Auto Fill Fields when listbox option selected - access 2007

  • Thread starter Thread starter CypherUK
  • Start date Start date
C

CypherUK

Hi Guys n Gals



I am very new to Access 2007 so i'm sorry of this is a really newbie question.

I am developing an access form linked to a access db - what i have is a list
box of contractors that i use, what i would like to do, is when i select a
particular contractor for a job, i would like the contractor details
(address, phone, mobile email etc) to be auto input in to the fields i have
created.

I have created the options on the Database (contractor Address etc) but i
would love to auto fill the form fields when i select the listbox option.

can it be done?

Kind Regards

Mark
 
Hi Guys n Gals



I am very new to Access 2007 so i'm sorry of this is a really newbie question.

I am developing an access form linked to a access db - what i have is a list
box of contractors that i use, what i would like to do, is when i select a
particular contractor for a job, i would like the contractor details
(address, phone, mobile email etc) to be auto input in to the fields i have
created.
Click to expand...

No, you actually do NOT want to do that.
I have created the options on the Database (contractor Address etc) but i
would love to auto fill the form fields when i select the listbox option.
Click to expand...

It's easy to *display* the address, etc. on the form - but you certainly
should NOT store that information redundantly in a second table. It sounds
like you're making a very common mistake, starting with your Form design.
Forms are decidedly secondary; your Tables are the foundation of your
structure, and you need to get them correct first!

You should have a table of Contractors with fields for name, address, phone,
etc.; it should have a ContractorID as its primary key. The table of Jobs
should have a ContractorID field - and *NOTHING ELSE* from the contractor
table.

You can display the contractor information on the form by including the
desired fields in the rowsource of a Combo Box control on your form, and
putting textboxes on the form with control sources like

=cboContractorID.Column(n)

where cboContractorID is the name of the combo box control and (n) is the zero
based index of the desired field - e.g. if the contractor phone is the fifth
field in the combo, you would use (4).
 
yes it can be done, but probably you shouldn't. if you have the contractors'
addresses stored in a table already, you shouldn't be entering that data
again in another table, as it violates normalization rules. recommend you
STOP working on your db, and read up/more on relational design principles.
then re-examine your tables/relationships structures, and make any necessary
adjustments to normalize the data. then, and only then, you can proceed with
building queries, forms, and reports. for more information, see
http://home.att.net/~california.db/tips.html#aTip1

hth
 
Back
Top