HELP! cannot pick from combo box

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  • Start date Start date
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Guest

I have been fighting with this for five days and am now at whits end.
Situation is that I am tyring to build a simple form from a linked Excel
spreadsheet which contains non-normalized data. The form is used only to
display data, no records should be added or updated by this form.

The driving force for form is the combo box which will display a select
distinct fieldX from the spreadsheet, then there is a second combo box for
listing all the values in fieldY for fieldX's value selected from the combo
box by the user. fieldY has NO duplicate values.

What I have been doing is building a select distinct query for fieldX, as
expected... but what I've been runnig into on almost all my attempts is that
once the combo box is dropped down, I can highlight a value but either I
cannot pick it, ie, the combo box does not close, or I end up creating a new
record. I was working with bound fields, but I am beginning to believe that
this is the source of my problem.

I've never experienced this type of issue before. Can anyone help me out,
please please?? I'm beginning to feel like a total idiot!
 
What I have been doing is building a select distinct query for fieldX, as
expected... but what I've been runnig into on almost all my attempts is that
once the combo box is dropped down, I can highlight a value but either I
cannot pick it, ie, the combo box does not close, or I end up creating a new
record. I was working with bound fields, but I am beginning to believe that
this is the source of my problem.
Click to expand...

It is.

A Bound combo box will attempt to update its Control Source field when
you select an item. If the form's recordsource is not updateable, this
attempt will fail.

To use a combo box to *select* data, make it unbound - set the Control
Source property of the combo to blank.

John W. Vinson[MVP]
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John Vinson said:
It is.

A Bound combo box will attempt to update its Control Source field when
you select an item. If the form's recordsource is not updateable, this
attempt will fail.

To use a combo box to *select* data, make it unbound - set the Control
Source property of the combo to blank.
Click to expand...

OK, John... I've unbound the combo box. I have tried using both a select
distinct from the from's record source as well as using a different table
that I built which has only the unique values for fieldX to populate the
combo box, but the behavior of the combo box does not change. I can drop
down the values and can highlight any of them, but I cannot select any values
that is to say I cannot make the highlighted value become the only value
shown and close the combo box. WHAT might I be missing?? I've also unbound
the second combo box, the one for fieldY ....

signed: pulling my hair out ;(
 
PMFJI,

Please no hair pulling, it gets all over the keyboard.
<g>

If a form's "Allow Edits" property is set to "No", then you will not be able to select a value from
a combo box, whether it is bound or not. Change that form property to "Yes" and then you should be
able to select a value.
 
Jeff Conrad said:
PMFJI,
Click to expand...

you are forgiven... especially...
Please no hair pulling, it gets all over the keyboard.
<g>
Click to expand...

.... if you are going to save my hair... (btw, I have a skin on my
keyboard... comes in handy for issues like this... as well as cat fur... )
If a form's "Allow Edits" property is set to "No", then you will not be able to select a value from
a combo box, whether it is bound or not. Change that form property to "Yes" and then you should be
able to select a value.
Click to expand...

well, how very logical... thank you. now, to get fieldY's combo box working
<:) Thank you gentlemen... wish I had done this many hours ago!
 
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