
etc., If you delete either of those records, all other related 
records will be deleted also.

It will take some serious work "under the hood" to resolve this. 
Somehow or other you need to find and eliminate the records with 
duplicate record numbers while not affecting the related records. 
Here's what I have done on the several occasions I have been 
confronted with this. And if someone has worked out a simpler way 
round this, please jump in. This is risky work. If any of the steps 
below don't make sense, you probably need to get help from someone 
who can work out this process. And in any case, back up the file set 
before diving in. Also, what I describe assumes that you caught this 
problem early enough that you have not added any payments, actions, 
or contacts for the records with duplicate numbers.

Search for duplicate record numbers from the home screen by clicking 
the find button and putting an exclamation point in the record number 
field. This will give you all the records with a record number which 
is a duplicate of another. If that  number is 20, for example, you 
have 10 pairs of duplicates.

Scroll through the records, and write down all the unique record 
numbers. Note that in each pair, you should be able to identify one 
of the records which is recent, and another which was entered some 
time ago.

Open the Define Relationships dialog, sort the relationships by 
related file. On each relationship that connects the names file to 
any other file, hit the edit button, and uncheck the box which says 
"When deleting a record in this file, also delete related records."

Now scroll through your found set of records with duplicate records 
and delete the most recent record in each pair. You'll have to decide 
how you know that - either you recognize one of the names, or you 
note the origin on a recent list, or ??

Then go back to the Define Relationships dialog and check the box to 
delete related records everywhere you unchecked it.

Then you have to re-key all the records you deleted.

I wish it were simpler.

>If you updated by just importing your old data from names, payments,
>etc. into a fresh copy of ebase, you need to reset the record number
>field to a number higher than the highest record number in use from your
>old database.  If not, you could get the results you're seeing. 
>
>Let me explain.  If you had 1500 records in your database but deleted
>500 of them, some of those record numbers are no longer in use, but you
>may still have someone with record number 1500 in your database (or
>1105, etc.).  Now, when you reimport into a fresh copy of ebase, this
>new copy thinks there are only 1000 records, and the record number field
>that is automatically entered every time you add a new person will
>eventually enter 1001, 1002, 1003...  If record number 1003 was in use
>in your old database by someone with payments, those payments are
>connected to anyone with the record number 1003.  But now since you have
>two people with record number 1003, you've got trouble.  Payments will
>start appearing magically.  AND, if you delete them, you'll delete them
>for their rightful owners too.
>
>So, what can you do?  What you should to do is re-import the data into a
>new clean copy of ebase, and then re-set all of the auto-enter serial
>number fields in ebase to some number higher than the last in use in
>your last database.  You can do this by importing the data, then going
>to the last record in your new database, noting the record number, and
>reseting the record number to at least one number higher than that.
>This last step is done by going into the File->Define->Fields menu item
>and finding the record number field, selecting options, and resetting
>the number in that dialog box.  There are similar fields in each of the
>data files (payments, actions, contacts, notes, etc.).  Also, if you've
>modified your source codes at all, you may need to re-enter the
>modifications or import that data into the proper files as well.
>Finally, you'll need Filemaker to do this.
>
>If you've deleted your old database and have no backups, it might be
>possible to delete ALL records entered after the import, resetting these
>auto-enter serial numbers, then re-entereing the new data.  If you've
>deleted some of the odd payments, this approach won't recover that data.
>
>Make a backup before trying any of this, and make new backups each time
>you try something new...
>
>Good luck and get back to the list if you're still confused.
>
>Carl
>
>
>Dads Info wrote:
>>
>>  About 3 months ago I updated to the version 1.03 of Ebase and version 5.5 of
>  > filemaker pro, since then when I have been adding a new person to the
>  > database sometimes payments are added to their file, even though I have not
>  > enter payments into their file and they have not made any payments. I am
>>  just wondering if anyone knows why this is doing this and if there is a way
>>  to stop it from happening.  Also when I first open up Ebase it doesn't
>>  always find all the members.  you have to click on the payments and click
>>  find then home for it to find everyone that has been entered.
>>  Thanks
>>
>>  Jessica Flipp
>>  Dads and Daughters
>>  www.dadsanddaughters.org
>>  [EMAIL PROTECTED]
>>  218-722-3942
>>  218-722-4058 (fax)
>>  PO Box 3458
>>  Duluth, MN 55803
>>
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>
>--
>Carl Paulsen
>New Hampshire Rivers Council
>54 Portsmouth Street
>Concord, NH  03301
>603-228-6472
>603-228-0423 Fax
>[EMAIL PROTECTED]
>
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-- 
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Dave Shaw         H4 Consulting
tel: 206-954-7526    fax: 206-625-1338

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