Problems in Creating a 'Search Form' Need Assistance

[jtff7]

Good Day everyone, I am relatively new to Access and I could use some help in creating a 'search form', hopefully one which doesn't require VBA / programming and such. I am using Access 2007.

What I have right now is:
1.) Customer Records Table - where all information / data needed is stored

2.) Search Customer Records Form - now this is an unbounded form containing all the fields in the customer record table but blank. users would be able to input their preferred 'search criteria' here. for example, there is a field called 'Customer name', if the user typed the letter 'a' (and leaving all other fields blank) into the field and clicked on the search button, a separate form would open displaying all customer records containing 'a' in the customer name field.

I have placed a 'search' button in this form, then in the Event > Embedded Macro option, I have the following commands:
Action1: OpenQuery
Arguments: Customer Record Query, Datasheet, Edit

Action2: OpenForm
Arguments: Customer Record Display, Form,,,,Normal

3.) Customer Record Query
- I have here only the Customer Record Table (in the upper portion of the screen, using Design View)
- I placed each field in the customer record table in the lower potion of the screen, using Design View in separate columns.
- I think here is where i have a problem, because I don't know what should be placed under 'Criteria'.

4.) Customer Record Display Form - Looks exactly like the Search Customer Record Form, but its recordsource (bounded to) is the Customer Record Query.

I hope someone can help me out with this. Thanks for taking the time to read this.

 

[CyberLynx]

Wow...the best of all worlds with no or very little VBA. I don't think that's gonna happen in your case if you want the search to have the capabilities you've set forth..

A good search will handles LIKE's, AND's and OR's......which should cover pretty much all likelyhood's. Hmmm.

My bet is going to be on VBA code to handle your task. OPne of my favorite things to do is to create a Filter Entry Bar at the top of a Form (usually a Continuous Form) where a Users can enter a specific piece of criteria for a specific field.

Things are simple when there is only one field to deal with but it gets progressively harder as more fields are added to the mix.

.

 

[atol]

jtff,
Try this link and look at the example database; Jon K has a great example on search forms/queries.

http://www.access-programmers.co.uk/...d.php?t=103312

Very helpful.
Thanks,
Atol