Simple Form Design Question - Surely!

[PiedPiper70]

A2010 - on an existing form I have a few controls that I want to hightlight. I thought I would create a rectangle covering only the desired controls and then make the back colour a light grey. But if I do then I cannot see the controls. If I change the back style to transparent then the colour reverts to nothing and I'm back to square one.

It feels like I want to bring the existing controls to the font - but how?

If I create new controls on an existing grey rectangle then it works fine.

Any help please
Thanks Dave

 

[Chintsapete]

Why don't you put the few control onto a subform with different back colour and insert that into the existing form. If you switch off all the controls on the subform it should achieve the look you want.

 

[PiedPiper70]

Sounds too complicated to me. The form already exists with all the controls working fine and exactly where I want thm. I just want to highlight a couple of them. What's stopping me???

 

[Chintsapete]

Sorry just replied off the top of my head. But tried below and worked for me.
Why don't you select and cut your controls and make your square and paste them back into place over the top, that worked just now for me.

 

[chellebell1689]

You could also select one, hold and click the others, then right click, go down to "Position", and click bring forward. (Could do the same to the rectangle, only send back.) You may have to do it a few times (came across that before).

 

[PiedPiper70]

Thanks. A bit fiddly but cut and paste is the answer.

 

[PiedPiper70]

Update - cut and paste works but when you do you lose all the event procedures connected to a control and you have to re-link them all. That's a nuisance if you've got lots of them, trust me!

Dave

 

[Chintsapete]

Noted, I didn't check that bit. I suppose it's all in the planing of ones database. But thanks for the feedback, I'm sure it'll prevent me doing the same in some stage. Glad you came right.

 

[CJ_London]

I thought I would create a rectangle covering only the desired controls and then make the back colour a light grey. But if I do then I cannot see the controls.

If I've understood you correctly, covering is your problem - you want it behind - use the 'send to back' on the arrange tab to put it behind the controls

 

[Chintsapete]

Ok, thanks for the lesson, will for sure never forget that one.

 

[PiedPiper70]

CJ - many thanks. So simple, but I just didn't notice the "send to back" button

Dave