Changing Textbox.DefaultValue in Access - vba

I would like to be able to change the Textbox.DefaultValue during the 'On Load' event of a form such that each time the form is loaded the user is prompted with an InputBox to change a specific TextBox.Default value which in my case the TextBox control on the table is called Stream. I have tried the following code but each time it gives me a
'RunTime Error 3422 Cannot modify table structure. Another user has
the table open'.
Private Sub Form_Load()
CurrentDb.TableDefs("Class 1 Students (C1)").Fields("Stream").DefaultValue = InputBox("Enter Stream Letter:")
End Sub
I am using Microsoft Access

As Doug Glancy said in a comment, don't change the field's default value in table design. Instead change the text box's default value.
This is a critical point in a multi-user database application --- you wouldn't want one user stomping on another's default value choice. But, even if this will always be a single-user application, changing the table design means you can't have the table open in the record source of your form.
Changing the text box default value is easy. I added an unbound text box, txtDefaultStream, to my form's header. And, in its after update event, I change Me.txtStream.DefaultValue. The code is below.
Here is a screenshot of that form in action. I had A as the default when entering the first 2 rows. Then entered B in the default stream text box. Notice the new record has B in its Stream text box.
Private Sub txtDefaultStream_AfterUpdate()
Dim strDefault As String
If Len(Trim(Me.txtDefaultStream & vbNullString)) > 0 Then
strDefault = """" & Me.txtDefaultStream.value & """"
Me.txtStream.DefaultValue = strDefault
Else
Me.txtStream.DefaultValue = vbNullString
End If
End Sub

As Doug Glancy said, use the textbox, so you should try
Private Sub Form_Load()
Me.AText.DefaultValue = "='S'"
End Sub

Related

Detect if combobox has been modified in the last Xs [duplicate]

