I am trying to understand references in tables and using primary keys with auto increment option as a reference to all tables: What is the best way to reference other tables? I have three tables: menus, categories, and links. I also have an ID field in each table that uses the autoincrement option and is the primary key which is used to reference the other tables. This works great for referencing except when a record is deleted. When a record is deleted and you add another record the ID is not assigned the deleted records ID instead it skips the deleted record ID and uses the next ID when you would expect it to use the deleted ID which then causes problems with query to display all records from all tables. Maybe if I could use REPLACE to replace the deleted record that might work. I guess the solution is to create a new field common to all tables called record_id and not use the auto increment option and enter the record ID manually for each record I add. The problem with this is I have to remember what the previous record was if I want it to be in order. Is there a better way to do this. I like the auto increment option. I saw an example where three tables all contain a customerid which links all the tables together. Lets say I delete a customerid in one table but not the others. Does the database automatically delete the other cutomerids in the other tables that correspond to the customerid that was deleted or is it up to the programmer to delete the other two id's. -- This email was sent using w3mail. --------------------------------------------------------------------- Before posting, please check: http://www.mysql.com/manual.php (the manual) http://lists.mysql.com/ (the list archive) To request this thread, e-mail <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To unsubscribe, e-mail <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Trouble unsubscribing? Try: http://lists.mysql.com/php/unsubscribe.php