Table for priorities? - sql

Question

I am curious to know if there is a way to make a table based off priorities?
As in you have a form, subform (datasheet), and 2 buttons.
The subform takes data from a query which takes data from a table.
From here, the query shows projects. You can select the project on the subform and click a button to dec priority, which moves it DOWN on the list by 1 project. If you click the inc button, it moves it UP. If it's at the very bottom and you click the decrease button it will pop up saying "This project is already the lowest priority!" same with the increase, but it'll say it's already the highest.
Is this possible? I really don't know any VBA to access a subform's datasheet and modify it, and I'd like to learn.
UPDATE:
I have 1 table, with 5 priority types, and 1 key.
The table is named ProjectsT, the key is named ProjectID and the 5 priorities are:
CuttingPriority, ProjPriority, EngineerPriority, CutplanPriority, HardwarePriority. Each priority is listed as a number datatype.
This is one set of code I have so far for the buttons from an answer below:
Up button:
Dim strSQL As String
Dim intSavePos As Integer
Dim intSavePosMin As Integer
Dim intSavePosMax As Integer
'Save start and end value (It's assumed you start with 1 ! The value 0 (zero) is used for swapping value's)
intSavePosMin = DMin("CuttingPriority", "ProjectsT")
intSavePosMax = DMax("CuttingPriority", "ProjectsT")
'When the subform is linked to a keyfield use that field for a WHERE like:
'intSavePosMin = DMin("sequence", "tblTableNico5038", "Function='" & Me.sfrmFunctionTables.Form.Function & "'")
'intSavePosMax = DMax("sequence", "tblTableNico5038", "Function='" & Me.sfrmFunctionTables.Form.Function & "'")
intSavePos = Me.txtCuttingPriority
'is it the first ? ==> no action
If intSavePos = intSavePosMin Then Exit Sub
'switch positions
DoCmd.SetWarnings False
strSQL = "UPDATE ProjectsT SET ProjectsT.CuttingPriority = 0 WHERE CuttingPriority=" & intSavePos & ";"
'When the subform is linked to a keyfield use that field for a WHERE like:
'strSQL = "UPDATE tblTableNico5038 SET tblTableNico5038.Sequence = 0 WHERE Function='" & Me.sfrmTableNico5038.Form.Function & "' AND sequence=" & intSavePos & ";"
DoCmd.RunSQL strSQL
strSQL = "UPDATE ProjectsT SET ProjectsT.CuttingPriority = " & intSavePos & " WHERE CuttingPriority=" & intSavePos - 1 & ";"
'When the subform is linked to a keyfield use that field for a WHERE like:
'strSQL = "UPDATE tblTableNico5038 SET tblTableNico5038.Sequence = " & intSavePos & " WHERE Function='" & Me.sfrmTableNico5038.Form.Function & "' AND sequence=" & intSavePos - 1 & ";"
DoCmd.RunSQL strSQL
strSQL = "UPDATE ProjectsT SET ProjectsT.CuttingPriority = " & intSavePos - 1 & " WHERE CuttingPriority=0;"
'When the subform is linked to a keyfield use that field for a WHERE like:
'strSQL = "UPDATE tblTableNico5038 SET tblTableNico5038.Sequence = " & intSavePos - 1 & " WHERE Function='" & Me.sfrmTableNico5038.Form.Function & "' AND sequence=0;"
DoCmd.RunSQL strSQL
DoCmd.SetWarnings True
Me.Refresh
Me.ProjectsTCuttingSubF.SetFocus
SendKeys ("{up}")
Down button:
Dim strSQL As String
Dim intSavePos As Integer
Dim intSavePosMin As Integer
Dim intSavePosMax As Integer
intSavePosMin = DMin("CuttingPriority", "ProjectsT")
intSavePosMax = DMax("CuttingPriority", "ProjectsT")
intSavePos = Me.txtCuttingPriority
'is it the last ? ==> no action
If intSavePos = intSavePosMax Then Exit Sub
'switch positions
DoCmd.SetWarnings False
strSQL = "UPDATE ProjectsT SET ProjectsT.CuttingPriority = 0 WHERE CuttingPriority=" & intSavePos & ";"
DoCmd.RunSQL strSQL
strSQL = "UPDATE ProjectsT SET ProjectsT.CuttingPriority = " & intSavePos & " WHERE CuttingPriority=" & intSavePos + 1 & ";"
DoCmd.RunSQL strSQL
strSQL = "UPDATE ProjectsT SET ProjectsT.CuttingPriority = " & intSavePos + 1 & " WHERE CuttingPriority=0;"
DoCmd.RunSQL strSQL
DoCmd.SetWarnings True
Me.Refresh
Me.ProjectsTCuttingSubF.SetFocus
SendKeys ("{down}")
--

