Look up tables vs fields

[Johnny]

Could someone look at the jpeg below, is this what I am NOT supposed to do? I admit I am still confused between lookup tables and lookup fields. The dropdown row on that table gets its values from another table whose sole purpose is to feed that field information, the lookup table has a linked relationship to this one. But I've read another post where he was doing what I did here and was told not to do it.

I guess I thought it was okay if the lookup field was bound to another table but may of misunderstood. I have read the often linked evil of lookup fields webpage but it didnt clarify my confusion.

Thanks!

 

[stopher]

Yes, that is what you should not do.

Tables should just be for storing data and relating data to other tables. What MS have tried to do is to add further functionality to a table to, I guess, make life easier for the user.

The problem is that having a a lookup in the table masks what is really happening. You no longer see ID's for instance. And although you can see the lookup value, you can't search on the lookup value. Plus all the other problems mentioned in evils of lookups.

However, you can freely use lookups in your forms. The only difference being you have to manually create the lookup (or use the wizard).

Note that removing lookups from your table does not change the relational data structure of your table. It only removes the lookup feature.

hth
Chris

 

[Johnny]

Okay that is of great relief to me I have spent a couple weeks putting this form, subform,subform together and I thought changing that would break it. I'm still new at this and recreating is almost as hard as creating!

How do I go about removing the lookup but keep the relationship in place so I don't corrupt my form?

 

[JANR]

http://www.btabdevelopment.com/ts/removelookups

JR

 

[gemma-the-husky]

it isn't the end of the world, though. everything will still work. it's just another "feature" best avoided in general.

Like the + you see in tables, that open to related records.
Since the advice is never ot open tables drectly, it's hard to see a use for the plus sign!

 

[Johnny]

Sorry Gemma are you saying I need to do something to remove the + signs too? Or just commenting its there to make tables easier but not supposed to use them like that anyways?