Query by form using list boxes

[hollinshead]

Hi there i have bit of an issue. i haver this database that is purely used for searching records under certain criteria. This criteria is chosen by the user on a form using list boxes and combo boxes. So when the criteria is chosen the user selects a click command button and then the results are displayed on another form. I have successfully created the code for the combo boxes on the form.The list boxes are are the problem which are set to 'multi select' for example spoken languages, so when the code is run it looks up all results that have a minimum of speaking those langauges. lastly The data for those are stored in lookup tables. I have attatched the database if any of you guys want to have a look, and also i have attatched my code. I know in my database that there are no relationships just the main table. This is due to the database only being used for one purpose the search and a candidate will only ever have one cv and record. Thanks for your efforts and time, i greatly appreciate it

 Option Compare Database
 Option Explicit
 
Private Sub cmdSearchCriteria_Click()
    Dim strWhere As String
    Dim lngLen As Long
    Dim VarItem As Variant
 
 
    'Gender Search
    If Not IsNull(Me.cboGenderSearch) Then
       strWhere = strWhere & " ([tblCandidatesDetails!Gender] = """ & Me.cboGenderSearch & """) AND "
    End If
 
     'Nationality Search
    If Not IsNull(Me.cboNationalitySearch) Then
       strWhere = strWhere & " ([tblCandidatesDetails!Nationality] = """ & Me.cboNationalitySearch & """) AND "
    End If
 
      'Academic Level Search
    If Not IsNull(Me.cboAcademicLevelSearch) Then
       strWhere = strWhere & " ([tblCandidatesDetails!AcademicLevel] = """ & Me.cboAcademicLevelSearch & """) AND "
    End If
 
     'Mother Tongue Search
    If Not IsNull(Me.cboMotherTongue) Then
       strWhere = strWhere & " ([tblCandidatesDetails!MotherTongue] = """ & Me.cboMotherTongue & """) AND "
    End If
 
     'Military Area Search
    If Not IsNull(Me.cboMilitaryAreaInvolved) Then
       strWhere = strWhere & " ([tblCandidatesDetails!WhatMilitaryareaInvolvedin] = """ & Me.cboMilitaryAreaInvolved & """) AND "
    End If
 
     'Police Rank Search
    If Not IsNull(Me.cboPoliceRank) Then
       strWhere = strWhere & " ([tblCandidatesDetails!PoliceRank] = """ & Me.cboPoliceRank & """) AND "
    End If
 
 
 'Spoken Languages
    For Each VarItem In Me.lstSpokenLang.ItemsSelected
            strWhere = strWhere & " [tblCandidatesDetails!SpokenLanguages].[strWhere] = " & _
                    Me.lstSpokenLang.ItemData(VarItem) & " AND "
    Next
    'Written languages
    For Each VarItem In Me.lstWrittenlang.ItemsSelected
            strWhere = strWhere & " [tblCandidatesDetails!WrittenLanguages].[strWhere] = " & _
                    Me.lstWrittenlang.ItemData(VarItem) & " AND "
    Next
    'Professional Experience
    For Each VarItem In Me.lstProfessionalExpSearch.ItemsSelected
            strWhere = strWhere & " [tblCandidatesDetails!ProfessionalExperienceBackground].[strWhere] = " & _
                    Me.lstProfessionalExpSearch.ItemData(VarItem) & " AND "
    Next[/b]
 
 '***********************************************************************
    'Chop off the trailing " AND ", and use the string as the form's Filter.
    '***********************************************************************
    'See if the string has more than 5 characters (a trailng " AND ") to remove.
    lngLen = Len(strWhere) - 5
    If lngLen <= 0 Then     'Nah: there was nothing in the string.
        MsgBox "No criteria, Do you want to view all candidates", vbYesNo
 
 
 
    Else                    'Yep: there is something there, so remove the " AND " at the end.
        strWhere = Left$(strWhere, lngLen)
        'For debugging, remove the leading quote on the next line. Prints to Immediate Window (Ctrl+G).
        'Debug.Print strWhere
 
        'Finally, apply the string as the form's Filter.
        DoCmd.OpenForm "frmCriteriaSearchResults", acNormal, , WhereCondition:=strWhere
 
    End If
 End Sub

[ADezii]

@hollinshead
Hello hollinshead, and welcome to Bytes. Your Table Structure (tblCandidatesDetails) has broken one of the Cardinal Rules for Database Design, namely all Columns should be Atomic and contain a single value. You have several Columns in this Table that contain Multiple Values delimited by Semi-Colons(;). I 'strongly' suggest that you carefully read the following Link:
http://bytes.com/topic/access/insigh...ble-structures

The above being stated, I'll reluctantly show you how you can Filter for Multiple Criteria within such a Delimited Value Field, but only in the hopes that you will modify your Database Structure somewhere down the line. The demo will relate to values stored in the [SpokenLanguages] Field of tblCandidatesDetails, several of which can be selected within the lstSpokenLang List Box.

