Simple (I think) scope question

[TMorrison]

Hi, I have just started trying to use Access to add some functionality to a form I was given. I have no experience with this language and am having some difficulty accessing text from another textbox.

As an example, I tried making a simple form that combines two strings from different text boxes and put it into a third with a button click, but I get an error, specifically "Run-time error '2185': You can't reference a property or method for a control unless the control has the focus."

Here's the code I wrote to control the three text boxes(txtFirstName, txtLastName and txtFullName) and the button(stringButton):

Option Compare Database

Public Sub stringButton_Click()

txtFullName.Text = txtFirstName.Text & " " & txtLastName.Text

End Sub

I don't know how to make these objects visible outside their own subroutines since I don't have a say as to where they're created. My only language experience is JAVA so I'm at a loss here. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Tim

[ChaseCox]

Ok. I think this will do what you want. I can explain anything if you want me to. You can use the SetFocus command to get the job done.

Public Sub Helping_Click()
 
Dim var1, var2  As String
     txtFirstName.SetFocus
         var1 = txtFirstName.Text
     txtLastName.SetFocus
         var2 = txtLastName.Text
     txtFullName.SetFocus
         txtFullName.Text = var1 & " " & var2
 
End Sub
 

Hope This Helps!
Regards
C. Cox

[TMorrison]

It does indeed, Thank you very much

[ChaseCox]

It does indeed, Thank you very much

You are welcome. There may be a simpler way, but that is what I thought of right away.

[missinglinq]

There is indeed a much simpler way! You simply change the Text property to the Value property.

txtFullName.Value = txtFirstName.Value & " " & txtLastName.Value

As you found out, for the Text property to work the control has to have focus. The Value property doesn't require this! And actually, because Value is the default property for textboxes, you can make it even simpler:

txtFullName = txtFirstName & " " & txtLastName

To be honest, I think the only reason the Text property is still around is to make Access backward compatible. Value is obviously much more flexible!

[ChaseCox]

Thats what I was wondering. I had never used the .text property until I saw this post. And I could not remember how I managed to set text box values in the past. That is what I did, thanks for the tag-team. :-)

[OldBirdman]

The text property has uses beyond backward compatability. It allows the program to monitor the entry of text data while the entry is in progress.

You might code as below and eliminate the stringButton altogether.

Private Sub txtFirstName_Change()
    txtFullName = txtFirstName.Text & " " & txtLastName
End Sub
 
Private Sub txtLastName_Change()
    txtFullName = txtFirstName & " " & txtLastName.Text
End Sub