Does anybody know how to carry a value forward from the previous record in a database to the next record?  I've tried the various xlookup functions and don't think that any of them will do it.  I need to carry forward a total from calculations on the previous record to the next record.  Can Sesame do this?  I have had some success with @ditto but, its not getting the job done right because the field I am ditto-ing is used in the new record for the next round of calculations.  Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks, I'll see if that works.

Do you mean the "counter" field adds a sequential number to the record as in @number?

Merci beaucoup Messieur Cajun.  Do you think this would work if I already have a numbered field on each record?  In other words, does the "counter" have to be generated by a @number or can it be manually enterred for each record? I think I know the answer, but want to be sure.

You are right about records being deleted or entering the wrong number.  This data base, however, has a max of 52 records and each record is tied to a pay period.  So the data entry-er (is that a word?) has to use the right sequential number to get the date range for the pay period.  So, I'm not worried about deletions or incorrect entries.  I am worried about the order of execution, though.  I'm not having any luck with the global values option at this time as it is a new concept to me and I don't have any examples to really look at and analyze.  The manual is pretty sketchy.

GlobalValue is comprised of two routines - a subroutine "GlobalValue(KeyString, ValueString)" and a function @GlobalValue(KeyString). When GlobalValue is called the ValueString is stored by the database engine under the "tag" passed in in "KeyString". So, in a simple case, you could store someone's name with:

GlobalValue("name", "Mark Lasersohn")

To then retrieve that name, you would use:

var str as string
str = @GlobalValue("name")

GlobalValues, once set are retained unless reset. So you can shutdown Sesame, turn off your computer, go on vacation, and when you return - it will still be set. They are held on the server so programming in any layout in that application can get to the value or set it - as can any user using that server. In that sense they are similar to a Lookup Table - but a lot more flexible and unlimited.

For example, lets say that you want to hold a singular piece of information by date. You can use the @date function to supply the "KeyValue":

GlobalValue(@str(@date), "Filled Tank")

Then you can access the different GlobalValues stored under different dates, by passing the date you interested in to @GlobalValue:

var str as string
str = @GlobalValue("2001/02/01")
if(str = "Filled Tank")
{
    writeln("I filled the tank on February 1st, 2001")
}

Or you could use a zip code as a KeyString and list the cities that fall under that zip code as the value:

GlobalValues(44122, "Cleveland;Euclid;Wickliffe")

Then access it for use in a Popup Menu:

var zip_code as string
var result as string

// Zip is a LE on the form
zip_code = Zip

result = @PopupMenu(@GlobalValue(zip_code), "Select a City")

The number of cases where global values can (and should) be used is infinite. They can be used to communicate between clients using the same server (kind of like an email). They can be used to store unique or important events. They make a very good simple lookup mechanism. They can pass data between forms and other forms and reports. Etc...

Yea!  I did it.  Thanks to all of you who helped me out.  Glboalvalues is a powerful  tool that I'm sure  that I will be using a lot in the future!