My Access database has MainTable that includes, among other fields, Event Description.
I get the Event Description from another table, EventTable, that has two fields, EventID and Event Description
My form has a combobox that lets users select the "Event Description", and that works okay. But in my VBA code, I have to be able to capture the EventID itself.
Is there a way to do that without putting an "EventID" control on the form? (Even an invisible one?)
Simply use a hidden column on the combobox which you can set up via the control wizard. However, specific design steps include:
Under Data tab of Property Sheet, use EventID as the Control Source of combo box. This assumes form is bound to a record source.
Under Data tab of Property Sheet, use a two column SQL query that includes EventID (hidden column) and EventDescription (displayed column) as Row Source with Row Source Type being Table/Query. You can add more columns with corresponding adjustments to #3 below. Be sure that 1 is used for Bound Column or whatever column position aligns to EventID.
SELECT EventID, EventDescription
FROM Events
Under Format tab of Property Sheet, use 2 (or more for every column in query) for Column Count and zero for first item and non-zero for second or more items in Column Widths (e.g., 0"; 2"). Ideally, the widths add up to the total width of combo box.
Altogether, above will hide EventID in combobox but show to users EventDescription and any choice selected will return the corresponding EventID value.
Related
I currently have these options set in a combo box:
This box will show the projectIDs that a current company has which is set with the criteria. I just want to show the name of the project as people will not know just by the id. If I remove the check box for the projectID it will just remove that field completly and not show anything. I have debugged what companyBox.Value is and it is indeed a number for a company and if taken this id and replaced it with the following query which is built from the picture and it returns the results I want. I just cant get the values to show in the combo box.
SELECT projects.projectName
FROM companys INNER JOIN projects ON companys.companyID = projects.companyID
WHERE (((companys.companyID)=7));
Gives me all the projectNames where the companyID is 7
And as seen below that same query just gives me blank spaces instead of the names:
Ok, if you have say a query, then as noted, then you can use a "join" to pull in the other table (based on that "projectID").
So, for a general report etc., then your approach of using the query you have is correct.
HOWEVER!!!
For a combo box? They have this feature and ability built in. In other words you do NOT in general need a join.
The combo box has two parts:
A sql query that "drives" or "fills" the combo box. This can (and will be) of course based on the Projects table.
VERY important:
Our combo box is to save, store, put, use the project ID into a column in our CURRENT form. That form of course is based on a differnt table (the forms current table). So, keep in mind the two concpets:
Combo box can be driven by any table to display data.
Combo box will/can use a column from that "other" table to SAVE into a current column on the current form.
Now of course the Project "id" is the VALUE we want, but we sure as don't want to display that "project id" value, since as you note, humans want the nice looking text.
First Rule:
ALWAYS, but ALWAYS make sure the FIRST column of the combo box "sql query" is the column we WANT to save into the current form, but ALSO the column we are going to HIDE AND NOT show to the user.
So, a combo box can with great ease HIDE the first column. You can hide other columns, but as a general rule a VERY HIGH number of my combo boxs will have two columns. So, you might need company "id", but would want to display company name as nice text to the user, but store/save/use the "id" of company for this purpose.
So, in your case? Change the order of your columns.
You want:
ProjectID, ProjectName, and you ALSO can continue to have a filter based on company.
So, once you get above setup, and you WILL NOT need a sql join. Remember, the combo box has it own "whole sql statement" based on table projects.
So, the combo box will:
Save/store/use the ProjectID when you select a project.
And it will display the project name, but behind the scenes it will use + save ProjectID.
So, just make sure that you set the length of the first column in the combo box to 0 (to hide that projectID from display).
Next, make sure you set WHICH column value from the query the combo box is to save.
That column will be the FIRST column, so you want to set that to 1
Your combo settings will look something like this:
In above, the CONTROL source is your CURRENT form and table.
So, I want to get a Hotel "ID" from the table hotels, but I am going to save the results of the combo box selection INTO a column called Hotel_ID
And note VERY careful - I set the bound column = 1 (that is the FIRST value from the query that drives the combo box.
Next up:
We want to hide the first column value, so you need this setting in format tab of the property sheet for the combo box:
NOTE VERY close in above. I set the FIRST column width = 0. this is HOW you hide the "ID" of hotels - I only want the user to see the nice hotel name. (or in your case Project name).
But, the 2nd column, I have a width for the Hotel name (or in your case project name).
So, make your first column in the query for the combo box the "id" of project id. Set the width of the first column = 0.
So, the query that drives the combo box? It is based on the ONE table, but you need to ensure that the "id" that you going to use is the first column, and simple hide it from display.
So, a combo box has a sql query that drives the combo box, and that query in most cases will NOT be the current table.
So, you have to set BOTH settings (the column the combo sql query will use - but to avoid confusing, then just adopt the habit of making the 1st column the "id" or value you want from that sql.
But, after setting above, you STILL have to set what column to shove/put that column into on the current form. (that setting is the control source).
In effect, a combo box is a kind of look-up into the other table, and it can display nice user friendly text columns, but still use + store the ID.
So, your query should look more like this:
SELECT ID, projectName
FROM projects
WHERE (((companys.companyID)=7));
I don't know if your first column of Projects table is "ID" (or is it ProjectID), but as you can see, the combo box ONLY needs to be based on the one table, and with our new rule - we always use the first column of the query the "id" value we want.
Now, of course the above is "hard coded" for company, and your original query that drives the combo box was fine - just that the order of the columns display was incorrect.
I am very new to Access and VBA but what i'm trying to do is simple:
I have a table which i want to show in a form, i have put said table in a subform box.
I want to have a column in which i want to update the status based on options from the combo box (yes/ no/ maybe).
So as shown in the picture: i want to select a line in the subform and update the column status by selecting an option in the combo box.
