table combo box

[awake2424]

Is it possible to put a combo box in an access 2010 field? If there are 5 selections that the user can choose from typing errors can be limited. Thank you.

 

[pbaldy]

Probably with a lookup field, but most of us would make 2 recommendations:

1) Don't use lookup fields
2) Never let users directly in tables or queries

 

[Steve C]

Hello Awake2424. PBaldy is right of course. But when I started out I didn't believe it because, Access lets you put LookUps in Tables - so I thought - I'll do that then!

But I hadn't understood why it should not be done. It might be because the table stores only a number (from 1 to 5 (in your case)) and doesn't store what the user saw in the DropDown box.

At first that's not important, the table SHOWS you what you expect to see. but, later on when you want to see the selection somewhere else (that you thought was safely stored in the table) - you'll find, strangely, it isn't there's only a number instead.

May I also add that if you source your LookUp from a Query based on a dedicated Table especially for that LookUp it makes things easier when the list of five things becomes 10 or changes so that some options no longer apply. The Query will filter out non-current Selections from the Table of all possible selections since the dawn of time.

 

[John Big Booty]

This article on Table level lookups may also be of interest to you.