Sub-Forms changing structure

[Lisa S]

Hi

I have a form which has a main form and 2 sub-forms. Can anyone explain as to why, when I go into design view sometimes the sub-form shows as a white block and then other times it shows the acutal fields in the sub-forms.

Am I going mad or does this happen to other people and why????

Thanks in advance for any help

 

[lscheer]

Not sure what you mean by "actual fields"? Are you displaying your subform in datasheet view? Because when you go into the design view, it will display in in what you call the "white block" form, with which, most design changes won't be reflected in the datasheet.

 

[Lisa S]

Hi, thanks for that

Yes, I am displaying both sub forms in datasheet view. The other view I was trying to describe shows the sub forms as you would normally see a single form in design view, i.e. able to move and modify the fields and "get at the fields" whereas sometimes it just shows a white block and I have to go to the separate sub forms individually to be able to modify.

Does that make any more sense?

 

[lscheer]

Ahh...it's all becoming clearer...

What you are looking at is not the subform's design view, but the main form's design view (when the subform is displayed as just a large blank (white) box). You must double click it to open it and modify it's design, or, as you said, you can just open the subform itself (exclusive of the main form) in design view for modification. The reason there are two "different" views are for different purposes. When the large white box appears, you can click it once and view it's properties as a control of the main form (thus controling how it and the main form interact, among other things.)

Hope this helps.