MS Access vba save button error 3021 - vba

Question

For various reasons, I want to set up a custom button on my forms to save the current record. I use a navigation form and want to trigger the same process (integrity-checks, user input etc.) whenever the entry is saved, thus whenever the user presses the "save"-button or switches to another form. The user will conditionally be asked to confirm the process and is thus able to cancel it as well.
Everything is running smoothly with one really odd and annoying exception: Whenever I click the save button on a new record and prompt a message within the "BeforeUpdate" event, I receive
RTE 3021 ("no current record")
Without the MsgBox, everything is fine. Even more strange:
When I trigger the save process by switching to another form using the navigation form (or simply press "outside" the form used for data entry), everything is fine as well.
Here is a minimalistic example (similar results with DoCmd.Save, Requery or acCmdSaveRecord):
Private Sub vt_save_Click()
Me.Dirty = False
End Sub
Private Form_BeforeUpdate(Cancel As Integer)
Cancel = True
MsgBox "Test"
End Sub
Any ideas? I simply can't wrap my head around that error.

Answer 1

You could maybe try to run a query using the values in the form while checking if the record exists or not.
Is there a primary key on the table? if so, the primary key will be your focal point.
Private Sub vt_Save_Click()
dim rst as DAO>Recordset
Dim strSQL as String
Dim strID as string
strID = me.YourPrimaryKeyField
strSQL = "SELECT * " & _
"FROM YourTableName " & _
"WHERE (((YourTableName.YourFieldName) =" & me.PrimaryKeyField & "));"
set rst = currentdb.openrecordset(strsql)
if rst.recordcount = 0 then
currentdb.execute "INSERT INTO YourTableName ( List All Fields to Add ) " & _
"SELECT List All Field controls with values to add;"
End IF
'Anything else you want the code to do from here
EndCode:
If not rst is nothing then
rst.close
set rst = nothing
End IF
End Sub
Repeat this process for the Form_LostFocus() event. If you want to make it easier, make this code a module and call within both event triggers on your form.
If this doesn't work please let me know and I will be happy to further assist.

Answer 2

The most straight forward and reasonable solution is to use an Error Handler - which I ignored so far tenaciously.
Private Sub save_Click()
On Error GoTo Err_Handler
Me.Dirty = False
Exit_Here:
Exit Sub
Err_Handler:
If Err.Number = 2101 Then
'ignore or message
Else
MsgBox Err.Description
End If
Resume Exit_Here
End Sub