> use a table count table. It requires occasional housekeeping.
> Tablename, record count fields in a table.
> Update them with select count(*) for each table.
> Use triggers to insert -1 on delete with table name and +1 on insert with
> table name.
> select sum(tcount) where tablename='name' for a fast count.
> Then fire off occasional housekeeping at low use time schedule to delete all
> records where tablename= and replace with select count(*)'s again.
> Alan
>

The problem this way is, AFAIK, he will cannot use this for his actual purpose like he said in first message. That is, for a filtered search. Ex. I wanna all data from sales table but only for citys that begin with 'New' (NY, New Jersey, New Orleans, etc... just a example). The "table count" table will not help this...