how do i add ID's to an existing mysql database?
 

I have this huge database and want to assign a unique number to every record.. how can i do this?

If i create a new field and set it autoincrement it will start counting
for new entries how do i adjust the old entries?

How about edit?

they should already have an id.....maybe i'm just misunderstanding something

I think he's saying he has a table that already has records.
When you alter the table and add a new field, those previous records default to null - where he wants them to get a prepopulated ID from the alter table command. Or something like that.

This is the only solution I could readily think of.

Your original table:

"table1 ( name, value )"

make a new table with the new ID column set to auto_increment:

"table2 ( id, name, value)"

then run a select into table type query:

INSERT INTO table2 (name,value) SELECT * from table1

google for "MySQL front" its the shit

http://dev.mysql.com/doc/refman/5.0/en/alter-table.html

or download and install http://www.phpmyadmin.net/home_page/index.php