Conditional Formatting based on drop down list (1 Viewer)

yankeefan1972 · Jan 14, 2013

I'm trying to make a field become highlighted if a certain item is picked from a drop down list. For example if Other is chosen, another field named Other? becomes highlighted. I have tried it in conditional formatting, using Expression is [Field Name] = "Other" but it doesn't work when I choose Other. Any help?

pbaldy · Jan 14, 2013

If it's a dropdown, is the bound column perhaps an ID number rather than the text "Other"?

yankeefan1972 · Jan 14, 2013

How do find out if the bound column is an ID number?? Also if it is, can I put that number in the expression?

pbaldy · Jan 14, 2013

Check the row source and bound column properties of the combo. Yes, you can use the number in the expression.

yankeefan1972 · Jan 14, 2013

The Bound Column says 1 and the Row Source has all the options in it. How do I know which option will have what "ID".....sorry for the confusion.

pbaldy · Jan 14, 2013

Whatever is in the first column of the row source is the value the Conditional Formatting expression is looking for. Can you post the db here if you're still stuck?

yankeefan1972 · Jan 14, 2013

Unfortunately I cannot post the DB. I'll explain again and maybe you can show me the expression I should use. I created a combobox through the lookup wizard when creating my table. It has 12 values in it. The last one is "Other". In the related form, I want the text box of the field "Other?" to be highlighted yellow, so that the user will fill it out. I went into conditional formatting and used an expression that read: [Field Name] = "Other". This did not work when I populated the combobox with Other, when selecting it from the list.

I don't understand when you say "whatever is in the first column of the row source" When I go to properties for the lookup in the field...the "row source" is populated with the 12 options I typed in. Am I looking in the wrong place?? I am an amateur Access user trying to figure it out.

pbaldy · Jan 14, 2013

So the combo is a value list where you just typed in 12 values? I was assuming a table or query. That would mean it only has one column, so "Other" should work fine. I assume you used the actual name of the field that stores that value?

yankeefan1972 · Jan 15, 2013

:banghead:Yes I typed it correctly. I have played around with it and if it's not part of a list then it works.........???? I am assuming that my expression is wrong.

pbaldy · Jan 16, 2013

I don't see anything wrong. Can you post just a sample db that exhibits this problem?

yankeefan1972 · Jan 17, 2013

I think it doesn't work, because I am allowing multiple values be chosen in my drop down list...could that be, and is there and expression that would account for that? i.e. If multiple choices are made, that if one of them is Other, than the Other field is highlighted?

pbaldy · Jan 17, 2013

That is certainly possible, even likely. I don't like and haven't used the new multivalue field/combo. You might try using InStr() to see if Other is contained in the result, as I think it stores values as a string: option1, option5, other

yankeefan1972 · Jan 17, 2013

Thanks for all the help

Conditional Formatting based on drop down list (1 Viewer)

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