Combo Box Design Tradeoffs

[Nick S via AccessMonster.com]

I'm trying to understand basic design tradeoffs when using combo boxes. Can
anyone please tell me the pros/cons of:

1) defining a combo box in a table as a Display Control, rather than as a
bound control during form design?

2) using a lookup table rather than a value list to populate the combo box?

Thanks,

Nick

 

[Nick S via AccessMonster.com]

Values in lookup tables can be edited, removed, and added without affecting the
design of forms. ValueLists cannot. If the list will NEVER change then it is a
wash or perhaps a slight edge to the ValueList only because it is more
encapsulated in the form. Few lists never change though.

Thanks Rick. Then lookup tables it is.

Would you mind telling me how to add a Null option to a lookup table? I can't
enter a "blank" record.

Nick

 

[Duane Hookom]

You can add an "artificial" value/record to your combo box Row Source by
using a UNION query.

SELECT Null, "None"
FROM tblStates
UNION
SELECT StateAbbrev, StateName
FROM tblStates;

 

[Nick S via AccessMonster.com]

Thanks Duane!

Nick