How to ignore MS Access error 2113 totally? - ms-access

Question

I have a textBox formatted as "Short Date". When I put invalid data in field, for example random "dfsdf", and try to change focus, form throws validation Error 2113.
My goal is to give an opportunity to user to close form by click on "Cancel" button without any problem, because no matter what he entered in Date textbox while form is canceled.
I can handle this error and disable message with Form_Error event, but focus stays set to date textBox anyway, when i try to click Cancel button, and button is never clicked.

Answer 1

I use a setup, probably similar to yours:
Private Sub Form_Error(DataErr As Integer, Response As Integer)
Const InvalidDate As Long = 2113
Select Case DataErr
Case InvalidDate
MsgBox "Invalid date!"
Response = acDataErrContinue
' Cancel invalid entry.
Me.Undo
' DoCmd.Close
Case Else
Response = acDataErrDisplay
End Select
End Sub
Problem is, that this will fire before your button gets focus. This means, that the form doesn't even know what you clicked, only that it was somewhere outside the date textbox.
Thus, the DoCmd.Close would close the form for whatever was clicked.
You may turn it into an advantage, that the user is able to watch the removal of the faulty input ...

Answer 2

You should use the after update event to check if the user entered a valid date,
if not then clear or undo. Without knowing the controls of your form i can't tell if you allow users to change table values or if you are using transactions.
pseudo code:
Private Sub Text1_AfterUpdate()
If Check_If_Date Then
Execute_Code
Else
End If
End Sub
Private Function Check_If_Date() as Boolean
If IsDate(Text1) then
Check_If_Date = True
Else
Check_If_Date = False
Select Case msgbox("Not a valid date", vbOKCancel)
case vbOK
reset_value
case vbCancel
Close_Form
case else
End Select
End If
End Sub
Private Sub Reset_Value()
'need to clear value or undo
End Sub
Public Sub Execute_Code()
'Code to save values or allow Update to complete
End Sub
Private Sub Close_Form()
'Code For Closing Form and logging errors
End Sub
I split up repeatable actions for reuse in case the same thing can be repeated in another text box for example a second date or to get the same behavior for the other controls.