Names in Multiple Horizontal Columns

[JSimoncelli]

I am putting this post here because I am not sure if the best tool is a repot or a form.

I have a database with employee folders containing various bits of information. My intent is to have a “main” page with a sub report or from containing employee names. Instead of the names being displayed in a single vertical column with a scroll bar, I would like to display multiple columns of say twelve names each with a horizontal scroll bar no information with be edited from the "main" page…..

The information would be “last name, first name” from a query, you would select (highlight) the name and hit a button to bring up a different form with that employees information or double click for the same results….

Thanks,

John

 

[EternalMyrtle]

I may be wrong but I do not believe it is possible to present the information this way without concatenating the fields. Once you concatenate fields you will not be able to create a link to the contact form (since there will be no distinct record id to link to).

You can use ConcatRelated function from Allen Browne's site just be aware that it is not compatible with the 64bit version of Access: http://allenbrowne.com/func-concat.html

I would ask myself what is more important: to present the data this way or to be able to link directly to the employees form.

 

[Geotch]

I disagree with EternalMyrtle. It is possible to create a form to do this. I attached an example. Test it by adding an employee to tblData, close and reopen the form. They will be put in the correct column.

The information would be “last name, first name” from a query, you would select (highlight) the name and hit a button to bring up a different form with that employees information or double click for the same results….

You can add a macro to do this when you go to design view of the form.

 

[EternalMyrtle]

Geotch:

This is a creative solution but the OP asked for this:

Instead of the names being displayed in a single vertical column with a scroll bar, I would like to display multiple columns of say twelve names each with a horizontal scroll bar no information with be edited from the "main" page…..

The data in your example is still presented vertically just in several groupings. If he really want names to appear horizontally and only horizontally with a horizontal scroll bar then this isn't the answer.

To be honest, the big question is why anyone would want to fight the system so much to do this anyway. It would take a lot of extra effort to present data this way and is what is one really gaining?

 

[Geotch]

Ok, I misunderstood what he was asking for. I agree not sure why you would go that route.

 

[JSimoncelli]

Thanks to both of you for your help,

@EteralMyrtle, I understand your point about the extra work.. I did take a look at the linked article, it wasn't really pertinent to my situation in that it talked about catenation across a one to many relationship (two tables). In my situation I am dealing with one table. Not sure if the issues you raised with catenation apply in this situation or not...

@Geotch, for S&G's I plugged your example into my database (see attached image) as you can see it produced four vertically scrollable subforms, each with a grouping of names based on first letter last name.

I must apologize to you both for not mentioning this before, the main goal was not to have to scroll down a list that was 75+ long...

by using Geotch's method I am able to create the four columns. I do understand that if an individual column exceeds the number of names visible I will have to scroll. However the scrolling will be at a minimum... If a column get to big I can always adjust the letter groupings and/or add more columns.

Again thanks to both of you for your assistance...

On a side note, I have finagled the help of one of my engineers to take a look at this. I will let you know if he comes up with some thing different...

John

 

[EternalMyrtle]

by using Geotch's method I am able to create the four columns. I do understand that if an individual column exceeds the number of names visible I will have to scroll. However the scrolling will be at a minimum... If a column get to big I can always adjust the letter groupings and/or add more columns.

I was going to say that Geotch's solution would probably be a good compromise. Glad you figured something out that works!