Why not use lookup wizard?

[Kevin]

I was reading on the mvps.org site not to use the lookup wizard in the
table design, but rather use a query. I'm confused by this, given that
the lookup wizard basically creates a query and uses it as the data
source - you can see it in the "Lookup" tab in the table design window.

So, what gives? :)

[RoyVidar]

Kevin wrote in message <pa****************************@hotmail.com> :

I was reading on the mvps.org site not to use the lookup wizard in the
table design, but rather use a query. I'm confused by this, given that
the lookup wizard basically creates a query and uses it as the data
source - you can see it in the "Lookup" tab in the table design window.

So, what gives? :)

What did you read, did you read the
http://www.mvps.org/access/lookupfields.htm
or just
http://www.mvps.org/access/tencommandments.htm
?

I would have thought the first of them to answer your questions - the
"lookup wizard" does a fair bit more then "basically creates a query
and uses it as the data source", and most of that, causing extra work,
confusement ...

--
Roy-Vidar

[Kevin]

On Sun, 15 Jan 2006 12:32:05 +0000, RoyVidar wrote:

Kevin wrote in message <pa****************************@hotmail.com> :

I was reading on the mvps.org site not to use the lookup wizard in the
table design, but rather use a query. I'm confused by this, given that
the lookup wizard basically creates a query and uses it as the data
source - you can see it in the "Lookup" tab in the table design window.

So, what gives? :)

What did you read, did you read the
http://www.mvps.org/access/lookupfields.htm or just
http://www.mvps.org/access/tencommandments.htm ?

I would have thought the first of them to answer your questions - the
"lookup wizard" does a fair bit more then "basically creates a query and
uses it as the data source", and most of that, causing extra work,
confusement ...

I just found the 10 commandments, didn't see the other page. :)

So, if I used the Lookup fields and I now want to change it, can I just
change the field type, or do I need to do something else?

[RoyVidar]

Kevin wrote in message <pa****************************@hotmail.com> :

On Sun, 15 Jan 2006 12:32:05 +0000, RoyVidar wrote:

I just found the 10 commandments, didn't see the other page. :)

So, if I used the Lookup fields and I now want to change it, can I just
change the field type, or do I need to do something else?

Well ... best thing would be to not use them from the beginning ;-)

See - when you create forms and reports based on tables containing
this,
those properties are inherited ...

So - what I would recommend, is stop using them for new projects.

Should you wish to do something with them now, then don't alter the
fieldtype, cause that's matching the primary key of the looked up
table,
but change the Display Control property of the control (in the lookup
tab) from Combo box to Text Box. This will stop inheriting this to new
forms and reports.

Then remove those from the forms and reports too, and for the forms,
create combos (through the combobox wizard) on the forms in stead, and
for the report, include the lookup table, and the looked up field in
the
query used as recordsource of the report.

--
Roy-Vidar

[Kevin]

On Sun, 15 Jan 2006 21:23:49 +0000, RoyVidar wrote:

Kevin wrote in message <pa****************************@hotmail.com> :

On Sun, 15 Jan 2006 12:32:05 +0000, RoyVidar wrote:

I just found the 10 commandments, didn't see the other page. :)

So, if I used the Lookup fields and I now want to change it, can I just
change the field type, or do I need to do something else?

Well ... best thing would be to not use them from the beginning ;-)

See - when you create forms and reports based on tables containing this,
those properties are inherited ...

So - what I would recommend, is stop using them for new projects.

Should you wish to do something with them now, then don't alter the
fieldtype, cause that's matching the primary key of the looked up table,
but change the Display Control property of the control (in the lookup tab)
from Combo box to Text Box. This will stop inheriting this to new forms
and reports.

Then remove those from the forms and reports too, and for the forms,
create combos (through the combobox wizard) on the forms in stead, and for
the report, include the lookup table, and the looked up field in the
query used as recordsource of the report.

I'm still early in the project, I'll just change the display control and
delete all the existing forms (2 of them). I try to spend all of my
initial time normalizing the data and creating the queries I need, then
forms, then reports.

Thanks,

Kevin

[David W. Fenton]

Kevin <wi******@hotmail.com> wrote in
news:pa****************************@hotmail.com:

I'm still early in the project, I'll just change the display
control and delete all the existing forms (2 of them).

I don't see why you need to do anything to the forms. If I'm
remembering correctly, when you drop a field defined as a lookup
onto a form, it creates a combobox that duplicates the lookup
combobox. The result is that you shouldn't have to alter your forms
at all.

In short, the lookup really only affects the table view and criteria
in the query designer.

--
David W. Fenton http://www.dfenton.com/
usenet at dfenton dot com http://www.dfenton.com/DFA/