Main form flickers when opening a pop-up form

[gojets1721]

On my main form, I have a command which opens up a pop-up, smaller form. For whatever reason, the main form flickers right when the pop-up form opens up.

It's not a huge issue but it's just a bit jarring on the user side of things. Here's the thing though: it seems to be linked to the form opening from a command. I have another pop-up form that opens by doubling clicking a text box, and the flicker doesn't happen for that. Despite the open form codes for both being identical minus the form name.

Here's my open form code:

    Dim strFormName As String
    Dim strCriteria As String
    
    strFormName = "frmDates"
    strCriteria = "[ComplaintNumber] =" & Nz(Me.[ComplaintNumber], 0) & ""
    
    DoCmd.OpenForm strFormName, , , strCriteria

Any ideas on why the command version is causing the flicker? Any suggestions on how to fix?

 

[CJ_London]

My guess would be the focus is transferred to the pop up and the returned to the calling form.

not sure why you code is working anyway since the complaint number is populated in the current event not the open event

 

[isladogs]

Do you have a timer event on the popup form?

 

[gojets1721]

Do you have a timer event on the popup form?

I do not. I'm not sure what that is tbh

 

[gojets1721]

My guess would be the focus is transferred to the pop up and the returned to the calling form.

Any ability to fix that?

not sure why you code is working anyway since the complaint number is populated in the current event not the open event

I'm not sure what you mean. The complaint number is listed in the where condition of the openform code

 

[Pat Hartman]

If there is code following the openForm method, it runs after you open the form. If you want to suspend code execution in the calling form, open the popup form as dialog.

 

[arnelgp]

the main form is continuous form?

 

[ebs17]

Main form flickers

I think the main form has its own processes and calculations, maybe conditional formatting, that are triggered there.

 

[gojets1721]

the main form is continuous form?

No, it views one record at a time

 

[gojets1721]

If there is code following the openForm method, it runs after you open the form. If you want to suspend code execution in the calling form, open the popup form as dialog.

There is no code after the openform in the sub

 

[gojets1721]

I think the main form has its own processes and calculations, maybe conditional formatting, that are triggered there.

No conditional formatting

 

[Pat Hartman]

flickering is caused by code that is running, usually in an endless loop. Try a C&R. Try decompile. We can't see the objects in question so we have to take your word for it that there is no code running.

 

[gemma-the-husky]

Maybe the popup causes the screen to change in some way, and the flicker is caused by redrawing the original form.

 

[spaLOGICng]

On my main form, I have a command which opens up a pop-up, smaller form. For whatever reason, the main form flickers right when the pop-up form opens up.

It's not a huge issue but it's just a bit jarring on the user side of things. Here's the thing though: it seems to be linked to the form opening from a command. I have another pop-up form that opens by doubling clicking a text box, and the flicker doesn't happen for that. Despite the open form codes for both being identical minus the form name.

Here's my open form code:

    Dim strFormName As String
    Dim strCriteria As String
   
    strFormName = "frmDates"
    strCriteria = "[ComplaintNumber] =" & Nz(Me.[ComplaintNumber], 0) & ""
   
    DoCmd.OpenForm strFormName, , , strCriteria

Any ideas on why the command version is causing the flicker? Any suggestions on how to fix?

Hi,

What Code do you have that runs when the Popup opens in the Open Event? What about the Current Event? Do you have any Timers running in the Backgound?

You can sometimes smooth them out by using the DoCmd.Echo False Command before the Open Statement and DoCmd.Echo True when the code has completed.

If you have a lot of Text Boxes with Expressions in them, consider moving them to the Record source, which should be a Query and not the Table. Why? Because you can control sorting and filtering from there more efficiently, as well as limit the Columns to only those that you need to see. It is preferred not to save SELECT Statements as the RecordSource to a Form or Report. Always use a Query. Just a lot easier to manage and way more efficient, because now it becomes re-usable.

 

[gojets1721]

Hi,

What Code do you have that runs when the Popup opens in the Open Event? What about the Current Event? Do you have any Timers running in the Backgound?

You can sometimes smooth them out by using the DoCmd.Echo False Command before the Open Statement and DoCmd.Echo True when the code has completed.

If you have a lot of Text Boxes with Expressions in them, consider moving them to the Record source, which should be a Query and not the Table. Why? Because you can control sorting and filtering from there more efficiently, as well as limit the Columns to only those that you need to see. It is preferred not to save SELECT Statements as the RecordSource to a Form or Report. Always use a Query. Just a lot easier to manage and way more efficient, because now it becomes re-usable.

There's no additional code that runs. It's only the 'openform' code when using the command. There's nothing in the on current event. No timers anywhere.

It seems to specifically be based on using a command button. I have code in the same form to open a pop up form via a double click on a text box. When doing that, no flicker.

It's bizarre

 

[Pat Hartman]

Given your reluctance to show us the code, we have no basis on which to provide further suggestions.

 

[gojets1721]

Given your reluctance to show us the code, we have no basis on which to provide further suggestions.

It's in my original post. There's literally just 6 individual subs that open different popup forms, like below:

    Dim strFormName As String
    Dim strCriteria As String

    strFormName = "frmDates"
    strCriteria = "[ComplaintNumber] =" & Nz(Me.[ComplaintNumber], 0) & ""

    DoCmd.OpenForm strFormName, , , strCriteria

4 are command-based, and then the other 2 open by double clicking on a textbox.

There's no further VBA in the parent or pop up forms than that. I can supply an example DB but I'm not entirely sure of the benefit

 

[Pat Hartman]

I'm not looking to make work for myself but just sayin'. If you want real help, you need to provide actual stuff to work with. There is no way to debug invisible code. It is hard enough to debug code when the entire module is provided. But I can sometimes do that when I haven't misplaced my Karnack the Magnificent hat.

 

[gojets1721]

I gotcha. See attached. I recreated my actual DB into an example as simply as possible.

On the launch form (frmComplaints), open the red command and you'll notice that frmComplaints flickers. Especially the tab control and the record selector.

Yet I have the same code on the 'complaint ID' textbox and there's no issue. When you double click that textbox, it opens the same form using the same code and there's no flicker. Only difference is one is a command and one is a text box double click.

I just can't make sense of it.

Any thoughts?

P.S. the flicker isn't too bad here, likely because of how simple this example DB is. It flickers much longer and more apparent in my actual DB.

 

[Pat Hartman]

I can't explain the problem, but I found the fix. Make the popup form modal.

1. Personally I hate huge, wide popup forms that take over my whole screen. I find them intrusive and they make me angry as yours did. I moved the form to the second monitor so I could see this webpage but that didn't move the access window and because the form is both popup and Model, I was locked out of the Access window and so had to close the form (at least you didn't remove the x) so I could move the access window to the other screen so I could look at your directions at the same time as the app.
2. The complaints form doesn't need to be that wide.
3. Having two forms bound to the same table open at the same time is the road to disaster. At a minimum, you MUST save the current record BEFORE opening the popup but I would rethink the design.