Keep original lookup value data for past records after changing lo

[Craig]

Hi,

I have an Access database that includes a personnel table, task table, and
task to do table...in the task to do table, one can select a persons name
from the personnel table and a task to assign to that person from the task
table. For example, I have a field called task name in the task to do
table which includes a combo lookup property link to the task table to allow
the user to select a task name from the task table...

Now, if I want to change a task name to a revised one, I go back to the task
table and edit it so when I create a new record in the task to do table, the
revised task name would appear in the combo box for selecting...however, how
do I control it so I can get the PAST task to do records (already entered and
assigned with the original task name spelling) to maintain the original task
name and not change to the revised one? Do I have to create two separate
task name records (old and revised) in the task table and then choose the
revised name for new tasks to do records? (thus keeping the past data -
original name spelling - with the tasks to do entered before the revision of
the task name? (this might be confusing for data entry people however in
which one to select in the future)

Thank you very much

Craig
craigbrody(removethis)@att.net

 

[Duane Hookom]

"change a task name to a revised one" should only be done if the task is the
same. Otherwise a new task should be added with the "changed" name.

 

[JimBadHair]

Craig, I am not overly competent with Access, but I think I have had the same
issue before and if memory serves me, found a fairly simple work-around.

You can try this to see if it works...
I assume your task table has a field 'TaskID' or some autonumber field.
Check the field being populated by the drop down and ensure that the bound
column of the drop down is the actual 'task name' and not the 'taskid'. I
believe this will "hard write" the task name rather than the reference
taskid.

Hope this works, if not, then I don't know how I resolved the problem
previously, but then again, half the time I figure out how to make something
work, I don't know what I actually did.

 

[Rick Brandt]

Craig, I am not overly competent with Access, but I think I have had
the same issue before and if memory serves me, found a fairly simple
work-around.

You can try this to see if it works...
I assume your task table has a field 'TaskID' or some autonumber
field. Check the field being populated by the drop down and ensure
that the bound column of the drop down is the actual 'task name' and
not the 'taskid'. I believe this will "hard write" the task name
rather than the reference taskid.

That of course would completely eliminate the reason for even having a TaskID.
The main reasons to store a numeric key that is related to a human
understandable piece of text is because storing the number is smaller (not such
a concern with modern hardware) and so that you can change the text without
having to update it in more than one place.

If the two tasks have different text then they need different numbers. It's as
simple as that.

 

[Craig]

Thanks for your reply!!

Craig

Craig, I am not overly competent with Access, but I think I have had the same
issue before and if memory serves me, found a fairly simple work-around.

You can try this to see if it works...
I assume your task table has a field 'TaskID' or some autonumber field.
Check the field being populated by the drop down and ensure that the bound
column of the drop down is the actual 'task name' and not the 'taskid'. I
believe this will "hard write" the task name rather than the reference
taskid.

Hope this works, if not, then I don't know how I resolved the problem
previously, but then again, half the time I figure out how to make something
work, I don't know what I actually did.

 

[Craig]

Thanks so much Duane!!

Craig

"change a task name to a revised one" should only be done if the task is the
same. Otherwise a new task should be added with the "changed" name.

 

[Craig]

Thank you very much for your input, Rick

Craig

That of course would completely eliminate the reason for even having a TaskID.
The main reasons to store a numeric key that is related to a human
understandable piece of text is because storing the number is smaller (not such
a concern with modern hardware) and so that you can change the text without
having to update it in more than one place.

If the two tasks have different text then they need different numbers. It's as
simple as that.