Need to have a button disabled until a field is populated on a form

[namingrock]

I have a form that requires a Print button at the bottom. I would like for this print button to be grayed out until information is populated in a certain field above it. I have tried numerous code and none of it works. Can anyone help?

Please be specific as to where to put the code. I am still learning which events do what.

Thank you!

[Seth Schrock]

In the AfterUpdate of the control that you want populated, you would set the enabled property of your print button to true or false depending on if the value in your control is acceptable or not.

[namingrock]

But how would I write that out in code? I have tried the following and it does not work:

If Me.AccessCardNumber = True Then
PrintBadge.Enabled = True
Else
PrintBadge.Enabled = False
End if

The button is active at the start. I need it disabled at the start. Please help!

[Seth Schrock]

To have it inactive at the start, then you need to add a line of code to the form's OnLoad event.

What do you mean by not work? Do you get an error message, or does nothing happen? Is AccessCardNumber a checkbox?

[namingrock]

By not work, I mean that when I run the form, the button is active. I would like it inactive until the field is populated. I do not receive error messages with the above code.

AccessCardNumber is a text field. Once someone types in a number, the "PrintBadge" button should become enabled and allow them to print it.

What code would I add to the OnLoad event?

[Seth Schrock]

The code to put in the OnLoad event is

Me.PrintBadge.Enabled = False

. A textbox doesn't return true or false, so your if statement will fail. Instead you should put the following:

If Me.AccessCardNumber & "" <> "" Then
    Me.PrintBadge.Enabled = True
Else
    Me.PrintBadge.Enabled = False
End If

Or the shorter

Me.PrintBadge.Enabled = ((Me.AccessCardNumber & "") <> "")

[namingrock]

That worked! That you for your patience!

[NeoPa]

An easier way is simply to change the control to Enabled = False in design mode and save it that way. This doesn't require code. Setting it afterwards does, of course, but the initial setting doesn't.

Just make sure you don't allow the form design to be saved when it's used. That's good advice generally, of course.