Selecting only a certain format of cell

C

cdb

I have various downloads that I then put into Access tables. One of these is
a products database where each product has a code. these products are from 2
different sources and so have contasting formats (format may not be the
correct word to use but my sleep deprived brain can't think of the correct
one!).
What I need to know is, is there a way to set up a table that I can then
link into my queries so I can seperate the 2 product types out without having
to write it into each query which is how I'm doing it now.

e.g. To pick out the first format I look for cells that are like ?###* and
?R###*, and any that don't fit this format are classed as the other one.

The problem is that if I write this into each query (of which there are
quite a few) and the format changes I will have to change every query, so is
there an easy way around this??
 
C

cdb

This won't work because I am working from data in tables that is downloaded
from other sources and is too big to go through changing it all into
different formats, which is why I was wondering if I could set up something
that will just reference the ID field and decide which source it is from.

As for the comment about the cells, I know they are not cells, but I
couldn't think of the correct terminology this morning.
 
C

cdb

I don't think I'm getting myself across well. I'm not after changing the data
in the tables, I was trying to find a way around having to change the
hundreds of queries I have which are looking at the tables.

I have 2 sets of queries and within them I use wilcards to look for a
specific format in one of the columns of data (e.g. ?###* to look for a
letter followed by 3 numbers then anything). I have to seperate them out
because the data I get from the downloads are from different sources and so
are in different formats (eg one source is in the style of A758A and the
other is in the style of DEF555).

What I am after ideally is some sort of lookup table within access I can
just link into my queries that has the input mask I am looking for (?###*) so
if the format does change I only have to change that 1 table and not all the
queries that use the mask to query the data.

don't know if this clears up what I'm after any better??
 
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