ControlTip Text

[DeanL]

Hi everyone,

Does anyone know of a way in MS Access to have the ControlTip Text that
can be set with a message to pop up with the date/time that the field
on the form was last updated along with the username of the person who
updated the record? I'm using the fOSUserName() function from Dev
Ashish to get the users name but I'm not sure how to get these details
included in a ControlTip Text popup or if it's even possible.

Hope someone can help.

Many thanks, Dean...

[Mike Preston]

On 19 Dec 2005 14:58:31 -0800, "DeanL" <de*************@yahoo.com>
wrote:

Hi everyone,

Does anyone know of a way in MS Access to have the ControlTip Text that
can be set with a message to pop up with the date/time that the field
on the form was last updated along with the username of the person who
updated the record? I'm using the fOSUserName() function from Dev
Ashish to get the users name but I'm not sure how to get these details
included in a ControlTip Text popup or if it's even possible.

Updating the controltip text is trivial.

me.txtControl.ControlTipText = "Something you want to see"

This will change it for display purposes only. Hence, the design of
the form will retain whatever was in ControlTipText; so in the future
if it isn't "set" for some reason it will go back to what it was.

Now, as far as putting a timestamp in there. What a horrible design
idea (strong letter to follow). If you want to display the date/time
that the record was last updated, feel free to do so, and if you have
absolutely no real estate left on your form, use the status bar.

Why make the user move his/her mouse and wait for the ControlTip to
pop up when that isn't being used to further the user's input decision
on the control in question. Bad. Very bad.

One more thing. Access doesn't automatically store a datestamp as to
when a record was last updated and by whom. If you want that you will
need to store it yourself. The good news is that since you will be
the one doing the storing, you will then know where it is so you can
retrieve it when you place it on the form or in the status bar.

mike

[DeanL]

Mike Preston wrote:

On 19 Dec 2005 14:58:31 -0800, "DeanL" <de*************@yahoo.com>
wrote:

Hi everyone,

Does anyone know of a way in MS Access to have the ControlTip Text that
can be set with a message to pop up with the date/time that the field
on the form was last updated along with the username of the person who
updated the record? I'm using the fOSUserName() function from Dev
Ashish to get the users name but I'm not sure how to get these details
included in a ControlTip Text popup or if it's even possible.

Updating the controltip text is trivial.

me.txtControl.ControlTipText = "Something you want to see"

This will change it for display purposes only. Hence, the design of
the form will retain whatever was in ControlTipText; so in the future
if it isn't "set" for some reason it will go back to what it was.

Now, as far as putting a timestamp in there. What a horrible design
idea (strong letter to follow). If you want to display the date/time
that the record was last updated, feel free to do so, and if you have
absolutely no real estate left on your form, use the status bar.

Why make the user move his/her mouse and wait for the ControlTip to
pop up when that isn't being used to further the user's input decision
on the control in question. Bad. Very bad.

One more thing. Access doesn't automatically store a datestamp as to
when a record was last updated and by whom. If you want that you will
need to store it yourself. The good news is that since you will be
the one doing the storing, you will then know where it is so you can
retrieve it when you place it on the form or in the status bar.

mike

Thanks Mike,

I agree that it's an awful design but unfortunately (even after my
continuous complaining) the project managers and powers that be want to
see a timestamp on a controltip text. They're too lazy to run a report
so they just want to "hover" and wait for the data to pop up for them.
It sucks but unfortunately, I'm stuck with the wonderful beauracracy at
CalTrans...lol.

Once again, thanks.

Dean...

[pietlinden]

Keep in mind that I may not have a clue what I'm talking about...

That said, you'd probably have to do something very ugly like
1. implement something like Allen Browne's audit trail code.
2. maybe in just the Current event of the form, pass the primary key of
the current record to the AuditHistory table and return all the values
modified with modify dates. SO you'd probably need something like a
Domain summary with MAX on Date and grouped by Control/fieldName.
3. Stuff the latest values into the controltiptext of each control.

Ugh. Glad that's your job and not mine! your boss is mean!

[pietlinden]

COWARDLY LION: I'm going in there, guards or no guards... There's just
one thing I want you fellas to do...

DOROTHY, SCARECROW, TIN MAN: What's that?!

COWARDLY LION: Talk me out of it!!

(sorry, couldn't resist!)