How to make a continuous form

[rosajen]

Hi,

I have a table called Properties that I need to be able to update through a form and add new records to through a form. My issue is that I have to sort through the records based on an identifier called Area and each Area has multiple instruments. I want to be able to display all of the instruments for each Area at once on the form so I can update them all at once. I know that a continuous form is probably my best bet here but I have no idea how to make one. Here is a basic version what my table looks like(I have 4 more fields):

AREA INSTRUMENT RANGE MIN RANGE MAX
555 AB 666 900
555 YR 600 900
555 HW 1500 2500
652 HW 200 800
652 YR 300 1000
989 AB 400 2100
989 AB 400 2100
989 AB 500 1500
989 HL 400 1300
Any help would be greatly appreciated. THANKS!!!

 

[rosajen]

Never mind just had to switch the form's default view property to continuous

 

[missinglinq]

Multiple Records containing the same Areas is a violation of the rules of normalization! You should have two Tables, one for Areas and one for Instruments.

What you're describing here is the classic one-to-many scenario, with the 'one' side being the Areas and the 'many' side being the Instruments. This is usually handled with a Main Form/Subform set up, as mentioned before.

In general terms the Main Form would be a Single View Form and based on a AreasTable. The Subform would, as you've already mentioned, probably be a Continuous View Form or Datasheet View Form, to better display the Instruments Fields based on a Instruments Table.

The Fields would typically be something like this:

AreasTable
AreaID 'Primary Key
AreaName
...and so forth

Instruments Table
AreaID 'Foreign Key
InstrumentID 'Primary Key
InstrumentName
RangeMin
RangeMax
...and so forth

Once you've designed your Main Form and InstrumentsForm, based on AreasTable and InstrumentsTable, respectively, open the Main Form in Form Design View and add a Subform Control to it. The Subform Wizard will walk you through the process. When asked, base your Subform on the InstrumentsForm. Seeing that both Tables the Forms are based on have a Field named AreaID, the Wizard should ask if you want to link the Main Form /Subform using these Fields. Answer OK and Bob's your uncle!

As you move through the Area Records in the Main Form, Access will automatically update the Instrument Records in the Subform and only show those Instruments related to that Area.

Good luck with your project!

Linq ;0)>