Using table field in Lookup Wizard

[dotancohen]

In a particular table I need to reference fields of that table to a Lookup
Wizard in the same table. This is a genealogy database and there is a filed
for parentMother and a field for parentFather, which should reference the
unique key numbers of the proper entry, NULL is possible. However, the Lookup
Wizard will not let me reference fields of the current table. I even tried
writing a query on the ID and name fields, but the Lookup Wizard will not let
me use a query that references the same table.

This is with Access 2007 on a Windows XP installation. I must stress that I
am not a regular Access user, instead using Open Office Base on Kubuntu for
my personal work.

 

[John Spencer]

Instead of doing data entry directly on the table, use a form (a continuous
form can come close to looking like the datasheet view of a table or query).

You can then use combobox controls bound to the parentMother and parentFather
fields that will allow you to do what you want.

John Spencer
Access MVP 2002-2005, 2007-2009
The Hilltop Institute
University of Maryland Baltimore County

 

[Fred]

The expert responders / developers never use in-table lookup fields, and will
tell you to never do so. Instead, use combo boxes etc. in forms.

While I would argue that they are sometimes a good idea for us mere mortals
to use, I think that this is a situation where you should follow their
advice.

 

[Douglas J. Steele]

For what it's worth, the usual advice is based on the fact that you should
never be working directly with tables: that you should always have a form.
With that assumption, there's no advantage at all to having in-table lookup
fields. Instead, you put a combo box on the form.