Good morning!
I have a "fancy" search function in Microsoft Access where the list of possible options shrinks as you type in the search field. Unfortunately the computer and server can't keep up with these rapid requeries of the data.
Currently the command to requery with the field in the 'onchange' function of the search box. I'd like to add a delay so it only runs the requery when the search box has not changed for a second. Thus if someone types in a 8 letter word, it isn't running 8 requeries.
The current idea I have for it, which I know there must be something better, is..
"On change, set search box value to X and wait 1 second. After 1 second, if X = search box value, run the requery. An issue is that it would be rapidly rewriting the X value and have a 'wait' command floating for each letter.
Hopefully there's a way to write an event trigger of "When field X has changed, but not changed for the past second."
Thank you!
As requested, here is my current code
'Create a string (text) variable
Dim vSearchString As String
'Populate the string variable with the text entered in the Text Box SearchFor
vSearchString = SearchFor.Text
'Pass the value contained in the string variable to the hidden text box SrchText,
'that is used as the sear4ch criteria for the Query QRY_SearchAll
SrchText = vSearchString
'Requery the List Box to show the latest results for the text entered in Text Box SearchFor
Me.SearchResults.Requery
Me.SearchResults2.Requery
'Tests for a trailing space and exits the sub routine at this point
'so as to preserve the trailing space, which would be lost if focus was shifted from Text Box SearchFor
If Len(Me.SrchText) <> 0 And InStr(Len(SrchText), SrchText, " ", vbTextCompare) Then
'Set the focus on the first item in the list box
Me.SearchResults = Me.SearchResults.ItemData(1)
Me.SearchResults.SetFocus
'Requery the form to refresh the content of any unbound text box that might be feeding off the record source of the List Box
DoCmd.Requery
'Returns the cursor to the the end of the text in Text Box SearchFor,
'and restores trailing space lost when focus is shifted to the list box
Me.SearchFor = vSearchString
Me.SearchFor.SetFocus
Me.SearchFor.SelStart = Me.SearchFor.SelLength
Exit Sub
End If
'Set the focus on the first item in the list box
' Me.SearchResults = Me.SearchResults.ItemData(1)
Me.SearchResults.SetFocus
'Requery the form to refresh the content of any unbound text box that might be feeding off the record source of the List Box
DoCmd.Requery
'Returns the cursor to the the end of the text in Text Box SearchFor
Me.SearchFor.SetFocus
If Not IsNull(Len(Me.SearchFor)) Then
Me.SearchFor.SelStart = Len(Me.SearchFor)
End If
Obviously this is not MY code, it's from somewhere on the interweb. It works fantastic for databases stored locally, but everything is moving to our Sharepoint server which is running on a 386 in a moldy basement powered by a narcoleptic gerbil.
You can simply use the Timer of the current form. No need for a separate form or anything.
Private Sub DoSearch()
' Your current code
' but you should look into removing as many "Requery" from there as possible!
End Sub
Private Sub SearchFor_Change()
' Wait for x Milliseconds until the search is started.
' Each new change restarts the timer interval.
' Use 1000 (1 s) for slow typists or a really slow server
' 200 ms feels right for a normal typist
Me.TimerInterval = 200
End Sub
Private Sub Form_Timer()
' Disable timer (will be enabled by the next SearchFor_Change)
Me.TimerInterval = 0
' Now run the search
DoSearch
End Sub
Note: you may need to move some of the cursor-handling code from DoSearch() to SearchFor_Change(), specifically:
Me.SearchFor.SelStart = Len(Me.SearchFor)
Assign a shortcut key like (Ctrl+ J) to the logic in on change event and call it on demand once you have finished typing search keyword.
Remove on change event.
Create other procedure which has the logic of on change event and assign a shortcut key
Press shortcut to get search suggestion
Other approach
Add below validation to Change event which will check for length of string and will trigger only if length of string is >=8
Private Sub txtSearch_Change()
If Len(Nz(txtSearch.Text, 0)) >= 8 Then
End If
End Sub
I'm going a little outside my comfort area, since I hardly use MS Access forms, but why are you bothering the Server/Database so much? In my experience, each query costs the same amount of time, whether it returns 1 record or 100,000 records.
So even before the user types anything, why don't you just do a single query to return a sorted list. After that, it takes almost no time to use VBA to process the results and find everything in the list that starts with whatever the user types in (it's sorted after all).
Except for the initial load, users who are local to the database or on the other side of the world will experience the same snappy response from your interface.
----------
Like I said, I haven't messed with Access Forms a lot, so this is more of a strict VBA solution. Maybe there is a better way to do it without going outside the Access Forms box that someone could enlighten us with.
You should basically just call LoadItemList when you load the form, or whenever you need to.
Public dbConn As ADODB.Connection
Private ItemList As Variant
Private RecordCount As Long
Sub LoadItemList()
Dim SQL As String
Dim RS As New ADODB.Recordset
SQL = "SELECT T.Name FROM Table T"
Set RS = dbConn.Execute(SQL)
If Not RS.EOF Then
ItemList = RS.GetRows
RecordCount = UBound(ItemList, 2) - LBound(ItemList, 2) + 1
End If
End Sub
Then replace DoCmd.Requery with AddItemtoCombobox SearchResults, SearchFor.Text
Sub AddItemtoCombobox(Control As ComboBox, Filter As String)
Dim Index As Long
Control.Clear
If Not IsEmpty(ItemList) Then
For Index = 0 To RecordCount - 1
If ItemList(Index) Like Filter Then Control.AddItem ItemList(Index)
Next
End If
End Sub
Again, maybe there is a better way that is built into Access...
The technical term that you're looking for is debounce.
What you can do is on your on change event, keep track of the current search string
in terms of pseudocode.
sub onChange()
Form.timerinterval = 0
setSearchString
form.timerinterval = delay
So in terms of the explanation, if your on change is called, disable the timer. Update your search string, then reset the timer to fire after a certain amount of time. The form should be a hidden form that contains the code that you want to execute