1. You must set the Multiselect Property of lstSpokenLang to either Simple or Extended in order to allow for Multiple Selections.
2. Replace your code segment within cmdSearchCriteria_Click() with the following to see how you can Filter for Multiple Languages only. Make the necessary adjustments for other similar List Boxes for which you wish to set Criteria.
   

   Dim strWhere As String
   Dim VarItem As Variant
    
   strWhere = ""
    
   For Each VarItem In Me.lstSpokenLang.ItemsSelected
     strWhere = strWhere & "Instr([tblCandidatesDetails!SpokenLanguages], '" & _
                            Me.lstSpokenLang.ItemData(VarItem) & "')>0" & " AND "
   Next
    
   strWhere = Left$(strWhere, Len(strWhere) - 5)
    
   DoCmd.OpenForm "frmCriteriaSearchResults", acNormal, , WhereCondition:=strWhere

P.S. - As long as you maintain this Table Structure, I guarantee that you will run into more, similar problems down the line.

[NeoPa]

In your code you have various examples of setting WHERE clause details where the field reference in the string is specified incorrectly.
As an example, your line #37

strWhere = strWhere & " ([tblCandidatesDetails!PoliceRank] = """ & Me.cboPoliceRank & """) AND "

should instead be :

strWhere = strWhere & " ([tblCandidatesDetails].[PoliceRank] = '" & Me.cboPoliceRank & "') AND "

Notice I've also changed the type of quote used. See Quotes (') and Double-Quotes (") - Where and When to use them.

[hollinshead]

Hi everyone thanks for your efforts and support on this. I have done as requested and ammended the whole structure of the database so where there were fields with multiple values, however i have hit a wall as to how i am going to get to the stage where i would like. As you saw before that i had made it simplistic to the user so that say for example they were entering in a new candidate into the system and wanted to store that candidate as having more than one professional qualification. How could i do this? Could this be put together so that the user chooses the relevant options for a single combo box or list obx, where they can select more than one. And then that automatically puts into the tables the relevant data in single normalised form. I might not be clear what i mean. I have attatched the ammended database so that you can see if you want the relationships now. Im just trying to work out how i can now create the same system as before but using the method that you have advised. obviously my forms and things at the mins are in a bit of a state as they are still set to the old way of doing things, but i was just wondering if you could advise how i am to go about ammending the data, so that the forms worked like they did before. I think ill just have to use loads of VLookups, but not sure how i can collate them all together to show in one combo box for example like before.

[hollinshead]

You know you said that it was a problem to have multiple records in one field. Is it the same issue when your using a DLOOKUP and you enable the multi select option. I have created the database so that it is normalised i am jsut trying to link the tables all together and create the forms needed to enter details in.

[hollinshead]

With the below code that was provided. It results in no errors highlighted, however it opens the results form and it is showing no results where should be. Any ideas? Thanks for your time

For Each VarItem In Me.lstSpokenLang.ItemsSelected 
  strWhere = strWhere & "Instr([tblCandidatesDetails!SpokenLanguages], '" & _ 
                         Me.lstSpokenLang.ItemData(VarItem) & "')>0" & " AND " 
Next

[NeoPa]

You've been commendably brief in your posted code, however it may help to get a bit more context. I see nothing wrong with it immediately. There's no code posted to show how you call the form though.

When looking at your code, it may also be an idea to display (and maybe even post) the contents of your string strWhere. For some tips on debugging issues (such as this) see Debugging in VBA.

PS. Please notice the comment about the CODE tags. I'm afraid I'll need to make it official next time.

[ADezii]

@hollinshead
I've downloaded the Attachment and it appears as though it will take a lot of work just to get the Base Code operational. If you are willing to be patient, I'll work on it from time to time, but I will not Restructure/Normalize the Database. If this is acceptable, just let me know.

[NeoPa]

It seems the OP may have given up on this thread as they've reposted their problem elsewhere (Multiple List boxes using QBF).

This stands as a warning to any member considering expending any effort on their behalf.