Number of controls on a form (limitation)

I've been compelled to work on a data entry form our users have been using for quite some time. I have designed a cleaner version but our users do not want to use it. (It was based on ideas and help from Mr. Hartman--Thanks Tom!) My version uses continuous form with data entry occuring from option groups. Therefore, there are only five text box controls, one option group control and some text labels. They hate the way continuous forms look. They like the the look of a nice printed form.

The form they are used to is really two forms. This was necessary because the creator had no concept of database design. He had nearly hit the maximum on number of columns in a table: Almost 250! He was not able to synchronize the forms either.

Since I am stuck having to use the old "format," I attemped to append form 2 to the bottom of form 1. That's when I discovered Access forms can't be much longer than 21 inches. After finding that limitation, I decided to simply make the form a little wider. Not to my suprise, I found another limitation in Access. There appeared a message "Microsoft Access can't create any more controls on this form or report." The message goes on about deleting controls and renaming the form, but it does not seem to work.

I have checked six of my Access resource books, and no mention limits on controls is mentioned.

What is the limit of controls on a form or report?

Do labels count as one of these controls? Does a text box count as two? Does and option group count as one control or do you have to also add in each individual option in the group to the total.

I cannot sell my requestors on the common sense form. I am stuck doing it the old way.
I do not want to have form 1 opening form 2, especially when they are both updating the same massive table.

Any suggestions?

Dave Mack Saratoga, NY




[This message has been edited by David Mack (edited 03-09-2000).]

I had a similar problem with a tabbed form (frmDetail) that had several checkboxes. Each page of the form was virtually the same so I copied the first pages controls and pasted them on each subsequent page until I got that lovely error message.

I think the total allowable number of controls is 255. I just made a copy of frmDetail calling it frmDetailNew and I was able to add the controls I wanted to the new form (even though it had the same amount of controls as the old one). Then I just deleted the original form and renamed the new form frmDetail. I think this worked because I didn't actually have 255 controls.

You might also try compacting your database.

Every control is counted. Access keeps a history of changes so if you are bumping up against the limit and you are sure that you don't actually have 255 controls, compact the db so that Access will clear the debris.

Keep trying with the continuous form. Reformat it, try datasheet view to see if you can make it more palatable.

Hi I think I've jsut hit the same problem, which is not funny because my project was only just starting to work.
I have to create a grid of toggle buttons, a big grid. 2 of them in fact. The first has to be 96 columns by 10 rows so 960 little boxes. The second has to be total 6720! I thought I was doing so well except just now it gave me the error message
"Microsoft Office Access can't make any more controls on this form or report. Delete...."

Except then I click ok and the toggle buttons appear anyway. But will they work? Is there really a limit!

This is so not funny- it's taken me 5 hours to make 400 of them and if it won't let me make more, I'm screwed!

First off, 255 is the number of fields allowed in a table/record set, not in a form..

The number of controls (textboxes, comboboxes, checkboxes, labels, etc.) in a given form is 754 over the life of the form. In other words, it includes any controls that are added to the form, even those that are later deleted.

Most experienced developers will tell you that any database that contains a table that has over 25 or 30 fields is almost assuredly not normalized. Being stuck with it will almost surely cause you multiple headaches in the future; you have my sympathy.

I believe that if you

1. Compact the database
2. Create a new, blank database
3. Import everything from the old db into this new file

the number of controls in the count will be reset to those currently showing.

Zebra: Multiplying the number of columns by the number of rows has no significance. The number of controls on a form means the number of controls iin a given record. If you have 96 columns then you have 96 fields in a table or 96 controls in a form. Once again, 96 fields in a table is almost assuredly a sign of a non-normalized database.

Here's a list of the limitations of various Access objects:

http://bytes.com/topic/access/insights/603897-microsoft-access-specifications

noooo!

thanks. that was really useful. and I will compact the database and clean it up.
But it won't really help because I needed 960 toggle buttons which is well above the limit. And then there's the week view, which needs almost 7000! I think I might just need to start thinking of a new way to display it... any ideas how to create a visual schedule grid, where the user can view bookings made in chunks of 15 mins either as a day or over a week?
Thanks

Zebra:
Have you checked this site's Sample Databases or Code Repository for Calendar type dbs?