Continuous Forms & Comboboxes

[wiltshire]

Continuous forms and combo boxes - HELP!!!!!!

Hi There,

I am developing a database to capture information on a production line. I want to capture name, machine, checked by etc. I am doing this by using a continuous form with a combo box that is set by a query which looks at another filed on the form.

This means that, for example, if 3 things needed to be captured, there would be 3 lines of the continuous form, with 3 combo boxes, each dsplaying a different selection of records.

The problem I have is that when I choose a value in the combo box and then go to the next line, the previous value dissappears. It's still there if you click on it again but it is not visible when on another line.

I am using a continuous form and combo box because there are different selections for different records, so the choice of combo boxes will not always be the same on other records.

Please help me because this is driving me crazy. There may be a better way to capture the data, or I may be doing someting wrong with the combo box.

 

[Rich]

You have to display the PK column of the combo and not some other column, you can add an unbound textbox to display say info from the second column

 

[wiltshire]

Thanks for the info Rich, but I already have the PK column of the combo displayed.

I've tried zipping and attaching the shell database but it's too big sorry.

 

[Rich]

Is it the Bound column?

 

[wiltshire]

No, does that make a difference?

 

[Rich]

Yes, if you storing info in another table from selections made from a combo, then the PK should be the field that's saved to the table, ie. the BoundColumn

 

[wiltshire]

but the PK is two fields in the table that the combo box is based on. I can't have 2 bound columns??

 

[David b]

You need to store a number and "see" a meaningful name.

If your number is in column 1 then bound col is 1. The column width property should look something like this - 0cm;2.54cm.

HTH
David b

 

[wiltshire]

Thanks David, but I already am doing that.

I think I've got a bit further - let me explain:

Looking through the posts for hours yesterday, I've found out that Access maintains only one recordset for a combo box rather than one recordset for each combo box in each record (thanks to poulsotw for that info).

This means that where I have a continuous forms view, the recordset for each line of the form, which effectively is a different combo box, cannot be different.

Access seems to be unable to display a value that is not in the current recordset, making what I'm trying to do a bit impossible !!

One idea I had was that, if Access can only display one recordset, only have one recordset. This means that for each line of the continuous form, the recordset will be the same. This works in that it does actually now show the values chosen.

However, the drawback is that when you expand the combo box, all records are shown.

Is there any way of filtering in the 'on got focus' part of the combo box? This way, when you click on the combo box, the recordset will be filtered at that point and onl show the selected records.

I hope someone can help - I'm really stuck on this one.

 

[David b]

Having read through your previous posts on this thread (3 times)
I think you may be on the wrong road with this.

If I am understanding what you are doing correctly I would use a form with 2 sub forms to tackle this
David b

 

[wiltshire]

but there could be up to 5 items of information that need to be captured for each record, so the number of combo boxes is not static, and the values change.

For example, this database captures information during a manufacturing run, so at one operation you may need to capture operator name, at another operator name and machine no., at another operator name, machine no, batch no etc.

There are anything up to 100 operations per manufacturing batch so there will be up to 100 variations on the information that needs to be captured.

I hope this makes sense !

 

[David b]

Havn`t just figured out your set up

So can you tell us what tables you have
David b

 

[wiltshire]

Thanks for all you're help with this. I've managed to do it a different way.

As there will be up to 5 pieces of info captured at each manufacturing step, I have 5 unbound text boxes on the main form. These are populated from vb from a query pulling the info required for that particular step. Then, when the text box is clicked, a form corresponding to the contents of the text box is opened.

Sometimes you get so caught up in a solution, that you need to take a step back and think of it from another angle.

Cheers and Merry Christmas !!