This should work.
Any chance that Access is not understanding the data types?
For example, if LateWatchVal or OldWatchVal are calculated fields in a
query, do they right-align in the query like numbers, or left-align like
text?
You could try:
=CDbl(Nz([latewatchval], 0)) - CDbl(Nz([oldwtchval],0))
and set the Format property of this text box to:
General Number
You could also use the Debug window (press Ctrl+G) to ask Access what's
going on. Select a row where the value is less than zero, and then enter
something like this in the Debug window:
? (Forms![MyForm]![MyTextBox] < 0)
It should return True if it is less than zero.
Or ask it:
? TypeName(Forms![MyForm]![MyTextBox].Value)
to discover what type it thinks the data is.
If that is not the issue, does the status bar read "Calculating..."
seemingly for ever? There are bugs with conditional formatting (esp. with
calculated fields), so you may have triggered that. You could try moving the
calculation itself into a query, and then set the Control Source of the text
box to the name of the calculated query field.
--
Allen Browne - Microsoft MVP. Perth, Western Australia.
Tips for Access users -
http://allenbrowne.com/tips.html
Reply to group, rather than allenbrowne at mvps dot org.
"John Baker" <Ba******@Verizon.net> wrote in message
news:76********************************@4ax.com...
Hi:
I have a field that i wish to use the conditional format capability on,
and for some
reason it wont work.
The field is a a text box:
=[latewatchval]-[oldwatchval]
I would like to make it red when negative, and have been working with the
conditional
formatting process to set it "Field Value less than" 0 (zero), but it wont
trigger. I know
I am working with the right field because the "format that will be used
if no conditions
are met" responds when I want to make it bold.
Can anyone offer suggestions?
Does conditional formatting work on Text Box type fields or only on
numeric ones?
Best
John Baker