linking multiple tables.

[marc]

I am in the process of trying to link several tables. I
am fairly new and have not attempted this many tables.

A little background:
I have a table with the field "Item number" in all of my
tables and made them all primary keys. I am trying to
attempt to get certain information from one table to show
up in all of the others.

I would like to see the "item number" field numbers to
show up in every table. Every table contains different
information but all contain the same field "item number.

 

[Ken Snell]

Marc -

I think this is related to the issue about which we've been corresponding.
I'll give you some additional info after I look at your second database.

However, in general...

The "same" field is used as a linking field between tables. In the parent
table, the field usually is the primary key. In the child tables, the field
typically is not a primary key. If it is, your table relationship will be
one-to-one (which is an unusual, though not unheard of relationship). When
it's not the primary key, you then have a one-to-many relationship, which is
the more common relationship.

When you link the tables in the Relationships window, you then can have
records in the child table automatically "link" with their parent record in
the parent table. This is very helpful for queries and forms/subforms.

Normally, the best way of adding records to a child table is through a
form/subform combination, where the primary key is the linking value on the
main form, and the subform is linked by the primary key so that each added
record has that key's value for the linking field's value.

To do this in a table directly (not recommended that you enter data directly
into a table; use a form instead), it can be done with the "subdatasheet"
view for tables, but this is not recommended as it doesn't allow you to have
more than one relationship at a time and you have a harder time validating
the data being entered.