How do I modify the data type over several fields?

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In designing a DB i copied a table design from 1 table to another, which
somehow crashed my program and I had been unable to save due to my table
being too big (hence I was copying the data accross).
When I reloaded it had saved all the field names but the data types had
reverted back to "Text" rather than the combo boxes I had origionally
designed.
They all have the same combo box.
Is there any way to apply the same Data Type properties over multiple fields?
As there are over 250 entries I don't want to retype the combo boxes for
each one.
Thank you in advance for a response.
Regards,
Toby
 
In designing a DB i copied a table design from 1 table to another, which
somehow crashed my program and I had been unable to save due to my table
being too big (hence I was copying the data accross).
When I reloaded it had saved all the field names but the data types had
reverted back to "Text" rather than the combo boxes I had origionally
designed.
They all have the same combo box.
Is there any way to apply the same Data Type properties over multiple fields?
As there are over 250 entries I don't want to retype the combo boxes for
each one.
Thank you in advance for a response.
Regards,
Toby
Click to expand...

If your table has 250 fields... IT IS INCORRECTLY STRUCTURED.
If your table has any Combo Box fields... you're on the wrong track;
the Lookup Field is generally disliked by Access developers.

I have no idea whether your table can be salvaged, but it certainly
sounds like it needs to be redesigned!

To directly answer the question - the only good way to make multiple
field type design changes is to create a new, EMPTY table with the
desired field types; and then run an Append query to migrate the data
into it.

Do post back describing your table; I strongly suspect that a redesign
is in order, and we'll be glad to help with that.

Do note that the m.p.a.tablesdbdesign newsgroup would probably be more
appropriate - your question and this answer have nothing to do with
Forms, the subject of this group.

John W. Vinson[MVP]
 
Thank you John for your reply.
Apollogies that I posted into the wrong forum.
Here are some details about the database that I am working on.
I appreciate any advice.

I am designing the database to collate information collected on paper
questionaires (could be done easier directly electronically but I was told
the population was IT illiterate so not to be).
The questionaire is in the format of a table with ~300 headings. For each
heading one must tick 2 sections one "current knowlege level" and the second
"desired knowlege level" and under each of these sub headings the selections
are "low", "average", "good" and "very good".
The way I designed the table is to allocate 2 fields for each heading, one
for "current" one for "desired". For each of these I used a combo box with
the row source:
1;"low";2;"average";3;"good";4;"very good"
Saving the responses as 1-4.

I will then create a form for easier actual data entry which will take
several pages but should make entry relatively easy.
I am still quite new at using access and am learning as I go so am not fully
aware of all it's capabilities. I thought this was the most logical way of
doing it.
I appreciate any feed back.
Regards,
Tobias v. H.
 
Thank you John for your reply.
Apollogies that I posted into the wrong forum.
Here are some details about the database that I am working on.
I appreciate any advice.

I am designing the database to collate information collected on paper
questionaires (could be done easier directly electronically but I was told
the population was IT illiterate so not to be).
The questionaire is in the format of a table with ~300 headings. For each
heading one must tick 2 sections one "current knowlege level" and the second
"desired knowlege level" and under each of these sub headings the selections
are "low", "average", "good" and "very good".
Click to expand...

While a wide-flat table is tempting in this instance, it is NOT an
ideal design.

Consider using Duane Hookum's excellent At Your Survey database, which
is designed specifically for this purpose:

http://www.rogersaccesslibrary.com/Otherdownload.asp?SampleName='At Your Survey 2000'

Basically, you need a table of QUestionnaires, with one record per
sheet of paper; this table would be related one-to-many to a table of
Answers, with a QuestionnaireID, a QuestionNumber (your heading), and
fields for Current Level and Desired Level. You'ld use a Form based on
the questionnaire table (to enter the name of the respondant, etc.)
with a Subform based on the Answers table; rather than entering
additional FIELDS for each question, you'ld enter multiple RECORDS
into a tall-thin table.

John W. Vinson[MVP]
 
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