Having a check box update fields in a table

frustrated by vba...
I am trying to have user click a check box on a form which indicates whether a support ticket as been resolved, along with the date resolved and which user clicks the check box.
I have used WScript.UserName to get the network ID in a variable GetUserName.
I have two fields in my table:
ResolvedDate
ResolvedBy
I want both these fields filled in with appropriate data when the check box is True, and if the check box is False then I want the data removed.
Here is the code I have used:
Dim GetUserName As String
GetUserName = CreateObject("WScript.Network").UserName
Text45.Text = GetUserName
End Sub
Note the Text45 is a visual on the form which displays the user name (this is showing blank) and shows me a message about not being able to reference a property unless it has focus. That is problem 2.
Additional code for the check box looks like this:
Dim GetUserName As String
If Resolved = 1 Then
ResolvedDate.Text = Now()
ResolvedBy.Text = GetUserName
End If
End Sub
Nothing works here at all. I have also tried changing the code to
Dim GetUserName As String
If Resolved = 1 Then
ResolvedDate.Text = Now()
ResolvedBy.Text = text45.Text
End If
End Sub
Because the GetUserName() is private in the Form_Onload() event I have also duplicated it on the check box AfterUpdate() event but it still didn't work. (I know - not efficient coding)
I cannot fathom out what to do to hold data in a value after it has lost focus to use it somewhere else, and I cannot get these fields to complete.
Can someone please help? Thank you.

Access button to open multiple reports depending on user input

I am new to access so this might be an easy task or I am just trying to tackle it wrongly. I have a report that has various columns, sample id, sample time, sample type, dry matter, moisture. I am trying to create a button that has an input box for the user to chose what column to sort the report by. So far I thought of creating various reports that have been sorted by each column, named the reports by the column that sorts them then I am trying to have the open report action have a parameter that opens the report linked to the column entered at the input box. Is this even possible or is there a workaround for this.
PS. I am avoiding creating various buttons since it will fill up the screen.
Okay, this is pretty generic and will require some tweaking but it shows the core of how to do this.
To start with you need a module (so not form/report code). This is where the globals will be assigned values:
Option Compare Database
Option Explicit
Global rptname As String
Global fldname As String
Sub setRptName(name As String)
rptname = "Report Sorted by: " & name
fldname = name
End Sub
You will call that code inside the Click() event of your command button on your form and then open the report after that. This will take a combo box value and pass that value to the module code, creating the two global variables.:
Private Sub cmd_report_Click()
mdl_Globals.setRptName Me.cmb_fields.Value
DoCmd.OpenReport "Report1", acViewPreview
End Sub
I'm unsure if this will work with non-preview views, but you probably want preview anyway.
Lastly in the report code behind, you need the Load() and open() events, you may be able to get it to work with both inside one or other but I know this one works.
So to set the caption:
Private Sub Report_Load()
Me.lbl_header.Caption = rptname
End Sub
And then to sort:
Private Sub report_open(Cancel As Integer)
Me.Report.OrderBy = "[" & fldname & "]"
Me.Report.OrderByOn = True
End Sub
If your entry box on the form does not have entries that exactly match the name(s) of the fields in the table you will get a parameter popup.

