Me.txtControl.Text not producing the expected results in OnChange event

[Seth Schrock]

I have a search form with two unbound textboxes: txtFirst and txtLast. I use these to filter the results found in my subform. Both controls have the OnChange event that is very close, but slightly different from each other. Here is the OnChange event for txtFirst:

Private Sub txtFirst_Change()
      Dim strFilter As String
 
10    On Error GoTo Error_Handler
 
20    With Me
30        If .txtFirst & "" = "" Then
40            strFilter = "CustFN Like '*' "
50        Else
60            strFilter = "CustFN Like '*" & .txtFirst.Text & "*' "
70        End If
 
80        If .txtLast & "" = "" Then
90            strFilter = strFilter & "and CustLN Like '*'"
100       Else
110           strFilter = strFilter & "and CustLN Like '*" & .txtLast & "*'"
120       End If
 
130   End With
 
140   With Me.sfrmQuoteSearch.Form
150       .Filter = strFilter
160       .FilterOn = True
170       .Requery
180   End With
 
Exit_Procedure:
190       Exit Sub
 
Error_Handler:
200       Call ErrorMessage(Err.Number, Err.Description, "Form_frmQuoteSearch: txtFirst_Change")
          'TSCs_ReportUnexpectedError "txtFirst_Change", "Form_frmQuoteSearch", "Custom info"
210       Resume Exit_Procedure
220       Resume
 
End Sub

Here is what I'm experiencing. When I open the form, I click inside txtFirst and start typing. However, there is no change to the data in the subform. I stepped through the code, and verified that even if I have typed "Test", the criteria string just has "*". I then tab to txtLast and start typing "Person". The code now sees the text in txtFirst, but not in txtLast. If I shift + tab or just click to go back to txtFirst, my changes are now seen as I change (as I would expect). I can then tab/click to txtLast and changes are seen as the change occurs. If I then close the form and start over, again I see the weird behavior of it not seeing the changes (although the OnChange event does trigger) the first time the control is entered.

The only difference between the two events is that txtLast references txtFirst without the .Text property and references itself with the .Text property.

What am I doing wrong?

[zmbd]

just because... insert a repaint as line 175, just to be sure the form has refreshed.

[Seth Schrock]

If I do a debug.print to test the value of strFilter, it doesn't change strFilter to add the new characters unless I have typed something into it, left the control, and then re-entered it. For example, lets assume that I'm trying to type my name into the fields. The results would be as follows:

 I enter txtFirst for the first time
txtFirst Value      txtLast Value       Debug.Print result
S                                       CustFN Like '*' AND CustLN Like '*'
Se                                      CustFN LIke '*' AND CustLN Like '*'
 
I tab over to txtLast for the first time
Se                  S                   CustFN Like '*Se*' AND CustLN Like '*'
Se                  Sc                  CustFN Like '*Se*' AND CustLN Like '*'
 
I Shift+tab back to txtFirst (second time entering the control)
Set                 Sc                  CustFN Like '*Set*' AND CustLN Like '*Sc*'
Seth                Sc                  CustFN Like '*Seth*' AND CustLN Like '*Sc*'
 
I tab back to txtLast for the second time
Seth                Sch                 CustFN Like '*Seth*' AND CustLN Like '*Sch*'
Seth                Schr                CustFN Like '*Seth*' AND CustLN Like '*Schr*'

Because of these results, it doesn't matter if the subform requeries since the filter being added wouldn't change the records being shown while I'm tying in txtFirst for the first time. As soon as I start typing in txtLast, the txtFirst filter works, but not the last name filter. Once I switch back to txtFirst, then I start getting the results that I'm looking for.

[zmbd]

As line 185, Insert DoEvents
http://bytes.com/topic/access/answer...shed-do-events

[Seth Schrock]

That didn't change anything.

Update to my testing. If I tab to txtLast and then shift+tab back without typing anything into txtLast, the filter still doesn't work.

[zmbd]

Ok, enough with the new wheel...
Find as you type
Find as you type 2
Find as you type - Code

So reading thru this I have the old V8 (duhhhh-I-know-that-duhhh) moment

If the function was called from the text box, we must use its Text property, since its Value has not been updated yet.

Put a Stop as Line 15...
From a "fresh" open of the form... how is the code executing when you press a key... do several... I think at Line 30, the logic is true, so line 40.... change line 30 to look at the text property, same for the other simular references where you are looking for the change in the control. Until the textbox looses focus there's no update to the value property.

[Seth Schrock]

I just figured it out. I'm testing the value of .txtFirst instead of .txtFirst.Text. Duh. I got it correct that I needed to use the .text property when I was creating the filter, but not in the test.

Thanks for getting me to look at the code better Z.