DSum function resulting in Error 3163

[Seth Schrock]

I'm attempting to use the DSum function to get the sum of selected records. However, when I try to assign this number to a variable, I get error number 3163: The field is too small to accept the amount of data you attempted to add. Try inserting or pasting less data. I have verified that the query string gets the correct results and that the summed field exists. Here is my code:

Dim lngSelectionTotal As Long
Dim strSelected As String
 
strSelected = "SELECT tblAnswerLevel.ID, tblAnswerLevel.CrimeID_fk" & _
              ", tblAnswer.Selection, tblQuestion.QValue " & _
              "FROM tblAnswerLevel INNER JOIN " & _
              "(tblQuestion INNER JOIN tblAnswer ON tblQuestion.QuestionID = tblAnswer.QuestionID_fk) " & _
              "ON tblAnswerLevel.ID = tblAnswer.AnswerLevelID_fk " & _
              "WHERE tblAnswerLevel.ID = " & Me.ID & " AND tblAnswer.Selection = True"
 
lngSelectionTotal = DSum("QValue", strSelected)

I checked the data type in the table and it is Long Integer. In this particular case, the DSum() value returned should be 4. Not sure how this is too big. At first I had my variable be an integer and then I changed it to long since it was saying that the field was too small. Didn't change anything. I then tried to just find out what number it was returning in the immediate window by entering

?DSum("QValue", strSelected)

I got the same error. So this leads me to believe that it has nothing to do with the variable data type having enough room to hold the number returned.

I looked up the error number through MSDN, but it basically said that you will get this error if the number is over 100 characters, which 4 is one hundredth of that. Here is a link to the website: Error 3163. I have never gotten this error before and don't know where to go from here as I don't see my data matching the "cause" of this error according to MSDN.

[zmbd]

expression.DSum(Expr, Domain, Criteria)
(...)Domain Required String A string expression identifying the set of records that constitutes the domain. It can be a table name or a query name for a query that does not require a parameter.(...)

You can not use an SQL string at this point. Surprised a debug compile didn't choke on you... although, in this case, it would be looking for a table or query named for the resolved value in the string.

Just another example of MS technically correct and yet totally useless error messages.

[Seth Schrock]

So basically, I need to take the WHERE clause out of the query and put it in the DSum() function, make my query a querydef, and reference my query in the DSum(). I will try it.

Having tried it, IT WORKS! I ended up having to surround the DSum() function with the Nz() function to handle Nulls.

I wouldn't have guessed that it could ONLY be a table name or query name. I thought that I had used a SQL string in the DLookup() function, but I could be wrong on that. And no, I didn't get a compile error.

Thanks for your help Z.

[zmbd]

You are correct.
You can use strings in each section of the D*() functions; however, the first string must evaluate to the Name of a Field within the Table/Query referenced in the second section. The string in the second section can be a string; however, it must resolve to the Name of a Table or resolved Query - you can't even use a recordset opened within code unless it has been added to the qrydef. The funny thing, you can use a string in the criteria section of the D*() functions so long as the string evaluates to a valid "WHERE" clause.

[NeoPa]

Seth:
I wouldn't have guessed that it could ONLY be a table name or query name. I thought that I had used a SQL string in the DLookup() function, but I could be wrong on that.

If you check the Help pages you'll find that all Domain Aggregate functions ( D*() ) take only object (Table or QueryDef) names for the Domain parameter. No SQL strings. It does seem a shame, but there it is.