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Hide / collapse columns in Form as needed
Hi
I am using Access 2010. This question is about a continuous form. The underlying table accepts movement of inventory from source to destination.
When the user opens the form, he/she will use an unbound combobox to choose whether the data entry will reflect items sold or items transferred. If the user chooses "transfer", then there is no need to enter information in some fields... ie [price], [discount] etc.
In such cases (user has chosen "transfer"), I would like the unwanted fields to disappear. That is easy enough. I also want to collapse the empty space so that the resultant form does not look like a patchwork quilt. It would be great if I could put these fields on the outermost right of the form, but this is not possible. I would like to emulate the way that Excel does it when you hide a column.
At this time, the best that I can come up with is to make them invisible, set their width to one pixel and move all the other columns next to the invisible column. I haven't tried this yet. It seems like a complex way to solve a simple problem.
I really would like to perform both tasks in one form. Is there a better way?
I am using Access 2010. This question is about a continuous form. The underlying table accepts movement of inventory from source to destination.
When the user opens the form, he/she will use an unbound combobox to choose whether the data entry will reflect items sold or items transferred. If the user chooses "transfer", then there is no need to enter information in some fields... ie [price], [discount] etc.
In such cases (user has chosen "transfer"), I would like the unwanted fields to disappear. That is easy enough. I also want to collapse the empty space so that the resultant form does not look like a patchwork quilt. It would be great if I could put these fields on the outermost right of the form, but this is not possible. I would like to emulate the way that Excel does it when you hide a column.
At this time, the best that I can come up with is to make them invisible, set their width to one pixel and move all the other columns next to the invisible column. I haven't tried this yet. It seems like a complex way to solve a simple problem.
I really would like to perform both tasks in one form. Is there a better way?
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1 Solution
Since you are in a continuous form, the problem will be that some records may say "Transfer" and others may reflect another value, so depending on what record you are on, you may want to suppress certain values while displaying those same values in the other records.
It is not possible to hide values in one record, but not in another in a continuous form. It is one or all.
It is not possible to hide values in one record, but not in another in a continuous form. It is one or all.
There will be no confusion in the record
Each record will have a field which will say "Transfer" or "Sale".
If the current record represents a transfer, then fields like [Price} and [Discount} do not apply.
The user will be entering this information in batches (~200).
I'm starting to think that the only way is to create two forms.
Each record will have a field which will say "Transfer" or "Sale".
If the current record represents a transfer, then fields like [Price} and [Discount} do not apply.
The user will be entering this information in batches (~200).
I'm starting to think that the only way is to create two forms.
Have you tried the method described above:
1. Open the form in design mode
2. Select the [Price] and [Discount] controls
3. Click the Conditional Formatting button on the ribbon or menu option (depending on version).
4. Set the Condition1 combo box to "Expression Is", then set the expression like:
[FieldName] = "Transfer"
5. Then change the foreground and background colors so that they are the same as the detail section background color (or as close as you can get).
6. Click OK
7. Then select the [Price] control, select the "GotFocus" event from the Properties -> Event tab, and select [Event Procedure], and then go to that event in the VBA window.
8. In the GotFocus event, add some code to change the focus from that control to another control, one that can change.
1. Open the form in design mode
2. Select the [Price] and [Discount] controls
3. Click the Conditional Formatting button on the ribbon or menu option (depending on version).
4. Set the Condition1 combo box to "Expression Is", then set the expression like:
[FieldName] = "Transfer"
5. Then change the foreground and background colors so that they are the same as the detail section background color (or as close as you can get).
6. Click OK
7. Then select the [Price] control, select the "GotFocus" event from the Properties -> Event tab, and select [Event Procedure], and then go to that event in the VBA window.
8. In the GotFocus event, add some code to change the focus from that control to another control, one that can change.
Hiding Columns seems like something that should be simple, in fact it can be quite complex:
Record the column name and width
Detect Reduce the field width to zero
Move the remaining fields over (by the same amount that the field was reduced) to eliminate the blank space
...This is all for only one filed, doing this for multiple, disparate fields, can get hairy...
What about just creating a separate form just for these situations...
You can see this sample I made a while back to dynamically hide/show controls/Fields in a Report.
http://filedb.experts-exchange.com/incoming/2009/11_w46/202728/Access--Basic-SampleSelectHideSh.mdb
JeffCoachman
Record the column name and width
Detect Reduce the field width to zero
Move the remaining fields over (by the same amount that the field was reduced) to eliminate the blank space
...This is all for only one filed, doing this for multiple, disparate fields, can get hairy...
What about just creating a separate form just for these situations...
You can see this sample I made a while back to dynamically hide/show controls/Fields in a Report.
http://filedb.experts-exchange.com/incoming/2009/11_w46/202728/Access--Basic-SampleSelectHideSh.mdb
JeffCoachman
Thank you again sir.
I had considered this approach but wanted to make sure that I didn't miss a whole new angle to the problem.
I will likely create a second form.
I had considered this approach but wanted to make sure that I didn't miss a whole new angle to the problem.
I will likely create a second form.
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Me.Text0.ColumnHidden = True