Is there any limit to the number of fields in a form?

[belfagor71]

Hi everyone!

I am new to Access and I am developing a form. I have already read and found useful resources on internet but there is something I am not able to sort out.
I have seen that the limit of fields I can enter in Access is 255 and my survey is far below that number.
So no issue at all when I created the fields in Data view.
However, the issues started when I created a form.

I created a form by Create>Form.
The last few fields, at the very bottom of the form, are squeezed onto each other as if there was not any space available. Is there a limit to the number of fields I can have in a form? There should not be if I am allowed to enter up to 255 fields. How can I go about it?

Should I alternatively create 2 forms? I would rather not to though...

Many thanks!

belfi

 

[Cotty42]

I have not come across a limit myself in the number of fields on a form and it may be, from what you are describing, that the limit is not the number of fields but the physical size of the form.

That said, the more fields you have the greater the amount of code you will have running in the background which will seriously slow down your form. It would be better if you could split your data in to distinguishable sections and have a separate form for each section. Alternatively use a tab control on a single form to distinguish between them.

 

[JHB]

I created a form by Create>Form.
The last few fields, at the very bottom of the form, are squeezed onto each other as if there was not any space available.

There is a limit on a form's section high and width, (22 in. (55.87 cm))

Is there a limit to the number of fields I can have in a form?

There is a limit on 754 controls in a form/report.
If you want the wizard to create the controls for you, you can create a query and choose some of the fields and use the query when the wizard create the form, then you can copy the controls to another form, (a final form).

 

[belfagor71]

I have not come across a limit myself in the number of fields on a form and it may be, from what you are describing, that the limit is not the number of fields but the physical size of the form.

What so you mean by physical form?
I created this form using Create>Form and it popped up automatically. But the last fields are all squeezed.

It would be better if you could split your data in to distinguishable sections and have a separate form for each section.

I would rather not do that as I dont need to split the dataset. I mean, as my fields are well below the limit of 255, I think it is just better keep all the data in one single dataset (table).

Alternatively use a tab control on a single form to distinguish between them.

How could I do this?

 

[Cotty42]

Originall quoted by JHB
There is a limit on a form's section high and width, (22 in. (55.87 cm))

There is a limit on 754 controls in a form/report.

So it sounds like you have too many fields to fit within the limit of 22in (55.87cm)

To insert a Tab control, in design mode click the Tab control button from the menu at the top of the screen and click on the form where you want it to go. You can then drag the control to get the size you want and place your data fields onto different pages on the tab control.

(Sorry if this doesn't sound very clear but it is often difficult to explain simple tasks that you do most days)

Hope this helps.

 

[belfagor71]

To insert a Tab control, in design mode click the Tab control button from the menu at the top of the screen and click on the form where you want it to go. You can then drag the control to get the size you want and place your data fields onto different pages on the tab control.

Ok but what shal I do next? whats the purpose of the button? Should this send me to the next form?

 

[Cotty42]

A tab control is just a way of sgregating your data fields into more easily managed sections.

For example your main form may have basic demographic information, i.e. Name, gender, address etc. then you can have separate tabs on your tab control for data such as Business information, Leisure information etc.

So although all of your data is stored in one table the tabs on the form make it easier to read and keeps the form to a more managable size.

Think of it like a drawer in a filing cabinet and each tab represents a different section of data.

 

[belfagor71]

Oh well, thats fantastic! Thats precisely what I need!!
So how should I go about it?
Should I first create more than one form and then link them?
Also, when I created the button, it did not give me the option "Go to the next section" but only "go to the next record" and/or simialr which is something I did not want to.

But if I managed to do what you mentioned in your reply, that would be great: one single (data) table and more forms just to make data entry easier!! How can I go about it?

Many thanks!

 

[GinaWhipp]

Hmm, I'm a little concerned by this statement...

one single (data) table

A properly normalized database should more than one table.

Being new to Access, I'm going to suggest some links (especially the bolded one)...

Jeff Conrad's resources page...
http://www.accessmvp.com/JConrad/accessjunkie/resources.html

The Access Web resources page...
http://www.mvps.org/access/resources/index.html

A free tutorial written by Crystal (MS Access MVP)...
http://allenbrowne.com/casu-22.html

MVP Allen Browne's tutorials...
http://allenbrowne.com/links.html#Tutorials

UtterAccess Newcomer's Reading List
http://www.utteraccess.com/forum/Newcomer-s-Reading-List-t1998783.html

Sample data models...
http://www.databasedev.co.uk/table-of-contents.html
http://www.databaseanswers.org/data_models/

Naming Conventions…
http://www.access-diva.com/d1.html

Other helpful tips…

Setting up a Model Database
http://www.access-diva.com/d11.html

My Database Standards...
http://regina-whipp.com/blog/?p=102


For limits and other Acess Specifications, see the below link...

Access Specifications
http://regina-whipp.com/blog/?page_id=42

All that said, you might find it helpful if you tell what type of database you are creating so we could make sure you have it set to last the long haul.

 

[Cotty42]

Start by using the form wizard to design a new form but only put on the key data fields, i.e. name address etc.

Modify the form design and add the tab control to the form, click on the add existing fields button on the top menu and then add the fields, as required, on each separate tab.

 

[belfagor71]

I managed to do that: I simply created more than 1 form and then I connected all of them using the Buttons. Now I just have to make sure it works

 

[vbaInet]

There is a limit on 754 controls in a form/report.

Just to clear this up, it's not the max number of controls you can have on a form/report, it's the number you can add/delete over time. For example, If your form/report currently has 54 controls and you had already added and deleted 700 controls overtime, you'll hit the limit.

And I second GinaWhipp's comment.

 

[JHB]

Just to clear this up, it's not the max number of controls you can have on a form/report, it's the number you can add/delete over time. For example, If your form/report currently has 54 controls and you had already added and deleted 700 controls overtime, you'll hit the limit.

Correct!
Only for info, if anyone run into that problem, make a copy of the form, then the counter resets to the number of controls that are placed on the form. Delete the "old" form and rename the "new" form to the "old" form's name.

 

[Galaxiom]

And I second GinaWhipp's comment.

I will third Gina's comment.

I have yet to see a database where it made any sense to have anywhere near a whole maximum sized form full of controls.

I bet there are many fields in repeating groups that should be stored as separate records in a related table.