Using PreviousControl property with nested subforms and controls

I am creating a custom floating number pad so that tablet users can more easily tap numerical data into a form. I'm using toggle buttons (the idea is to eventually highlight them briefly). The following code for the number pad works on my main form's controls. When I click on the 1 button, then a 1 is put into the active control of the main form
Private Sub Form_Activate()
FocusForm = Application.Screen.PreviousControl.Parent.Name
FocusControl = Application.Screen.PreviousControl.Name
End Sub
Private Sub Toggle1_MouseUp(Button As Integer, Shift As Integer, X As Single, Y As Single)
'Add a 1 to the currently selected control
Dim refControl As Control
If FocusForm = "" Then End
Set refControl = Forms(FocusForm).Controls(FocusControl)
If (IsNull(refControl)) Then
refControl = "1"
Else
refControl.Text = refControl.Text & "1"
End If
refControl.SetFocus
End Sub
However, if I navigate into the subform then the Screen.PreviousControl properties return the main form's name and the subform's name, but I can't then seem to be able to refer to the subform control's name as well. Bascially I'm looking for a line that does the following
FocusForm = Application.Screen.PreviousControl.Parent.Name
FocusSubform = Application.Screen.PreviousControl.Name
FocusSubformControl = ?????
Similarly, my subform has its own nested subform and I would like to do the same with this
FocusForm = Application.Screen.PreviousControl.Parent.Name
FocusSubform = Application.Screen.PreviousControl.Name
FocusSubform2 = ?????
FocusSubform2Control = ?????
The in-built floating number pad on the tablets is very fiddly to use, hence my coding of this custom one, however if someone knows where I might find code for a customisable number pad that writes directly into whatever window is active, this would similarly be much appreciated!
If called from a subform,Screen.PreviousControlreturns the name of the mainforms subfom-control (as mainform needs to be active to get the subform control (nested in mainform) active), not the subform (but they can have same name, just change controls name and you won't get subforms name returned, but subforms control name!).
Now how to get previous control of the subform? By its.ActiveControlproperty, as form was active before, its active control must be the previous control. (if you want to get previous control, when you stay on the same subform, you need to store it in a module variable)
As there may be multiple subforms inside of subforms, we just loop while the control is a subform and set it to the next subform.ActiveControltill finished.
Why bother with names, if you can use references? This enables using multiple instances of a form.
Just store the reference to the control in Form_Activate and use it inMouseUp:
'On top of forms code module
Option Explicit
Private PreviousFormControl As Access.Control
Private Sub Form_Activate()
On Error Resume Next ' ignore error if no previous control availible
Set PreviousFormControl = Application.Screen.PreviousControl ' this stores the reference not the name!
If Err.Number <> 0 Then
'Handle error here, e.g. disable controls, show msg, ...
End If
On Error GoTo 0 'Reset error handler (not needed only to remind you not just to ignore all errors!
Do While TypeOf PreviousFormControl Is SubForm ' Loop till control is not subform
Set PreviousFormControl = PreviousFormControl.Form.ActiveControl ' if subform, previous control of it is its current ActiveControl
Loop
End Sub
Private Sub Toggle1_MouseUp(Button As Integer, Shift As Integer, X As Single, Y As Single)
'Add a 1 to the currently selected control
PreviousFormControl.Text = PreviousFormControl.Text & "1" ' concat "1" to controls text, no need to handle empty text as it can only be an vbNullString(""), even if Null, then Null & "1" => "" & "1" => "1"
PreviousFormControl.SetFocus
End Sub
however if someone knows where I might find code for a customisable number pad that writes directly into whatever window is active
Of course you can use any Virtual Keyboard running on windows that fit your needs. But then you may have to handle things like bring keyboard to front on wanted position.
numpad emulator was the first open source app I found on quick search, but looks goods on short test. Of course there may be better solutions out there, just search and test.

MS Access: Action "onchange" event after a delay?

