1 Data Base Many Forms

[Balisteve]

Hi
Thank you all for your help and advice given so far,

I have the need to implement a database, which our staff enter customer
details.

I would ideally like for a new input window to be opened once they have
completed the fields on that window, I have figured out how to do it using
the command buttons, so that it opens up a new form with the next fields to
be filled in, and then for the first one to automatically close, however it
opens the new form as a new record in the database,

My question therefore is:-
Is it possible to automatically close the first form and open the second
form and for input to be added to the same record as the first one. I have a
field called "BPH Ref No" which is set as an Auto number and primary key on
both forms, I know that I can do this using the command button wizard but
that doesn't then allow me to automatically close the window.

I am a bit if a beginner in all of this so any help in simple terms would be
greatly appreciated.

Cheers from Sunny Bali

 

[pietlinden]

Hi
Thank you all for your help and advice given so far,

I have the need to implement a database, which our staff enter customer
details.

I would ideally like for a new input window to be opened once they have
completed the fields on that window, I have figured out how to do it using
the command buttons, so that it opens up a new form with the next fields to
be filled in, and then for the first one to automatically close, however it
opens the new form as a new record in the database,

My question therefore is:-
Is it possible to automatically close the first form and open the second
form and for input to be added to the same record as the first one. I have a
field called "BPH Ref No" which is set as an Auto number and primary key on
both forms, I know that I can do this using the command button wizard but
that doesn't then allow me to automatically close the window.

I am a bit if a beginner in all of this so any help in simple terms wouldbe
greatly appreciated.

Cheers from Sunny Bali

Why not just have a form with all the controls and just scroll down
the thing? Do you have a 1-1 relationship between the different
sections of this broken up table? You could hide the first form and
then show the next form once the user exits the final field...

 

[John W. Vinson]

Hi
Thank you all for your help and advice given so far,

I have the need to implement a database, which our staff enter customer
details.

I would ideally like for a new input window to be opened once they have
completed the fields on that window, I have figured out how to do it using
the command buttons, so that it opens up a new form with the next fields to
be filled in, and then for the first one to automatically close, however it
opens the new form as a new record in the database,

My question therefore is:-
Is it possible to automatically close the first form and open the second
form and for input to be added to the same record as the first one. I have a
field called "BPH Ref No" which is set as an Auto number and primary key on
both forms, I know that I can do this using the command button wizard but
that doesn't then allow me to automatically close the window.

Two suggestions, one easy but probably on the wrong track, one much harder but
almost certainly what you actually need to do.

First: Use one form with a Tab Control on it, bound to the table. Put some
controls on one tab page, other controls on the other, rather than trying to
open another form.

REAL: Stop. Redesign your TABLES!

If you have more fields than will fit on one form, your table structure is
almost certainly *WRONG*. 20 fields is a big table; 60 fields is an
*enormously* wide table. For hints on proper table normalization see:

Jeff Conrad's resources page:
http://www.accessmvp.com/JConrad/accessjunkie/resources.html

The Access Web resources page:
http://www.mvps.org/access/resources/index.html

A free tutorial written by Crystal (MS Access MVP):
http://allenbrowne.com/casu-22.html

MVP Allen Browne's tutorials:
http://allenbrowne.com/links.html#Tutorials

 

[pietlinden]

Hi
Thank you all for your help and advice given so far,

I have the need to implement a database, which our staff enter customer
details.

I would ideally like for a new input window to be opened once they have
completed the fields on that window, I have figured out how to do it using
the command buttons, so that it opens up a new form with the next fields to
be filled in, and then for the first one to automatically close, however it
opens the new form as a new record in the database,

My question therefore is:-
Is it possible to automatically close the first form and open the second
form and for input to be added to the same record as the first one. I have a
field called "BPH Ref No" which is set as an Auto number and primary key on
both forms, I know that I can do this using the command button wizard but
that doesn't then allow me to automatically close the window.

I am a bit if a beginner in all of this so any help in simple terms wouldbe
greatly appreciated.

Cheers from Sunny Bali

If all the data goes into the same table, why not just create a
continuous form? Why do you need several forms for this? Are they
writing to separate tables?

You can open all the forms and Show/Hide them as necessary in the
AfterUpdate event of the last control on each form...

