Search button will not search on the subform

Anonymous
2015-09-28T14:06:18+00:00

I am just learning Access but have a fair knowledge of the basics so far. I had a table with all of my info I wanted to track and I had a form with a search button that would search everything. I watched the MS videos on database design and discovered that the best design was to take my one table and create 2 linked tables according to the video. I did this so that I did not have repeated customer data since some customers have adopted more than one dog from us. My database is very small, about 2MB. I  put 9 fields in my customer Table and 10 fields into my Dogs Table. I created a split form and added a search button to the Customers part (main form) but now when I search it only searches the main part of the form and not my Dogs sub form. Can someone please enlighten me as to how to make the search button search both forms? Everything is linked and works correctly otherwise, I just can't get it to search the sub form.

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ScottGem 68,840 Reputation points Volunteer Moderator
2015-09-29T16:29:34+00:00

Lets leave off the New dog name for the moment. It adds a level of complexity you don't need right now.

The Rowsource you show doesn't include the customer name. Lets go back to here:

RowSource: SELECT CustomersT.[Customer ID], DogsT.Dogs Name], Lastname & ", " & Firstname AS CustName 

FROM CustomersT INNER JOIN DogsT ON CustomersT.[Customer ID] = DogsT.[Customer IDFK];

ORDER BY [Dogs Name];

Bound Column: 1

Column Count: 3

Column Widths: 0";1.5";2"

Nothing is going to happen when you select a row in the combobox because you didn't do the last part. 

From my previous note:

In the After Update event of this combo I would use code like:

Me.Filter = "[Customer ID] = " & Me.cboSelectDog

DoCmd.runCommand acCMDApplyfilterSort

By the way its not a good idea to use spaces in object names. This will come back to haunt you.

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ScottGem 68,840 Reputation points Volunteer Moderator
2015-09-28T19:45:53+00:00

This part here is in my customers table   "For the third column enter: CustName: Lastname & ", " & Firstname."  So do I have to link that table using my customer ID and Customer IDFK fields from these 2 tables?

I put the Customer IDFK in this query because it is a part of the dogs table. I also used dogs name and dogs new name fields from Dogs Table.

I tried what I said above but the drop down box just lists the ID numbers, not sure if it is customers or dogs, running short on time for now

I truly appreciate you taking the time to help me on this issue!!

You are correct, I forgot about that. Here are the instructions I posted previously:

RowSource: SELECT CustomerID, Dogname, Lastname & ", " & Firstname AS CustName 

                    INNER JOIN ON Dogs.CustomerID = Customer.CustomerID

                    FROM Dogs, Customer

                    ORDER BY Dogname;

Bound Column: 1

Column Count: 3

Column Widths: 0";1.5";2"

As I said before. When you click the ellipses next to the RowSource it should open Query Design mode. You need to add both tables and join the CustomerID PK to the CustomerID FK. Then add the CustomerID and Dogname fields. then create the third column as noted. If you then switch to SQL view it should look like the SQL statement above.

The reason why its only listing the IDs is because you didn't adjust the Column count and Columns Width properties as shown. The first 2 properties are on the data tab, the other 2 are on the Format tab.

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  1. Anonymous
    2015-09-29T15:14:54+00:00

    SELECT CustomersT.[Customer ID], DogsT.[Dogs Name], CustomersT.[Last Name]

    FROM CustomersT INNER JOIN DogsT ON CustomersT.[Customer ID] = DogsT.[Customer ID];

    So I have the customers last name in there and now need to do those final 2 lines you mentioned in the after update field, but I am totally lost on how to decipher your instructions on it.

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  2. Anonymous
    2015-09-29T14:46:21+00:00

    here is what I have so far. The only variation I made was I also added the "New Dogs Name" field because sometime I need to search by that, am I correct so far? 

    SELECT CustomersT.[Customer ID], DogsT.[Dogs Name], DogsT.[New Name]

    FROM CustomersT INNER JOIN DogsT ON CustomersT.[Customer ID] = DogsT.[Customer IDFK];

    I did 4 columns since I added one field to your original, I hope that is right, Now I get a drop down list but when I select the dog it doesn't take me to that record. Instead it stays on whatever record is open, I am getting closer, do you know where I went wrong?

    I really do not have an aversion to using the combobox, it just seemed cleaner to me to type in the info but since that is harder to do then I am doing it this way since I can't even get this right how can I expect to get something harder to work. LOL

    Also it is only showing 2 Fields the Dogs Name and New Dogs Name Fields so I messed something up

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  3. ScottGem 68,840 Reputation points Volunteer Moderator
    2015-09-29T13:30:57+00:00

    OK, first. I agree that Access is probably the best tool for you. It certainly can get a database up and running with fairly little effort. 

    Second, I don't understand your aversion to Comboboxes. As I've said several times, they are a staple of user interfaces all over the world. They are used in many applications, both local and WEB based. So I don't know why you shy away from them.

    Third, you can use a text box, but using an autocomplete feature will require some coding. It's not a built in feature of textboxes as it is with comboboxes. 

    Even foregoing an auto complete functionality, you will still need to use code to deal with a user typing in a dog name that does not exist in the database. Again a feature that is built in to combos. Using a combobox such as I described, gives you a easy user interface and requires a bare minimum of coding. If you follow the instructions I gave you on how to setup the combo it will do what you want.

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