I have tried several different ways of searching for this information with no luck so far...
Firstly, I am using Access 2013, and I wouldn't exactly call myself experienced with it...
I have a table with many fields and I want to be able to create a report dynamically that only uses a subset of those fields. The subset is to be determined by a ListBox (with multi select turned on) containing the list of all of the fields.
So, a user will:
Opens the filtering form that was created
Selects the fields they wish to view
Clicks "Generate Report"
The report will only shown the fields that were asked for
Is this possible? If so, how?
Related
I'm using a local Access database. Let's say I have 3 tables -
Projects, Contractors, Project_Contractors (linking table, multiple contractors can work on multiple projects).
I'm building a form to be used to create a new Project entry. I want this form to have a checkbox list of all the Contractors, so the form will add a new entry to the Projects table as well as populate the linking table.
I'm very experienced with SQL, but not with Access. Is there a way I can populate a list of form options directly from the Contractors to complete this? I'm using Access 2013.
A listbox control is pretty good at accomplishing this. With larger datasets it can be clunky to scroll through them all, and if you can't make it tall enough to show all rows you also lose visibility on previous selections, but it's pretty easy to set up and link to the Contractors table (you should be able to do it through the wizard, or type some SQL into the control source).
Turning on the multi-select property of the listbox should do what you are looking for. MultiSelect Property
Getting the selections out of the listbox to generate your append queries I think requires VBA. Here's a link explaining how to accomplish it. Clicky
EDIT: to more directly answer your question, you could use checkboxes by adding a boolean field (there's a checkbox option there) to your Contractors table and use the table as a subform in your entry form. I personally think that's bad design, and the steps to clean it up make it way more complicated than using a listbox.
I am trying to write an Microsoft Access query from a form with a multi value field being the criteria. The field I am trying to use is called Population and the field is represented in my database as a List Box that allows multiple values and it is in the Building table. The values it allows are the following:
"Singles";"Familes";"Families with Children";"Youth/Young Adults";"Veterans";
The form that I am creating is called HousingSearch.
I am trying to create a form which uses this field, so someone could use the list box and check off the values they want and click on the button which would open a query. I know having done this with single value fields the criteria in the query looks something like
[forms]![HousingSearch]![Building]![Population]
but if you try the same thing for a multi value field nothing is returned for the query. Any help would be appreciated.
From the information you have provided it seems that the phrase [Forms]![HousingSearch]![Building]![Population] are combining a request that starts with a form and then jumps to a table.
You are asking access to find data in a form but the information you're most likely trying to access is in a table. I don't quite understand what you're end result is but I think that you most likely want to refer to your information this way [Building]![Population]. Referring to your data this way makes access look at the table of [Building] and then into the field of [Population].
It's been a while since you posted, if you haven't cleared things up already I hope this helps.
I am trying to design a form where the user can search records to filter a report. The user must be able to select many values from a particular field (multivalued field). I understand I can use a list box, but the field has a total of 3,000 records and cycling through is too much. I just want to know what other ways I can let the user insert multiple values?
I have these ideas, but maybe you guys have another better way:
Creating multiple combo boxes and keep them hidden until the user hits an “add” button, but this limits me to the amount of values I can have. If I have 10 hidden combo boxes I can only enter a total of 11 (10 hidden plus the original visible) values.
Is it possible to have a temporary data grid where the user just enters the values.
Then comes the problem of getting this into the SQL Record Source. I am thinking of the SQL IN clause.
Any help or ideas, will be greatly appreciated.
I think that you should create Comboboxes where values from next combo are dynamically populated when value in previous Combo has been changed so that way you can create hierarchy of values to select.
I've done something similar for a few different applications in slightly different ways. Basically, I present the user with a table, allow them to right-click > filter (the same could be accomplished by providing a filter textbox for each corresponding field in the table you want to allow filtering on... in your case it sounds like you only need one). The filter box allows them to use 'and' and 'or' along with the actual text of what they're looking for. Then they click a button that opens the report and fills the report's filter field with whatever filter they had applied.
Of course, this assumes the user is familiar with the data they're filtering, and requires a bit of training, but for me it was a simpler alternative than displaying a list with a bajillion entries in it. Your mileage of course may vary :)
Access 2007 How do I allow the user to pick multiple items from a dropdown or list box?
I can use either. Example, I add a list box to my form and make it bound to a field from the query the form was made from. Now the user needs to be able to pick 2-3 of the values in the list box.
I know that in the listbox properties (Multi Select) I can pick simple or Extended, but this does not save the choices.
Thanks
In the Access MDB database format, I don't believe it's possible to have a bound list box which is also multi-select. (Edit: Testing showed me it is possible to set the multi-select property ... but nothing gets stored in the bound field ... so it's not useful.) Which of multiple selected values should the db engine store?
Since you have Access 2007, you can use ACCDB format, and you might be able to have a multi-select list box if it's bound to a multi-value field. However, multi-value fields are too similar to lookup fields, and lookup fields are evil. (The Evils of Lookup Fields in Tables).
If it were me, I would choose a different approach for the user interface.
I am new to Access and i am in the process of creating a database for some of our users. I have designed a form where the user name, first and last name etc are inputted.
Some of these users work for more than one department which means I need some type of listbox control that allows them to select more than one department when they enter their contact info.
In VB Studios 2005, this control is called a CHECKED LISTBOX. I have looked everywhere in access but cant seem to find it or anything closely similar.
The option of a listbox or combobox is not feasible here as these only allow the user to select one option only when inputting their details. Any help with this is much appreciated.
Use an ordinary list box with the "Multi Select" property set to "Simple".
The user can then click multiple list items, all of which stay selected until they un-select them again.
You may wish to consider a subform, as this will save you the trouble of updating a table with the data from a list box. A subform can use a department-person junction table with person id as the linked child field and master field. A combobox bound to department id will allow the user to select departments.
If you are really set on having checkboxes, Stephen Lebans has a sample database that uses the built-in Access listbox with checkboxes (from one of the Access wizards).
There is another choice:
If you are using Access 2007, you can declare your field as a lookup field accepting multiple values.
When you bind the list box to that field, you will get checkboxes.
It's easy to use them.
You'll also find more information is available from the MS Office website.
However, note:
This is only possible in the new Access 2007 database format and you will not be able to save your database to the older MDB format.
Multiple value fields are not compatible with most other databases, meaning that if you decide one day to upsize to SQL Server, you'll have to redesign your tables to use a junction table as Remou mentioned.
These multi-value fields are difficult to use from VBA: the value they return is in fact another recordset that you must iterate through to get all the values.
Having said that, if you just want something simple and you're not planning on manipulating the database from code, then it can be a practical option, albeit not a very compatible or future-proof one.
I'm not using them, but I think others should be able make their own decision knowing what is available to them.