Default text in a bound combobox

[theDBguy]

Oops. Just went back to that combo and realised I'd changed it by mistake. It SHOULD be 4

And, did it make any difference? Just curious...

Also, is this on A365 only?

 

[chacham]

Actually, it works even if the first field is hidden

View attachment 98145

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As soon as you click in the combobox the default text disappears automatically

This does not work for me. What am i missing?

 

[isladogs]

Try making the first column slightly >0 e.g. 0.01or even 0.001

The feature has been available for many years - not just 365
For more info, see my article:

Add Query Colour

This explains how to change the colour of individual text/number fields in queries and tables. Similar methods work for comboboxes, listboxes & textboxes in forms

www.isladogs.co.uk

 

[chacham]

Try making the first column slightly >0 e.g. 0.01or even 0.001

Well, that became .0007, and the default text did show up! However, now after the name of the doctor is chosen from the list part, the top shows the id instead of the name.

Also, can this show gray instead of black?

 

[isladogs]

If the ID field is the first column (column 0) it shouldn't be visible with a width close to zero.
I explained how to make the default text grey in post #13.

Have you read my web article? If not, please do so.

 

[chacham]

If the ID field is the first column (column 0) it shouldn't be visible with a width close to zero.

Then i'm doing something wrong, but i do not know what.

I explained how to make the default text grey in post #13.

Missed that, oops!

To get grey prompt text for this example, first set the control forecolor to grey, then the format property could be: [Black]@;"Enter Last Name"
The prompt text will be grey but the text entered by the user will be black

That's backwards and confusing, but if it works, it works. Thank you.

Have you read my web article? If not, please do so.

Nope. I wasn't sure what it was addressing because it spoke of color. I see the part you were referring to now though.

I may try this later, but for right now, i got it working on three comboboxes and i'm not sure i want to keep trying to redo it when it is already working perfectly. Then again, this seems cleaner, if a bit confusing.

 

[isladogs]

The default colour needs to be grey because that is what you see before entering any text.
The format property e.g. [Black]@;"Enter Last Name" tells you what colour entered text will be (black) and gives the value when nothing is entered (Enter Last Name)

I suggested you read that article for a reason - it explains the format property of each datatype
You could at least do me the courtesy of spending a few minutes reading that to understand the ideas behind this approach.
Then it might be less confusing to you

 

[chacham]

You could at least do me the courtesy of spending a few minutes reading that to understand the ideas behind this approach.
Then it might be less confusing to you

I indeed did skim the article. I logged out of work for the day, so i didn't feel like going to in depth right now.

By "confusing" i did not mean it was hard to understand, rather, that it is backwards, in that the forecolor refers to the default, and the color specified by the default is the main color. Looking at that while not familiar with this behavior would likely confuse anyone until they read about the bahavior.

 

[CJ_London]

format property is usually one of the drums I bang

@chacham What Colin is saying for it to work in a combo is the bound column needs to be the first visible column (i.e the one that shows when the dropdown is closed). Doesn't matter whether the controlsource is populated or not.

In your case, you may need to bind to the hidden PK so the format option won't work unless you can do the following

1. leave the controlsource blank - as you have in post#22
2. set the bound column to column 2 - you have column1 in post#22
3. in the combo after update event some code along the lines of

me.DoctorFK=cboDoctor.column(0)

or perhaps you just need to make a change to building your filter/criteria (i.e. include .column(0))
4. if the control is bound you will also need some code in the form current event to set a value - along the lines of
cboDoctor=dlookup("DocName","tblDoctors","DoctorPK=" & me.doctorFK)

Note this won't work in a continuous form if the combo is in the detail section

Which is why my suggestion in post#9

 

[chacham]

format property is usually one of the drums I bang

@chacham What Colin is saying for it to work in a combo is the bound column needs to be the first visible column (i.e the one that shows when the dropdown is closed). Doesn't matter whether the controlsource is populated or not.

In your case, you may need to bind to the hidden PK so the format option won't work unless you can do the following

1. leave the controlsource blank - as you have in post#22
2. set the bound column to column 2 - you have column1 in post#22
3. in the combo after update event some code along the lines of

me.DoctorFK=cboDoctor.column(0)

or perhaps you just need to make a change to building your filter/criteria (i.e. include .column(0))
4. if the control is bound you will also need some code in the form current event to set a value - along the lines of
cboDoctor=dlookup("DocName","tblDoctors","DoctorPK=" & me.doctorFK)

Note this won't work in a continuous form if the combo is in the detail section

Which is why my suggestion in post#9

I'm way too tired to appreciate that comment right now. Especially while working on someone else's project right now.

But i do have to ask. Do you think this is easier than the solution i posted originally?

 

[isladogs]

Yes

 

[CJ_London]

Either mine or colins . You haven’t provided any context around this and the other combo’s you want to provide the same functionality- are they for searching/ filtering? Populating a record? Criteria for opening a form?

 

[chacham]

@CJ_London, i'm sure your solution works, but i feel that my solution is easier. There's just so many steps in your solution. @isladogs solution seems more elegant, but, as i said, it seems confusing, and i already have something working. If i revisit this, i would likely try his solution again, even though it failed the first time around.

>are they for searching/ filtering? Populating a record? Criteria for opening a form?

The form is based on a query that refers to the two comboboxes, to which i added a third. When a selection is made, the form is refreshed so that the records in the form reflect the chosen facility, doctor, or now a third choice, patient.

 

[arnelgp]

But i do have to ask. Do you think this is easier than the solution i posted originally?

you Already have a working db? why experiment more.

 

[chacham]

you Already have a working db? why experiment more.

Because i'm quite the newb here, and beginning to work on someone else's project. I'm asking to make sure i'm not doing something stupid. Also, even solutions i don't take still teach me useful things!

 

[CJ_London]

well, you asked for comments - up to you as to whether you feel your method is best.

my final comment would be that with your method, you need more code to make cmbNH_default_text visible again in the event that nothing is selected

Good luck with your project

 

[chacham]

my final comment would be that with your method, you need more code to make cmbNH_default_text visible again in the event that nothing is selected

I appreciate the comments! I also like to discuss and understand the pros and cons of the different methods. And, who knows, when i present it to the user tomorrow (this change is mostly for just one user right now), things might go wrong, and i might end up using your solution instead.

Yes, i do need to add code. But, the form already had code in the afterupdate events, so it was pretty easy to add another line or two.