Solved Combos set up with a 'Value List' : the 'Row Source' ellipses have disappeared !?

alan2013

Registered User.
Local time
Yesterday, 22:48
Joined
Mar 24, 2013
Messages
92
Must say I've never seen this happen before, but :

I've a combo box set up with a Value List ('Row Soiurce Type : 'Value List') on a Form, and until today it was working well; no problems.

Today, for some unknown reason, the 'Row Source' ellipsis has disappeared. ('Data' tab > 'Row Source'). I'd just wanted to add an option to the combo. I'd tried to get the ellipsis back by 1) closing the Form and going back into it; closing the database and reopening; restarting my PC.

I now see that the ellipses on other combos on other Forms have ALSO disappeared.

Anyone know what the problem might be, please ? More of a graphics driver problem than anything else ?
 
I have no idea why the ellipsis should disappear but you can always edit the list by editing the Row Source property.
 
I have no idea why the ellipsis should disappear but you can always edit the list by editing the Row Source property.
Yeh, I meant to say in my post :
When I try to add an option simply by typing it in, it still doesn't appear in the list of options presented by the combo.
 
Have you tried doing a C&R? Just curious...
 
Can you post a screen shot. As stated that is normal behavior. A value list will not have any elipsis. You add by typing in a value preceded by ;
Today, for some unknown reason, the 'Row Source' ellipsis has disappeared. ('Data' tab > 'Row Source'). I'd just wanted to add an option to the combo. I'd tried to get the ellipsis back by 1) closing the Form and going back into it; closing the database and reopening; restarting my PC
elipsis.png

to add "frog"
dog;cat;mouse;frog
 
assuming the ellipsis problem is resolved (they don't appear for value lists), turning to
When I try to add an option simply by typing it in, it still doesn't appear in the list of options presented by the combo.
typing it in where? the rowsource? or by editing the combo? (i.e. the limit to list property is set to no)





i
 
I got it now. The ellipsis appear if you have the property "Allow Value List Edits" set to true. I personnally would NEVER do this so that is why I did not see the ellipsis.
 
Also I know why you cannot add anything. @isladogs demos this in a challenge.
Two of the dumbest features in access are Allow Value List Edits and "Inherit Value List". In his challenge I think he demos this problem. If you have a value list at the table level and you inherit it, you can not modify it at the form level.
 
I Instinctively shied away from value lists from the beginning of my Access adventures in the early 90's. Probably because I had built a "list" manager that I used for all simple list tables years before using COBOL and DB2 and I just incorporated the concept into Access. Here it is 40 years after its first incarnation in a main frame app.


A "Value List" sounds like a good idea and it is workable for a very small list of never changing options. Married, Divorced, Single, Widowed come to mind. Although with our slide toward Sharia law, who knows when we'll recognize polygamy.

Once you have more than a small number of items or you want to be able to sort them, you will be very unhappy with the "Value List". Not to mention the problem that IT always needs to get involved to make changes.
 
Even when I have a value list, I tend to set it in code. Let's say I want a value list consisting of the last 5 years, so 2022 down to 2017. I create a row source string with those values, when the form opens. Next year it automatically becomes 2023 to 2018.
 

Users who are viewing this thread

Back
Top Bottom