You can modify the selected record in the subform in the AfterUpdate event of the combo box.
Private Sub cboStatus_AfterUpdate()
subForm1.Form!Status = cboStatus
End Sub
This assumes that your combo box control is named cboStatus, your subform is named subForm1, and the field you want to update is named Status. It also assumes you aren't using numerical ID's as foreign keys for your values.
You will only be able to update one row at a time.
Beyond the scope of your question....
There are numerous other ways to develop an interface to edit the row. One way is to modify the field Lookup properties in the table. You can change the Display Control to a Combo Box, set the Row Source type to Value List, and then set the Row Source to a list of possible values separated by semicolon.
Now whenever you open that table in a datasheet view (like the example on your subform) a dropdown will appear in that column. A user can edit directly in that view without requiring a separate combo box control.
Is it possible in acces, in a table, in edit mode, normal in grid mode, in a combo box field, to make this combo box show some values, but to select them, save others?
I need this because, in Declarado, Comprobado and Documentos tables, I want a composite text to appear between a foreign key and a field in the foreign table, and that the value that is saved when selected is obviously the value of the foreign key selected.
I explain it in pictures
As you can see in the first image, I have four tables, Expedientes, Declarado, Comprobado and Documentos.
But this I just want to appear in the drop-down, I think this forces me to use a form and program it with Vb, right?
I can upload the BD if you need it
Create a form whose Record Source is the Comprobado table (whose records you are currently editing by opening the table in Grid View).
Then, insert a Combobox on the form and set the Control Source of the combobox to the Num_Expediente field, and the Row Source to a query containing both the Num_Expediente field and Nombre_OT field, e.g.:
select t.Num_Expediente, t.Nombre_OT from Expedientes t order by t.Num_Expediente
Set the Column Count property to 2 and size the columns appropriately for your data using the Column Widths property. Set the Bound Column property to column 1, so that the Num_Expediente is populated with the correct data.
I have a continuous form that has a dependent combo box on it. I have the dependent working individually for each row/record BUT the dependent combo box is blank unless it has focus then it shows the saved data so what I did was placed a text box over the data portion of the combo box and set its control source to the same field as the dependent combo box and required and it worked great BUT unlike a combo box which would show the name it shows the saved data which is a ID number so I guess my question is how can I show the name and not the data?
Thanks!
You'll need to clarify, but if the combobox is bound to a field of the form, and its RowSource displays two columns - say an ID and Name - then giving the first column a width of 0 will persuade it to display the Name, rather than the ID.
You will also need the Column Count to be 2 (or more) and the Bound Column to be 1 (the ID). Then set the Column Widths to 0cm;2cm (add more values if more than 2 columns).
Added
Remove this criteria from your cobmobox's Row Source:
[Forms]![frm_DelayMachineOutputSubform]![cboCategory]
It is not needed. The ActivityID (and the CategoryID) are obtained for each row in the form.
Remove these lines from the Current event as well:
Me.cboActivity.Requery
Me.txtActivity.Requery
again, they are not needed (and cause the flicker). Better yet, just delete this event-code.
Basically, I have a combo box that I'm using to select a record. That combo box then populates several textbox's that are found on my form based on the ID. See the two images:
.
I'd like the combo box to show the first two columns in my query, which consists of 16 fields. The Abbreviation and the Name, to be exact. However, I found that if I hid the fields in the query or if I limited the column count of the combo box so it only displays the two, it actually culled the data so that the textbox's would not find it (thus be blank).
My question is, how can I just show the first two columns of the combo box yet still use it's ID to reference all sixteen?
Query
SELECT Tradeshows.tradeShowAppreviation,
Tradeshows.tradeShowName, Tradeshows.tradeShowID,
Tradeshows.tradeShowWebsite, Tradeshows.tradeShowLocation,
Tradeshows.tradeShowDateStart, Tradeshows.tradeShowDateEnd,
Tradeshows.tradeShowBoothSize, Tradeshows.tradeShowShipDate,
Tradeshows.tradeShowAudience, Tradeshows.tradeShowFocus,
Tradeshows.tradeShowMailer, Tradeshows.tradeShowDoorDrop,
Tradeshows.tradeShowProductFocus, Tradeshows.tradeShowAttendees,
Tradeshows.tradeShowMembers, Tradeshows.tradeShowMemberships
FROM Tradeshows;
Do not change the column count, change the column widths.
Column width: 0cm;2cm;1cm;0cm
And so on.
it should not be difficult to only select the relevant columns. You could post the Row Source property of your combo.
It seems to me that you should be binding you table to the data source TradeShows and using the wizard to create a combobox that finds record.
You can do this by selecting the table Tradeshows and choosing either create form or form. You will now have a form with the RecordSource property set to TradeShows. Next, choose to add a combobox to the form, ensuring that you have selected the wizard (the magic wand button is highlighted). You will be given the option to "Find a record on my form based on the value I select in my combobox". You can choose this and step through the wizard. When you get to the step where you choose fields, make sure you choose the TradeShowID first, and then the name and / or abbreviation. If TradeShowID is the primary key, as it should be, the column will be automatically hidden in the next step, which will show the fields selected.
The result of these actions will be a combobox with the following properties:
Row Source : SELECT [Tradeshows].[tradeShowID], [Tradeshows].[tradeShowName],
[Tradeshows].[tradeShowAppreviation] FROM [Tradeshows];
Bound Column : 1
Column Count : 3
Column Widths : 0cm;2.54cm;2.54cm
You will also have [Embedded Macro] in the After Update event (2010 and possible 2007) or [Event Procedure] for earlier versions. The wizard code is pretty poor, but that is another days work.
If you still wish to do all the work of setting each control to the (possibly changing) column order, you can follow a similar lay out for the combo, setting counts and widths appropriately.