They should just showup in the order they were entered. Adding an autonumber ID field or something after the fact would just number them in the order they are currently in. Same with changing a field to being the PK. As far as the data is stored it should remain in the order it was. You could add sort/order by to change how it looks however you want but at the bones with no sort applied it should stay the same.

Thanks. I looked around and couldn't find any clue. This is what I thought. Actually, I'm revising an old database whose table had an Autonumber index, but many records, at scattered places, had been deleted over the years. Because each record included a location reference to an inventory photo' fileName -- and, as the JPG's filename I'd used that Autonumber'd field, I wanted to merge back into the table the missing numbers. I've deleted the original Autonumber index and manage to identify and append 134 missing numbers to the JPG name record. Now I hope to take this restored table and add a new AutoNumbered key. Because I want to synchronize these with the existing JPG names I want to order the table by the JPGname.

To pull this off (it's more an exercise than a necessity) it looks like I may have to construct a new table, writing these contents one record at a time by JPGname order to set the natural order of the data such that adding an AutoNumber then will coordinate. I can do this and I will try it.

One thing, I notice, is that I'm beginning to accumulate a snowdrift of tables in my navigation pane with various, hastily assigned table names which are confusing the evolving improvements. I'll get a handle on that first. What a nightmare if I query the wrong table! Thanks for the quick response.

Adam, thank you for your valuable input. The deed is done. I've only now to verify everything. Having to fix a database to seamlessly carry forward an AutoNumber field like this required careful planning and lots of double checking. It will probably be a little easier the next time -- but I think I'll hold off nonetheless! Thanks -- great advice.