Answer 1

I was curious to see if I could come up with a solution that didn't resort to "SQL glue-up". The result is available for download here (Access 2010 or later).
The key components are a [Managers] table
ID ManagerName
-- --------------
1 Thompson, Gord
2 Elk, Anne
a [Projects] table
ID ManagerID Description Priority
-- --------- -------------------- --------
1 1 buy bacon 1
2 1 wash the car 2
3 1 clean out the garage 3
4 2 test1 1
5 2 test2 2
two saved parameter queries (QueryDefs) to locate the next highest/lowest-priority project
[GetHigherPriorityProject]
PARAMETERS prmManagerID Long, prmCurrentPriority Long;
SELECT TOP 1 Projects.ID, Projects.Priority
FROM Projects
WHERE (((Projects.Priority)<[prmCurrentPriority])
AND ((Projects.ManagerID)=[prmManagerID]))
ORDER BY Projects.Priority DESC , Projects.ID;
[GetLowerPriorityProject]
PARAMETERS prmManagerID Long, prmCurrentPriority Long;
SELECT TOP 1 Projects.ID, Projects.Priority
FROM Projects
WHERE (((Projects.Priority)>[prmCurrentPriority])
AND ((Projects.ManagerID)=[prmManagerID]))
ORDER BY Projects.Priority, Projects.ID;
one more saved parameter query to update the priority of a given project
[SetProjectPriority]
PARAMETERS prmNewPriority Long, prmID Long;
UPDATE Projects SET Projects.Priority = [prmNewPriority]
WHERE (((Projects.ID)=[prmID]));
a dead-simple Class just to hold a couple of Properties
[projectInfo]
Option Compare Database
Option Explicit
Private pID As Long, pPriority As Long
Public Property Get ID() As Long
ID = pID
End Property
Public Property Let ID(Value As Long)
pID = Value
End Property
Public Property Get Priority() As Long
Priority = pPriority
End Property
Public Property Let Priority(Value As Long)
pPriority = Value
End Property
a rudimentary form with a subform
and the code behind that form
Option Compare Database
Option Explicit
Private Sub cmdMoveDown_Click()
AdjustPriority "lower"
End Sub
Private Sub cmdMoveUp_Click()
AdjustPriority "higher"
End Sub
Private Sub AdjustPriority(Direction As String)
Dim cdb As DAO.Database, rst As DAO.Recordset, qdf As DAO.QueryDef
Dim currentProjectID As Long, otherProject As projectInfo
Set rst = Me.ProjectsSubform.Form.RecordsetClone
rst.Bookmark = Me.ProjectsSubform.Form.Recordset.Bookmark
currentProjectID = rst!ID
Set otherProject = GetOtherProject(rst!ManagerID, rst!Priority, Direction)
If otherProject.ID = 0 Then
MsgBox "There is no project with a " & Direction & " priority."
Else
Set cdb = CurrentDb
Set qdf = cdb.QueryDefs("SetProjectPriority")
' swap priorities
qdf!prmNewPriority = rst!Priority
qdf!prmID = otherProject.ID
qdf.Execute
qdf!prmNewPriority = otherProject.Priority
qdf!prmID = currentProjectID
qdf.Execute
Set qdf = Nothing
Set cdb = Nothing
Me.ProjectsSubform.Requery
' now restore the previous current record in the subform
Set rst = Me.ProjectsSubform.Form.RecordsetClone
rst.FindFirst "ID=" & currentProjectID
Me.ProjectsSubform.Form.Recordset.Bookmark = rst.Bookmark
End If
rst.Close
Set rst = Nothing
Set otherProject = Nothing
End Sub
Private Function GetOtherProject(prmManagerID As Long, _
prmCurrentPriority As Long, _
Direction As String) As projectInfo
Dim cdb As DAO.Database, qdf As DAO.QueryDef, rst As DAO.Recordset
Dim rtn As New projectInfo
Set cdb = CurrentDb
If Direction = "higher" Then
Set qdf = cdb.QueryDefs("GetHigherPriorityProject")
Else
Set qdf = cdb.QueryDefs("GetLowerPriorityProject")
End If
qdf!prmManagerID = prmManagerID
qdf!prmCurrentPriority = prmCurrentPriority
Set rst = qdf.OpenRecordset(dbOpenSnapshot)
If rst.EOF Then
rtn.ID = 0
rtn.Priority = 0
Else
rtn.ID = rst!ID
rtn.Priority = rst!Priority
End If
rst.Close
Set rst = Nothing
Set qdf = Nothing
Set cdb = Nothing
Set GetOtherProject = rtn
Set rtn = Nothing
End Function
EDIT re: comment
is there a way to make it automatically add the next priority number on the list if you are adding a record through another form?
Yes. I forgot to mention that in the existing sample solution there is a Before Change Data Macro on the [Projects] table to do just that:
If [IsInsert] Then
If Not IsNull([ManagerID]) Then
SetField
Name Priority
Value = Nz(DMax("Priority", "Projects", "ManagerID=" & [ManagerID]), 0) + 1
End If
End If

