Problems with Multivalue Field

[Brian Carlson]

Is there anyway to set a field to multivalue in a form? If not, does one
have to create a look-up field in a table to be allowed the multivalue
option? Is there anyway to set a field in a table to multivalue without
creating a look-up field in the table? Thank you in advance.

Brian

 

[John W. Vinson]

Is there anyway to set a field to multivalue in a form? If not, does one
have to create a look-up field in a table to be allowed the multivalue
option? Is there anyway to set a field in a table to multivalue without
creating a look-up field in the table? Thank you in advance.

Brian

Multivalue fields are a pernicious misfeature that should SIMPLY NOT EXIST.

They are actually implemented, under the covers and in an unmanageable manner,
by doing what you can do manually - creating a related table, in which each of
the multiple values is another record.

No, you can't make it multivalue without making it a lookup (because that's
part of how Access implements it).

Note that if you ever need to upsize your Access database to SQL, or Oracle,
or any other RDBMS you will need to restructure the multivalue field in any
case, since they don't support it.

 

[Brian Carlson]

John:
Thank you. This explains the numerous issues I am having with these
multivalue fields. I know that these should be eliminated and replaced with
a related table, but in some circumstances, I have been unable to do so.
Specifically, the problem is in regards to how these related tables effect
form behavior, i.e. the table they are related to needs to be a continous
form, but I have not mastered doing this. Thanks again.

Brian

 

[John W. Vinson]

John:
Thank you. This explains the numerous issues I am having with these
multivalue fields. I know that these should be eliminated and replaced with
a related table, but in some circumstances, I have been unable to do so.
Specifically, the problem is in regards to how these related tables effect
form behavior, i.e. the table they are related to needs to be a continous
form, but I have not mastered doing this. Thanks again.

Don't confuse data *storage* - tables - with data *display* - Forms.

The table is just a table. The table is NOT a "continuous form"; what you can
do is create a form (datasheet form, single form, continuous form, you choose)
bound to the table; you can even have two or three forms, which could all be
different, bound to the same table.