<div>
You cannot set a control source to a code variable. 
 
You would need to use a 'Get' function to set a controlsource.. 
 
Function GetvarES() 
getvarES= strEventSummary 
End function 
 
You can set the controlsource to 
=getvares() 
 
Alternatively use the form current event procedure to &nbsp;set an unbound control (no controlsource) 
 
me.txtEventSummary = strEventSummary 
 
 
As for your second Q, how are you updating the variable? 

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<div>
Thanks for the guidance - I can see how that works. 
 
Updating the variable depends which form I am in. &nbsp;All the elements of strEventsSummary are fields in the Events table. &nbsp;So in the Events form where the Events table is the Record Source it is easy: 
 
strEventSummary = jdwe_Desc &amp;&nbsp;&quot; &quot;&nbsp;&amp; jdwe_StartDate &amp;&nbsp;&quot; &quot;&nbsp;&amp; jdwe_NoPlaces &amp;&nbsp;&quot; &quot;&nbsp;&amp; jdwe_NoBookings etc 
 
In other forms I have DLookups in Functions to get the data from the Bookings table 
 
Function Build_No_Bookings(lngEventID As Long, strStatus As String) 
 
&nbsp; &nbsp; 'Build Bookings total: condition: a booking record matching the EventID and without a 
&nbsp; &nbsp; 'CANX status (has &quot;OK&quot; status) 
&nbsp; &nbsp; 
&nbsp; &nbsp; Build_No_Bookings = DCount(&quot;*&quot;, &quot;tJDWBookings&quot;, &quot;jdwb_Event=&quot; &amp;&nbsp;lngEventID &amp;&nbsp;&quot; And jdwb_Status=&quot; &amp;_ 
&nbsp;Chr(34) &amp;&nbsp;strStatus &amp;&nbsp;Chr(34)) 
 
End Function 
 
and store them in local variables and then use these local variables to rebuild strEventSummary in the same fashion as above.
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<div>
should have said DLookup and DCount depending on the format of the data
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<div>
Alternatively, you can save the value to a custom database property; they can be displayed in textboxes, using this syntax: 
 
=GetProperty(&quot;PropName&quot;, &quot;&quot;) 
 
Unlike global variables, values in custom db properties persist through closing and reopening Access, which is convenient in some cases. 

<pre><code class="code-100 nolinks" id="code-8224005">Option Compare Database
Option Explicit

Private dbs As DAO.Database
Private prp As DAO.Property
Private prps As DAO.Properties
Private strPropertyName As String
Private strPropertyValue As String
Private lngDataType as Long
Private varPropertyValue As Variant


Public Sub SetProperty(strName As String, lngType As Long, _
 varValue As Variant)
'Created by Helen Feddema 2-Oct-2006
'Modified by Helen Feddema 2-Oct-2006
'Called from various procedures

On Error GoTo ErrorHandler

 'Attempt to set the specified property
 Set dbs = CurrentDb
 Set prps = dbs.Properties
 prps(strName) = varValue

ErrorHandlerExit:
 Exit Sub

ErrorHandler:
 If Err.Number = 3270 Then
 'The property was not found; create it
 Set prp = dbs.CreateProperty(Name:=strName, _
 Type:=lngType, Value:=varValue)
 dbs.Properties.Append prp
 Resume Next
 Else
 MsgBox &quot;Error No: &quot; &amp; Err.Number _
 &amp; &quot; in SetProperty procedure; &quot; _
 &amp; &quot;Description: &quot; &amp; Err.Description
 Resume ErrorHandlerExit
 End If

End Sub

Public Function GetProperty(strName As String, strDefault As String) _
 As Variant
'Created by Helen Feddema 2-Oct-2006
'Modified by Helen Feddema 2-Oct-2006
'Called from various procedures

On Error GoTo ErrorHandler
 
 'Attempt to get the value of the specified property
 Set dbs = CurrentDb
 GetProperty = dbs.Properties(strName).Value

ErrorHandlerExit:
 Exit Function

ErrorHandler:
 If Err.Number = 3270 Then
 'The property was not found; use default value
 GetProperty = strDefault
 Resume Next
 Else
 MsgBox &quot;Error No: &quot; &amp; Err.Number _
 &amp; &quot; in GetProperty procedure; &quot; _
 &amp; &quot;Description: &quot; &amp; Err.Description
 Resume ErrorHandlerExit
 End If

