Very old question...

[Bobadopolis]

I have a very similar question to one that was asked a very long time ago but was never answered.

I was just wondering if anyone had an answer to this or knew how to achieve it as I have no idea.

I guess that if I also have no response then this is impossible!

Thanks,

Bobadopolis

 

[reclusivemonkey]

Why not just use a regular query? Link the information you need then you can query on what you like.

 

[Bobadopolis]

True... but the data would have been entered on a continuous subform so there are many sub-records for one main record. Generating a regular Select query containing all of the required fields would result in duplicates of the main records being displayed.

This is far from an elegant solution!

I was hoping that something more elegant would be possible, such that the required sub-records are 'hidden' from the user until Reporting on the data (but obviously still allowing the required filtering to take place).

Any ideas - I'm sure there must be a way!

 

[reclusivemonkey]

Generating a regular Select query containing all of the required fields would result in duplicates of the main records being displayed.

This is far from an elegant solution!

No, this is the way queries work. Each record is unique. You are not creating duplicate records. There is some duplication in FIELDS; this is because of the very nature of the data you are dealing with. I suspect you are more used to spreadsheets than databases.

I was hoping that something more elegant would be possible, such that the required sub-records are 'hidden' from the user until Reporting on the data (but obviously still allowing the required filtering to take place).

Any ideas - I'm sure there must be a way!

My idea is to come up with a solution first. Worry about elegance later.

Make a form with the parent data, add all the child data in the subform. This is a VERY BASIC task in database design, the fact you are stuggling to understand this makes me believe you need to look more into database design/theory. Have a look at the Northwind Database which comes with Access, you will see many examples of what you are talking about.

No offence intended.

 

[Bobadopolis]

No offence taken.

I understand how you have reached the conclusion you have about my abilities but I assure that's not the case. I had began to appreciate that there was only one approach to this problem and that would have sufficed but was secretly hoping for an alternative solution.

I was a beginner on Access when I joined the Forum (hence the reason for joining) but solid months on this db and many useful posts/responses from other forum members have lead me to be quite competent now.

In any case, as of this morning it's somewhat of an irrelevance as the db has been stolen from me and passed up the chain! I am infact now writing a presentation about my work to be passed on with the db!

Thanks for your time and to anyone else who is reading this and has been replying to my posts/dumb questions!

Bobadopolis

 

[reclusivemonkey]

No offence taken.

I understand how you have reached the conclusion you have about my abilities but I assure that's not the case.

Bobadopolis

Bob,

I would never presume about anyone abilities. It was the place where your head was at that concerned me. One thing I was told very early on in computers, was that there was always more than one way to do something. You seemed to be putting limits on yourself, which to me seemed to prevent you from getting a solution. In a poor analogy, I saw you going down a dead end; to get you to do a "180", I had to be harsh!

Off the top of my head I could think of at least half a dozen form designs that would acheive what you want. Any "replication" you would see would be at the query level, which is what you would expect. Good form design lets you hide/show data as you need, and you should be able to get exactly what you want with a little experimentation.

Sorry to hear your DB was poached! That must be frustrating :-(

 

[Bobadopolis]

Sorry to hear your DB was poached! That must be frustrating :-(

Indeed it is frustrating that it was poached from me but that's bureaucracy for you! They were impressed with what I'd done thus far

One thing I was told very early on in computers, was that there was always more than one way to do something

I know what you mean entirely. If there's one thing I've taken away from Access (given that this is the first 'programming' that I've ever done) then it's exactly that - there always seems to be numerous solutons to a problem; if you can't figure one out then try another!!

Bob,

I would never presume about anyone abilities

Sorry about that, I didn't mean to be rude in any way.

It was the place where your head was at that concerned me

I think I've been panicking lately with deadlines approaching etc hence my apparent slight narrow mindedness and general persona. Fair play to you though for straightening my head out. I only wish I could see this through to the end and 'experiment' to get what I wanted, but I'm under strict orders not to touch the db again! Being new to the world of work it's becomong apparent that I still have a lot to learn!

Thanks for all your help/comments though, they are very much appreciated

Bob