How to change tab order of report controls?

[T Kirtley]

Is it possible to change the tab order of controls in the design view of a
report? When controls are moved or added the tab order of controls quickly
becomes chaotic, making it hard to tab through them to check the control
sources, names, etc...

This is easy with forms, but I cannot find how to change the tab order in
reports.

Thanks for any suggestions or comments.

TK

 

[Jeff Boyce]

I'm confused. When someone uses a form, they <tab> through the controls to
enter/edit data. Controlling the tab order helps in that.

When someone generates a report, it is intended for printing. How do you
<tab> through a printed page?

Jeff Boyce
<Access MVP>

 

[Duane Hookom]

I think the OP is referring to the tab order in design view. There is a
drop-down list of controls in the top left of the screen that allows
selecting of controls by name.

 

[Jeff Boyce]

?!You can do tab order in report design mode?! Cool!

The drop-down list I use all the time -- I just hadn't run across tab
order...

Jeff Boyce
<Access MVP>

 

[T Kirtley]

That is exactly my point. There is no control over tab order in the design
view. The tab order appears to be the order of creation and no modification
to this seems to be possible.

TK

 

[Rick Brandt]

That is exactly my point. There is no control over tab order in the
design view. The tab order appears to be the order of creation and no
modification to this seems to be possible.

Actually the TabOrder in desing view is based on the Z-Order of the objects.
If you select an object and use "Format - Bring To Front" it will also
become first in the TabOrder. So if you did that to every object in reverse
order that you wanted it would work (assuming that the Z-Order doesn't have
requirements that are incompatible).

 

[Duane Hookom]

I have never found a method (or maybe a reason) to change the control tab
order in design view.

 

[Jeff Boyce]

If we're still talking about reports (but this is true of forms as well),
the drop-down list in the upper left corner (that Duane mentioned) is sorted
in alpha order (?I'm not familiar with Rick Brandt's use of Z-order)

Jeff Boyce
<Access MVP>

 

[Jeff Boyce]

A quick test here showed that the list did not change order after <Send to
Front> was applied to one of the controls on a sample report. I suspect the
list is alpha sorted.

You could confirm this by renaming a control...

Good luck

Jeff Boyce
<Access MVP>

 

[Rick Brandt]

A quick test here showed that the list did not change order after
<Send to Front> was applied to one of the controls on a sample
report. I suspect the list is alpha sorted.

I wasn't referring to the order in the drop-down list. I was referring to
the order in which the control focus changes while in design view and the
Tab-Key is pressed. "Bring to Front" and "Send to Back" definitely affect
that tab-order.

 

[Jeff Boyce]

Thanks, Rick. I didn't test that...

Jeff Boyce
<Access MVP>

 

[T Kirtley]

Thanks Rick. That may work. Is there any way to reveal the Z-Order of the
controls with vba code?

TK

 

[Rick Brandt]

Thanks Rick. That may work. Is there any way to reveal the Z-Order of
the controls with vba code?

It (apparently) matches the index assignment in the controls collection
so...

Dim i As Integer

For i = 0 To Me.Controls.Count - 1
Debug.Print Me.Controls(i).Name
Next i

....will print the control names in Z-Order.