How to pass a record index to a function that opens a form for that index?

[sueb]

I have a function that opens instances of a form when called from the switchboard. However, now I want to open a specific record, but I don't know how to pass/receive the record index.

The structure of my database is such that I have a master table (patients) and a child table (procedure requests), and the index I want is available from the master table's form, on which there is a button that can provide the desired index. (It actually currently does that, but without using the form collection object, which is new.)

Here's the form-opening function (there is an associated collection, and appropriate form-closing functions):

Function OpenAnIURClient()
    'Purpose:   Open an independent instance of form frmClient.
    Dim frm As Form
 
    'Open a new instance, show it, and set a caption.
    Set frm = New Form_Sorted_by_IUR
    frm.Visible = True
    frm.Caption = frm.Hwnd & ", opened " & Now()
 
    'Append it to our collection.
    clnIURClient.Add Item:=frm, Key:=CStr(frm.Hwnd)
 
    Set frm = Nothing
End Function
 

and here is the button's code:

Private Sub Open_IUR_Subform_Click()
On Error GoTo Err_Open_IUR_Subform_Click
 
    Dim stDocName As String
    Dim stMainForm As String
    Dim stLinkCriteria As String
 
    stMainForm = "Patient_IUR_Overview"
    stSubForm = "IURs Abbreviated: subform"
    stDocName = "IURs: subform"
    'stDocName = "Sorted_by_IUR"
 
    DoCmd.DoMenuItem acFormBar, acRecordsMenu, acSaveRecord, , acMenuVer70
 
    stLinkCriteria = "[IURs.IUR Index]=" & Me![IUR Index]
    DoCmd.OpenForm stDocName, , , stLinkCriteria
    'OpenAnIURClient ' Need to be able to pass the link criteria to this
 
Exit_Open_IUR_Subform_Click:
    Exit Sub
 
Err_Open_IUR_Subform_Click:
    MsgBox Err.Description
    Resume Exit_Open_IUR_Subform_Click
 
End Sub
 

I think this should be fairly straightforward, but I just don't know the syntax.

[TheSmileyCoder]

Hi there
Im not really familier with your way of using instanced forms, so this is a guess at a method to use. Modify the first function:

Function OpenAnIURClient(Optional strFilter as string="")
    'Purpose:   Open an independent instance of form frmClient. 
    Dim frm As Form 
 
    'Open a new instance, show it, and set a caption. 
    Set frm = New Form_Sorted_by_IUR 
    frm.Visible = True 
    frm.Caption = frm.Hwnd & ", opened " & Now() 
 
    if strFilter & ""<>"" then
      frm.Filter=strFilter
      frm.FilterOn=True
    end if
    'Append it to our collection. 
    clnIURClient.Add Item:=frm, Key:=CStr(frm.Hwnd) 
 
    Set frm = Nothing 
end Function

And then call the function like:

 stLinkCriteria = "[IURs.IUR Index]=" & Me![IUR Index] 
 OpenAnIURClient stLinkCriteria

[NeoPa]

When using the syntax that opens multiple instances of a designed form in your database (Set frm = New Form_blahblah), you are specifically not using the normal syntax which would allow you specify stLinkCriteria (WhereCondition) or OpenArgs parameters. The former allows you to specify a filter condition to the instance of the form, and the latter allows you to pass across information that the code in your form can use for whatever it likes (in this case it might want to navigate to the specified record).

The options I can see are to :

1. Apply a filter to the form externally -
   

   frm.Filter = "Blah blah"
   frm.FilterOn = True

2. Design a public procedure in the form that you could call externally, passing the value of the required record -
   

   Call frm.YourPubProc("Blah blah")

   The procedure would take the necessary steps either to filter the data, or to navigate to the specified record. Your choice.

PS. This use of forms (multiple instances etc) is generally considered quite advanced stuff. I would guess very few Access programmers have ever used it. Just so you understand where you're at with this Sue. It's not super difficult once you get your head around it, but very few will have experience to share I expect.

[TheSmileyCoder]

Im guessing the need to have multiple instances of the same form is that you want to have several windows(form) open at the same time? Is that the case?

Otherwise please do me a favour and explain why you use instanced forms.

TheSmileyCoder

[NeoPa]

I can't answer for Sue, but the typical reason is the potential for multiple instances open together. This could include the requirement to have multiple windows doing an ostensibly similar job, but could also include a form of more generic use that would generally be used where necessary, with the possibility, in certain circumstances only, that more than one instance could be active concurrently. An example that comes to mind is an info form that indicates a certain state relative to another form. EG. that an activity is in process.

[sueb]

Thanks to both of you for these ideas--I haven't had a chance to try them yet, but I thought I could at least clear up why I'm doing this. My users need to be able to review the records of multiple patients at one time, not for the purposes of comparing any of the data, but because their work flow is very interruptible: among other things, they both work on a single patient's record for a long period, and intermittently have to respond to phone interruptions about other patients' information.

If they can simply minimize one patient's window and then open a separate window, it really makes their lives easier.

Currently I have two different forms that are copies of each other: the "sub"-window is being called from the master record (that's the "Open_IUR_Subform_Click" module) and opens a specific window, and the "independent" window (that's "OpenAnIURClient") opens from the switchboard and just opens on the first record.

I really need to get rid of one of these windows and make it able to be opened either with or without a record pointer (keeping them in synch is driving me crazy!), so that's the point of this question.

[TheSmileyCoder]

Thank you for taking the time to explain this. It makes good sense to attack the problem like you have.

Part of the reason (Besides the best access experts on the net) I browse through this forum is because I often see people attacking a problem in ways I didn't even think off. While I don't have an immediate need to use something like this I can imagine some areas of my applications where it would be Nice to Have, and certainly add value.

Thank you, I hope you get something working and report back here. If you run into more trouble, please come back :)

[sueb]

TheSmileyOne, this fix was so fast and slick it almost knocked me off my chair as it went in! It works perfectly, and (always a plus) really neatened up the code.

[TheSmileyCoder]

Im smiling to hear that :)

[NeoPa]

But ... but ... You're always smiling!