Answer 2

Read through the ENTIRE conversation here:
re-order a records sequence using up and down buttons
You're going to need at aleast a mediocre understanding of VBA and how to apply your specific data to a pre-existing example. This person was looking to do almost precisely what your question describes, and the person who was working with him was an Access MVP. I say to read through the entire conversation because there were several iterations and tweaks performed over the course of the solution.
If you have any specific questions after integrating this solution, feel free to come back and ask.

Answer 3

I have a work ticket system in my work place and to create priorities I created two tables: Work_Tickets and Work_Ticket_Criteria. The criteria table has a list of low, low-medium, etc... and a field in Work_Tickets pulls from that 2nd table. Then sort by date.
It doesn't give a single ticket a numerical priority like you are looking for because to do that I believe you would have to create a separate field and then modify the numerical field of each record after every update. Switch 1 with 2, or make the new record 1 and then add 1 to each and every record's priority field to move them down the list.
Or if you start with a number like 1000 then you can make records more or less than 100 in increments of 5, 10, or 20 but then you'll eventually run out of numbers...
Update
If you're willing to go my method of adding another column, then I would just add column and name the field Priority_Numbers or something. Then you would mark each as 1 - whatever but you may want to make check to make sure your number doesn't already exist by making it a key or giving it a check.
Then each time you would want to view your tickets you would use something like:
Dim strSQL As String
Dim myR As Recordset
strSQL = "SELECT * FROM table_name WHERE criteria_here ORDER BY Priority_Numbers ASC"
Set myR = CurrentDb.OpenRecordset(strSQL, dbOpenDynaset)
And bam you have your prioritized list.
Now to change the priority you would need to select that recordset, do a findfirst to get the record with the value you want replaced, +1 or -1 to each priority number in a While not EOF loop and keep moving next. This will become tedious if your tickets become too high I'm sure.