Good morning!
I have a "fancy" search function in Microsoft Access where the list of possible options shrinks as you type in the search field. Unfortunately the computer and server can't keep up with these rapid requeries of the data.
Currently the command to requery with the field in the 'onchange' function of the search box. I'd like to add a delay so it only runs the requery when the search box has not changed for a second. Thus if someone types in a 8 letter word, it isn't running 8 requeries.
The current idea I have for it, which I know there must be something better, is..
"On change, set search box value to X and wait 1 second. After 1 second, if X = search box value, run the requery. An issue is that it would be rapidly rewriting the X value and have a 'wait' command floating for each letter.
Hopefully there's a way to write an event trigger of "When field X has changed, but not changed for the past second."
Thank you!
As requested, here is my current code
'Create a string (text) variable
Dim vSearchString As String
'Populate the string variable with the text entered in the Text Box SearchFor
vSearchString = SearchFor.Text
'Pass the value contained in the string variable to the hidden text box SrchText,
'that is used as the sear4ch criteria for the Query QRY_SearchAll
SrchText = vSearchString
'Requery the List Box to show the latest results for the text entered in Text Box SearchFor
Me.SearchResults.Requery
Me.SearchResults2.Requery
'Tests for a trailing space and exits the sub routine at this point
'so as to preserve the trailing space, which would be lost if focus was shifted from Text Box SearchFor
If Len(Me.SrchText) <> 0 And InStr(Len(SrchText), SrchText, " ", vbTextCompare) Then
'Set the focus on the first item in the list box
Me.SearchResults = Me.SearchResults.ItemData(1)
Me.SearchResults.SetFocus
'Requery the form to refresh the content of any unbound text box that might be feeding off the record source of the List Box
DoCmd.Requery
'Returns the cursor to the the end of the text in Text Box SearchFor,
'and restores trailing space lost when focus is shifted to the list box
Me.SearchFor = vSearchString
Me.SearchFor.SetFocus
Me.SearchFor.SelStart = Me.SearchFor.SelLength
Exit Sub
End If
'Set the focus on the first item in the list box
' Me.SearchResults = Me.SearchResults.ItemData(1)
Me.SearchResults.SetFocus
'Requery the form to refresh the content of any unbound text box that might be feeding off the record source of the List Box
DoCmd.Requery
'Returns the cursor to the the end of the text in Text Box SearchFor
Me.SearchFor.SetFocus
If Not IsNull(Len(Me.SearchFor)) Then
Me.SearchFor.SelStart = Len(Me.SearchFor)
End If
Obviously this is not MY code, it's from somewhere on the interweb. It works fantastic for databases stored locally, but everything is moving to our Sharepoint server which is running on a 386 in a moldy basement powered by a narcoleptic gerbil.
You can simply use the Timer of the current form. No need for a separate form or anything.
Private Sub DoSearch()
' Your current code
' but you should look into removing as many "Requery" from there as possible!
End Sub
Private Sub SearchFor_Change()
' Wait for x Milliseconds until the search is started.
' Each new change restarts the timer interval.
' Use 1000 (1 s) for slow typists or a really slow server
' 200 ms feels right for a normal typist
Me.TimerInterval = 200
End Sub
Private Sub Form_Timer()
' Disable timer (will be enabled by the next SearchFor_Change)
Me.TimerInterval = 0
' Now run the search
DoSearch
End Sub
Note: you may need to move some of the cursor-handling code from DoSearch() to SearchFor_Change(), specifically:
Me.SearchFor.SelStart = Len(Me.SearchFor)
Assign a shortcut key like (Ctrl+ J) to the logic in on change event and call it on demand once you have finished typing search keyword.
Remove on change event.
Create other procedure which has the logic of on change event and assign a shortcut key
Press shortcut to get search suggestion
Other approach
Add below validation to Change event which will check for length of string and will trigger only if length of string is >=8
Private Sub txtSearch_Change()
If Len(Nz(txtSearch.Text, 0)) >= 8 Then
End If
End Sub
I'm going a little outside my comfort area, since I hardly use MS Access forms, but why are you bothering the Server/Database so much? In my experience, each query costs the same amount of time, whether it returns 1 record or 100,000 records.
So even before the user types anything, why don't you just do a single query to return a sorted list. After that, it takes almost no time to use VBA to process the results and find everything in the list that starts with whatever the user types in (it's sorted after all).
Except for the initial load, users who are local to the database or on the other side of the world will experience the same snappy response from your interface.
----------
Like I said, I haven't messed with Access Forms a lot, so this is more of a strict VBA solution. Maybe there is a better way to do it without going outside the Access Forms box that someone could enlighten us with.
You should basically just call LoadItemList when you load the form, or whenever you need to.
Public dbConn As ADODB.Connection
Private ItemList As Variant
Private RecordCount As Long
Sub LoadItemList()
Dim SQL As String
Dim RS As New ADODB.Recordset
SQL = "SELECT T.Name FROM Table T"
Set RS = dbConn.Execute(SQL)
If Not RS.EOF Then
ItemList = RS.GetRows
RecordCount = UBound(ItemList, 2) - LBound(ItemList, 2) + 1
End If
End Sub
Then replace DoCmd.Requery with AddItemtoCombobox SearchResults, SearchFor.Text
Sub AddItemtoCombobox(Control As ComboBox, Filter As String)
Dim Index As Long
Control.Clear
If Not IsEmpty(ItemList) Then
For Index = 0 To RecordCount - 1
If ItemList(Index) Like Filter Then Control.AddItem ItemList(Index)
Next
End If
End Sub
Again, maybe there is a better way that is built into Access...
The technical term that you're looking for is debounce.
What you can do is on your on change event, keep track of the current search string
in terms of pseudocode.
sub onChange()
Form.timerinterval = 0
setSearchString
form.timerinterval = delay
So in terms of the explanation, if your on change is called, disable the timer. Update your search string, then reset the timer to fire after a certain amount of time. The form should be a hidden form that contains the code that you want to execute