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Combine field values from more then record into a single query field

I'm trying to figure out how to combine field values into one query field.

So if for example the records in a table look like:

Publication, Jan/2015
Publication, Feb/2015

I want the field in the query to show "Publication, Jan/2015, Publication, Feb/2015" (Note the comma separator)

But also I need to include a criteria where "ActivityID" equals a number.

So the expression field in the query might look something like"

Items: =[CombinedFieldValues]

How can I do this?

PatHartman

Here is an article that contains a function that will concatenate values. I haven't used it so I can't vouch for it but it looks good.

A suggestion though - when you do the concatenation, do not use a coma as the separator since the field already includes multiple values separated by a coma. If anyone downstream ever has to parse the string, they won't be able to do it based on the delimiter.
ConcatFunctionExample.docx

SteveL13

ASKER

I guess I don't get it. I pasted the following copy into a module, (with the commented lines removed to make it shorter here). Plus in a query designer I entered this code --

Items: DConcat("Item")

But I get an error on the query field: "The expression you entered has a function containing the wrong number of arguments"

Function DConcat(ConcatColumns As String, Tbl As String, Optional Criteria As String = "", _
    Optional Delimiter1 As String = ", ", Optional Delimiter2 As String = ", ", _
    Optional Distinct As Boolean = True, Optional Sort As String = "Asc", _
    Optional Limit As Long = 0)
    
    Dim rs As DAO.Recordset
    Dim SQL As String
    Dim ThisItem As String
    Dim FieldCounter As Long
    
    On Error GoTo ErrHandler
    
    DConcat = Null
    
    SQL = "SELECT " & IIf(Distinct, "DISTINCT ", "") & _
            IIf(Limit > 0, "TOP " & Limit & " ", "") & _
            ConcatColumns & " " & _
        "FROM " & Tbl & " " & _
        IIf(Criteria <> "", "WHERE " & Criteria & " ", "") & _
        Switch(Sort = "Asc", "ORDER BY " & ConcatColumns & " Asc", _
            Sort = "Desc", "ORDER BY " & ConcatColumns & " Desc", True, "")
    
    Set rs = CurrentDb.OpenRecordset(SQL)
    With rs
        Do Until .EOF
           
            ThisItem = ""
            
            For FieldCounter = 0 To rs.Fields.Count - 1
                ThisItem = ThisItem & Delimiter2 & Nz(rs.Fields(FieldCounter).Value, "")
            Next
            
            ThisItem = Mid(ThisItem, Len(Delimiter2) + 1)
            
            DConcat = Nz(DConcat, "") & Delimiter1 & ThisItem
            .MoveNext
        Loop
        .Close
    End With
    
    If Not IsNull(DConcat) Then DConcat = Mid(DConcat, Len(Delimiter1) + 1)
    
    GoTo Cleanup

ErrHandler:
    
    DConcat = CVErr(Err.Number)
    
Cleanup:
    Set rs = Nothing
    
End Function

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PatHartman

The function takes several parameters, not just one. You need the column AND the table. the others are optional.

SteveL13

ASKER

Now I'm getting all the items not just the ones related to "ActivityID". I have this in the form field: (I gave up on putting it in a query field)

=DConcat("Item","tblActivityBackOrders")

ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION

PatHartman

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