End Function

Public Function ListCustomProps()
'Created by Helen Feddema 3-Oct-2006
'Modified by Helen Feddema 3-Oct-2006
'Lists DB properties created in code (as well as built-in properties)

On Error Resume Next
 
 Set dbs = CurrentDb
 Debug.Print &quot;Database properties:&quot;
 
 For Each prp In dbs.Properties
 Debug.Print vbTab &amp; prp.Name &amp; &quot;: &quot; &amp; prp.Value
 Next prp

End Function

==================================
Usage examples:

Private dbs As DAO.Database
Private prp As DAO.Property
Private prps As DAO.Properties
Private lngDataType As Long
Private strPropertyName As String
Private strPropertyValue as String
Private varPropertyValue As Variant

Date
====
 strPropertyName = &quot;PropName&quot;
 lngDataType = dbDate
 Call SetProperty(strPropertyName, lngDataType, dteStart)

 GetStartDate = CDate(GetProperty(&quot;PropName&quot;, &quot;&quot;))

Text
====
 strPropertyName = &quot;PropName&quot;
 strPropertyValue = CStr(cbo.Value)
 lngDataType = dbText
 Call SetProperty(strPropertyName, lngDataType, _
 strPropertyValue )

 strDocsPath = GetProperty(&quot;PropName&quot;, &quot;&quot;)

Long
====
 strPropertyName = &quot;PropName&quot;
 lngDataType = dbLong
 Call SetProperty(strPropertyName, lngDataType, lngID)

 lngID = CLng(GetProperty(&quot;PropName&quot;, &quot;&quot;))

Integer
=======
 strPropertyName = &quot;PropName&quot;
 lngDataType = dbInteger
 Call SetProperty(strPropertyName, lngDataType, intMonth)

 intID = CInt(GetProperty(&quot;PropName&quot;, &quot;&quot;))

Saving to a custom property from a control's AfterUpdate event
==============================================================
Private Sub txtDate_AfterUpdate()
'Created by Helen Feddema 2-Sep-2009
'Last modified 2-Sep-2009

On Error GoTo ErrorHandler
 
 If IsDate(Me![txtDate].Value) = True Then
 dteSingle = CDate(Me![txtDate].Value)
 strPropertyName = &quot;SingleDate&quot;
 Call SetProperty(strName:=strPropertyName, _
 lngType:=dbDate, varValue:=dteSingle)
 End If
 
ErrorHandlerExit:
 Exit Sub

ErrorHandler:
 MsgBox &quot;Error No: &quot; &amp; Err.Number &amp; &quot;; Description: &quot; &amp; _
 Err.Description
 Resume ErrorHandlerExit

End Sub
</code></pre>
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<div class="content wysiwyg-content">
In my Delarations Module i have set a Global variable thus: 
 
Global strEventSummary as String 
 
This variable will be shown in various forms and updated with the number of Bookings, Participants, Observers and Confirmed Bookings as varions procedures change these elemenst. &nbsp;Like taking a new booking, a payment being made (i.e. effects Confirmed Bookings), a cancellation being made etc. etc. All I need to do is change the Global value and as each form is opened the Event Summary is always up-to-date. 
 
In the Bookings form I have a Textbox 'txtEventSummary&quot; with the Control Source = strEventSummary 
 
But this displays an Error saying that the textbox has an &quot;Invalid Control Property&quot; 
 
Can this be resolved? 
 
Also in the Bookings form if a new booking is made I will update the strEvent Summary Global variable but can I just then refresh the display of the txtEventSummary textbox without refreshing the whole form. 
 
Thanks in advance of any help
</div>
</div>

In my Delarations Module i have set a Global variable thus:

Global strEventSummary as String

This variable will be shown in various forms and updated with the number of Bookings, Participants, Observers and Confirmed Bookings as varions procedures change these elemenst.  Like taking a new booking, a payment being made (i.e. effects Confirmed Bookings), a cancellation being made etc. etc. All I need to do is change the Global value and as each form is opened the Event Summary is always up-to-date.

In the Bookings form I have a Textbox 'txtEventSummary" with the Control Source = strEventSummary 

But this displays an Error saying that the textbox has an "Invalid Control Property"

Can this be resolved?

Also in the Bookings form if a new booking is made I will update the strEvent Summary Global variable but can I just then refresh the display of the txtEventSummary textbox without refreshing the whole form.

Thanks in advance of any help

Displaying Global Variables

Microsoft Access is a rapid application development (RAD) relational database tool. Access can be used for both desktop and web-based applications, and uses VBA (Visual Basic for Applications) as its coding language.