I've beeb asked to do somehting insane!!

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The manager that I'm desiging a datbase for wants users to choose different
records to enter data into by going to different tabs on the form page. He
does not want a combo box to select different records for data entry. Help!!!
This not only goes against all that I was taught, but I have no idea how to
do it.
 
What do you mean "different records"? Every time you add data you are
adding a new "record".

You'll have to tell us the structure of your data.
 
You could always just tell him "Access does not work that way." Chances are
he'll not know the difference.
 
Hello Rick:

It's a simple two table database with a subform for entering daily data. The
parent record is a mutual fund # the child records are dates realted to the
parent. For example fund # 722A will have $10,000 entered for March 2nd,
4,000 entered for march 3rd and so on. There are going to be about 50 parent
records which I beleive is reason alone not to go with tabs, but that's what
he wants.
 
Hi, Robert.

I suspect your manager is after the visibility tabs would afford, it being
somewhat easier to click on the record of interest, rather than hunting for
it in a drop-down list. I agree with you, however, that Tabs are not a good
solution, even if you could programmatically accommodate the fact that new
parent records will come and go.

Maybe a good solution is a continuous form that shows all the parent
records, and launching the detail form by clicking or double-clicking on a
particular record. He gets visibility, you get implementability (sp?) <grin>

Hope that helps.
Sprinks
 
Hi, Robert.

Access reported an error with my post, so my apologies if this is a duplicate.

Sounds like your manager wants the improved visibility he envisions with
tabs over the less so drop-down list. I agree with you that Tabs are not
practical, even if you could programmatically accommodate inevitable
additions and deletions of parent records.

Maybe a good solution is a continuous subform of the parent records, and
then launch the detail form for the associated child records on a Click or
Double-Click of a specific parent.

Hope that helps.
Sprinks
 
RobertM said:
Hello Rick:

It's a simple two table database with a subform for entering daily data. The
parent record is a mutual fund # the child records are dates realted to the
parent. For example fund # 722A will have $10,000 entered for March 2nd,
4,000 entered for march 3rd and so on. There are going to be about 50 parent
records which I beleive is reason alone not to go with tabs, but that's what
he wants.
Click to expand...

Maybe you could build a prototype to look like what the final result would be.
Perhaps the site of 50 teeny tabs across the top of the form would demonstrate
how difficult it would be to use.

Come at him sort of with a "Is this what you were thinking?" question. And
then present him with the dropdown option. Perhaps a long alphabetized list
box displaying the chooser field along the side of the form would be a better
option. You could put a script behind it that would change the record on the
form depending on the record clicked in the list box. I'm guessing the boss
just wants to see every choice without the added step of clicking the
dropdown. This in itself is a reasonable request.

Although the tab prototype could backfire if he says, "yes, exactly." :-)
 
I am assuming what you mean is that a tab control have a tab for each record
in a given table.

Leaving aside the advisability/practicality of this, Access 2000 Developers
Handbook (Getz, Litwin,Gilbert) has an example of how to do this in Volume 1
chapter 7 pp.456-464. The 97 version of the Developers Handbook also has an
example in it. I don't know about more recent editions (although I would
presume they do).
 
RobertM said:
Hello Rick:

It's a simple two table database with a subform for entering daily
data. The parent record is a mutual fund # the child records are
dates realted to the parent. For example fund # 722A will have
$10,000 entered for March 2nd, 4,000 entered for march 3rd and so on.
There are going to be about 50 parent records which I beleive is
reason alone not to go with tabs, but that's what he wants.
Click to expand...
If you actually mean 50 parent records, you will have several problems.
The first is what happens when you get to 51,
The second is in identifying the individual record in the "tab" and the
third is in not really being able to use a tabbed form
Forms basically show a single record at a time.
You could place tabs or buttons to fake tabs on a single form/subform(?) and
click event would do what the combo or list box would do. Move to a
particular record.
With the combo it's a bit of code the wizard will write, with the tabs it's
1 - n modifications of such code.

I used to solve a lot of problems like this by explaining the difference in
development time then asking for a written description of what was wanted
and asking the magic question. "What is my budget for the project?"
 
I think a list box would be ideal for displaying your fifty records. If the
list box is made big enough all the records would easily be visible. You
could write code that when an item in the list box is clicked it would
bring up any linked data in a subform adjacent to the list box.
Im sure your boss would see the logic of this if you sketch him out what the
interface would look like

Ian
 
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