Point Me to the Next Step...

[editprod]

I created a database listing the contents of all my office's file
cabinets -- about 800 rows with columns for File Cabinet, File Folder,
Documents (within the folders), Keywords, Date, Comments. It's very easy
for me to search the table's columns with Ctrl-F to find things, but now
I want to create a front end for others in the office to plug in search
words in a user-friendly dialog box. Can someone point me in the
direction of what I should be looking to do? Thanks.

 

[Tom Wickerath]

Date is a reserved word. You should avoid using any reserved words or special
characters in your Access applications. Access MVP Allen Browne has a cool
utility available for free, which you can use to scan your database for
reserved words and other issues:

Database Issue Checker Utility
http://allenbrowne.com/AppIssueChecker.html

I recommend fixing any issues identified by this utility before doing
anything else.

You can create a fairly simple search dialog, using the instructions shown
in this sample download:

http://www.accessmvp.com/TWickerath/downloads/customdialogbox.zip

However, this has a few limitations as well. It neither supports
multi-select list boxes, nor a range of dates for a date/time data type. You
can get a more powerful QBF (Query by Form) search form, if you are okay with
using some VBA (Visual Basic for Applications) code. Here are two examples
that I have, both of which support multi-select list boxes (hold the shift
key down to make a continuous selection, or the control key to make
discontinuous selections):

Easiest example (one list box control only)
http://www.accessmvp.com/TWickerath/downloads/elements.zip

A more advance example
http://www.accessmvp.com/TWickerath/downloads/Chap08QBF.zip

To learn how these examples work, you can download a tutorial from the
Seattle Access User's Group:

http://www.seattleaccess.org/downloads.htm
Query By Form - Multi Select
Tom Wickerath, February 12, 2008

Another alternative is to try using Access MVP Allen Browne's method:

Search criteria
http://allenbrowne.com/ser-62.html

If you are relatively new to VBA code, then I suggest checking out these two
downloads:

http://www.seattleaccess.org/downloads.htm
DAO - Back To Basics Compilation/Demo by Tom Wickerath, Jan/Feb 2007

and
Access Basics by Crystal
http://www.accessmvp.com/Strive4Peace/Index.htm


Good Luck!

Tom Wickerath
Microsoft Access MVP
http://www.accessmvp.com/TWickerath/
http://www.access.qbuilt.com/html/expert_contributors.html
__________________________________________

 

[Sara>Silva]

k
"editprod" <[email protected]> escreveu na mensagem I created a database listing the contents of all my office's file cabinets -- about 800 rows with columns for File Cabinet, File Folder, Documents (within the folders), Keywords, Date, Comments. It's very easy for me to search the table's columns with Ctrl-F to find things, but now I want to create a front end for others in the office to plug in search words in a user-friendly dialog box. Can someone point me in the direction of what I should be looking to do? Thanks.