MS Access one form to select table values and use to populate multiple fields on other form? - vba

Question

I have a table called GL_Account and IM_Productline
The table IM_Productline has various fields that need to be populated with a value from the field GL_Account.AccountKey (i.e. IM_ProductLine.InventoryAcctkey and IM_ProductLine.CostOfGoodsSoldAcctKey)
To populate the IM_ProductLine table I made a form "Product Line Maintenance" with all the fields. To populate the field IM_ProductLine.InventoryAcctkey I put a (magnifying glass) button behind the field with the following code:
Private Sub CMD_Select_GL_Account_Click()
Me.Refresh
If IsNull(Select_ProductType) Then
'do nothing
Else
Forms![Product Line Maintenance].InventoryAcctkey = Me.SelectGLAccountKey.Column(0)
Forms![Product Line Maintenance].Refresh
End If
DoCmd.Close
End Sub
So the button opens a form Called "Select GL Account" with a combo box that enable to SELECT GL_Account.AccountKey, GL_Account.Account, GL_Account.AccountDesc
FROM GL_Account; and when the OK button is clicked it writes the value from GL_Account.AccountKey to IM_ProductLine.InventoryAcctkey, closes the form "Select GL Account" and then refreshes the form "Product Line Maintenance" so the account number and description become visible for the user.
This all work fine but here's my question:
Now rather than creating a new form for every account field I need to populate (i.e. "Select Inventory GL Account" select "Cost Of Goods Sold GL Account" etc) I'd prefer to use the form "Select GL Account" to select and populate the 11 different account fields. So behind each xxxAcctkeyfield on form "Product Line Maintenance" is a (magnifying glass) button that when clicked pulls up the form "Select GL Account" and when "OK" is clicked it writes the selected AccountKey to the correct field on form "Product Line Maintenance"?
I'd greatly appreciate anyone's efforts to understand what I am trying to explain and point me in the right direction.

Answer 1

Ok, there is the issue that all 11 fields should not require to be "copied" since you have a relational database (you would ONLY store the row PK ID of that selection in the current report. (a so called FK (foreign key) value). That way, say you want to change the choice? Well then you could pop up that form - search + select the one record with all that information, and then upon return ONLY store the one value.
So, I would give some thoughts to the above - you want to leverage the relational database features. And as a result, you don't need to "copy" all that data. This is not much different then say creating a invoice. I can create the new invoice, but all of the address information, and the customer that this ONE invoice belongs to? Well, that is one column with a FK value that points to the customer. Once I select that one customer, then display of the customer name + address can be say a sub form or some such - but no need exists to "copy" that information. It would also means with near zero code, you could move a invoice between customers!!! - (just change the one fk column with to the new/different customer ID (PK) value.
Now, back to the question at a hand?
You can certainly pop up a form, let the user select, enter, pick and do whatever. And THEN you can have the calling code grab + pick out the values from that form.
The way you do this? It involves a not too wide known trick.
The code that calls the form can simply open that form as a dialog form. This will HALT the calling code, the user does whatever, and when done the calling code will THEN continue. Not only does the calling code continue, but it can get/grab/pull/take any values from that pop up form WIHOUT having to use global vars.
The approach is thus thus:
dim strF as string
strF = "frmPopAskInfo"
docmd.OpenForm strF,,,,,,acDialog
' above code waits for user input
if application.AllForms(strF).IsLoaded = true then
' user did not cancel, get values from form
me!AccountNo = forms(strf)!AccountNumber
etc. etc. etc.
docmd.Close acForm,strF
end if
Now the only other issue? Well, the "ok" button on the popup for DOES NOT close the form, what it does is set visible = False. This will kick the form out of dialog mode.
me.Visible = False
So, if the user hits the cancel buttton (close form) or hits the X upprer right (close form), then the form will NOT be loaded when your calling code continues. But, if they hit OK button, then you don't close the form, but ONLY set visbile = false.
This allows the calling code to continue, you are free to get/grab/take values from that form, and then once done, you close the form.
So a form close in that popup = user canceled the form.
So, a popup form, and even a modal form? They do NOT halt the VBA calling code, but a acDialog form does!
You can thus place 2 or 5 little buttons that pops up this form, the user can pick/choose/select/enter values. When they hit ok, your calling code continues, and you are free to pull values from that form. So while all 3-4 buttons might pop up that form, each individual button launch of the form can have code that follows and updates the given control the pop button was placed beside.