Structured form

[ben1988]

hi :)

i have form which contains 18 same comboboxes - u can select employee id,
the difference between them is just their labels- they are labeled according the standard roles which are required on shift.

i created table that make every combox to record - is required cause now i can do some calculations (some are related to historical records).
but on the other hand, i would like to save the original order and formation of the first form, so i created more one table:
columns=#comboboxes and save their contains- now i can see the desired look.

but... I feel that it is not an elegant solution
second.. I need to duplicate it twice more =3 times as 3 shifts in day

please your help
(hope i was clear enough)

[Narender Sagar]

I think your question is not clear enough.

[zmbd]

It really sounds like the database is not normalized...
Please take a look here:
Database Normalization and Table Structures

[ben1988]

maybe it's not normalized.
but which way u can restore 57 values of comboboxes and their order?

[zmbd]

+ Us the before update event of the control to store the control's value in an array, a table, or tempvars collection. I would either use a 2D array or a two field table as the ID of the control can be stored as a related data point to its value.

I would write the "save" code as a procedure that takes the control's ID and value as parameters. Then in the before update event call this code passing this information. If you are using an array, then set the array up as a global variable so that the variable is in scope for both the form and the code.

+ You then need some control to trigger the code to iterate thru the stored values and set the controls accordingly.


+ Now your issue is going to be if the controls are bound to a data table, if so, then you will also be changing that bound record's data when you "reset" the controls.

+ Here again, I tell you, this may be a nightmare to maintain in the long run.

++> If you will attempt to write the underlying code someone here may be able to help you streamline it. Please keep in mind that we do not usually write code from scratch unless it's something quite obvious or esoteric.

[ben1988]

wow.. i dreamed on this solution in the night - i swear
but if i store it in array, will it not delete after i close db??

Zmbd...thanks u so much for your answers all the time..
Although I know sql and C, its my second access db i write ..so I guess I'm a bit annoying

[zmbd]

- If you want to keep the information between sessions then your only option is the table approach.

Now if you had provided that criteria in your original post, my first reply would have taken you down the table approach. :-)

- Not annoying in the least. :)
We all started from scratch at some point - You should have seen some of my first databases (ouch).

It's a fine line in how much information is too much and how much is too little, read our FAQ and the forum stickies for some guidelines. Also, keep posting, we're usually a patient group here all we usually ask is that you take ownership of the task, answer the experts' questions, consider and try out our suggestions, and finally show that you're making an effort. :)

++ However, there is a core set of knowledge that once mastered will help you in the long run and it is mostly covered in the tutorial and normalization links I PM'd you. This core set is also really needed to get the most out of what the Experts offer, the nature of this forum really doesn't cover the "introductory basics" (and yet we'll often cover that as needed :) )