 

[Balisteve]

Thanks fr your advice
We already have one form with all the fileds on it and use the tab key, but
it still confuses the heck out of some of our staff,, (not too bright, as we
have only had computer system for 6 months, and it scares them to death., and
it takes an age for them to complete the input form, meanwhile the clients
are stiiing in our office patiently waiting for the final paterwork to be
printed.

I thought it would be easier for them if they were just faced with a few
seperate forms which once the final one is completed it automatically opens
the client sheet with all the relevant records completed and they just press
print.

The table is around 24 records in size.

I wanted to split the form into smaller chunks, to make it easier for them
EG
first form = "Name Input " (clients Name)
second Form "Address Input" (clients addres)
Third Form ID Input" (clients ID and Driving License No)
Fourth Form "Vehicle Input" (Vehicle used, Mileage, Fuel level)
Fith Form "Hire Input" Start Date & Time, No of Days
Sixth Form "Price Input", Cost of hire per day, Additional charges etc

Once that one is completed it goes to the client form with all the relevant
details already filled in.

I thought that would be easy and simple to achieve,
Oh well not to worry

Thanks anyway

 

[John W. Vinson]

Thanks fr your advice
We already have one form with all the fileds on it and use the tab key, but
it still confuses the heck out of some of our staff,, (not too bright, as we
have only had computer system for 6 months, and it scares them to death., and
it takes an age for them to complete the input form, meanwhile the clients
are stiiing in our office patiently waiting for the final paterwork to be
printed.

sorry... jargon getting in the way. I was not referring to the "Tab Key" on
the keyboard, but a "Tab Control" on the form. It looks like a
non-threatening, familiar tabbed file folder. You click on a tab and a new
page opens up.

I thought it would be easier for them if they were just faced with a few
seperate forms which once the final one is completed it automatically opens
the client sheet with all the relevant records completed and they just press
print.

You can (with a line of code) get a tab control to move to the next tab at the
end of the page.

The table is around 24 records in size.

Completely irrelevant! I'm concerned not about the number of *records* (24 or
24,000 will work on exactly the same form), but about the number of *fields*.

I wanted to split the form into smaller chunks, to make it easier for them
EG
first form = "Name Input " (clients Name)
second Form "Address Input" (clients addres)
Third Form ID Input" (clients ID and Driving License No)

So you have *one full screen form* to enter a drivers' license number!? I
would expect that would be more confusing than helpful!

Fourth Form "Vehicle Input" (Vehicle used, Mileage, Fuel level)

Welll... wrong design. One person may have multiple vehicles; it's even
possible that one vehicle may be driven by multiple people. *Vehicles are not
people* and do not belong in a people table!!! You should have a table of
People, related to a table of Vehicles; if the real-life relationship is in
fact many to many, you need yet another table of vehicle ownership.

Fith Form "Hire Input" Start Date & Time, No of Days

Again... an entire SCREEN to enter two values?

Sixth Form "Price Input", Cost of hire per day, Additional charges etc

Once that one is completed it goes to the client form with all the relevant
details already filled in.

I thought that would be easy and simple to achieve,

It is simple to achieve. Use a Tab Control. It's one of the controls on the
toolbox - just drag it onto the form.

If you choose to do it with six or seven separate forms, and if you actually
think this will make it easier for your users, it *can* be done - post back
and I'll try to help. You'll need to learn some VBA code though.

 

[Balisteve]

Thanks again for your reply,

It is going to be too difficult for me to attempt this, and to make it work
properly.

Basically the information we need is for people hiring cars or motorbikes,
the form is only for 1 person at a time to hire one vehicle, all we need is
their details of where they are staying in Bali, Driver license etc etc,
which vehicle they have and for how long, and how much we charged them.

I thought that if the staff were just faced with a couple of fields to
complete then autonatically move to the next section that it would be simpler
for them to understad what is needed.

We can do it from the single form and it works, maybe I just need to be more
patient with the staff I think, maybe in another 6 months they will be more
used to it, and be able to complete the long form more efficiently.

I am not a programmer, I am General Manager of the company, our expert (also
web designer), left me in the cold when he took another job in America.

Can't find anyone else here willing to take the task on, so am trying to do
the best I can, with my limited time and knowledge.

Thanks again so much for your attention.
Cheers from Sunny Bali (Time to go to the beach now and have a couple of
cold beers whilst the sun sets.