What is the good way to design this form

[Tim]

I have a form that is bound to a table (tblSchool) as a record source. This
table mostly includes a primary key and foreign keys from other tables. For
example, tblSchool.studID (PK), majorID (FK), and minorID (FK). [majorID]
links to tblMajor and minorID links to tblMinor.
This form is a data entry form and also allows the user to view existing
records. How can I design it so the user can understand what this form is
about? For example, the form should show studID, name, major, and minor.
Thanks!

 

[BruceM via AccessMonster.com]

Design depends on your needs and the users' needs. It really is not possible
from a distance to say what features and layout the users will want.

Your Student table may be:

tblStudent
StudentID (primary key)
FirstName
LastName
Other fields such as address and phone
MajorID (link to MM_ID in tblMajorMinor)
MinorID (link to MM_ID in tblMajorMinor)

I don't know what is in tblMajor and tblMinor, but I would think one person's
major could be another's minor, so there should be a single table for areas
that can be either major or minor.

tblMajorMinor
MM_ID (Primary key, perhaps autonumber)
AreaOfStudy (History, Math, or whatever)

Make a two-column query based on the table. On the form, make a combo box
for major and one for minor. Set the Column Count to 2, the Column Widths to
something like 0 cm;3 cm (or whatever measurement unit you are using), and
the Bound Column to 1. Bind the combo boxes to the MajorID and MinorID
fields. You will be selecting and seeing the name of the major or minor, but
Access will store the ID number (the first column, which is the bound column).


For relationships, you can set up a relationship from two fields in
tblStudent (MajorID and MinorID) to the MM_ID field in tblMajorMinor. Just
add tblMajorMinor twice to the Relationships window, and use one of the
tables for each relationship.

I have a form that is bound to a table (tblSchool) as a record source. This
table mostly includes a primary key and foreign keys from other tables. For
example, tblSchool.studID (PK), majorID (FK), and minorID (FK). [majorID]
links to tblMajor and minorID links to tblMinor.
This form is a data entry form and also allows the user to view existing
records. How can I design it so the user can understand what this form is
about? For example, the form should show studID, name, major, and minor.
Thanks!

 

[Jeff Boyce]

Tim

I'm with Bruce ... "how" depends on "what".

You want your users to view existing records and do data entry. OK, that's
part of "what".

You want your users to "understand what this form is about" ... do you mean
that the on-screen instructions, the Control Tips and the design are sooooo
intuitive that any idiot off the street can sit down and use it correctly?
.... or (I suspect) do you mean you want folks who already understand the
concepts of schools and students and work with this kind of data every day
to see how they could use your forms/application to help them do their job
.... which is ?!?

"How" depends on "what"!

More info, please...

Regards

Jeff Boyce
Microsoft Access MVP

--
Disclaimer: This author may have received products and services mentioned
in this post. Mention and/or description of a product or service herein
does not constitute endorsement thereof.

Any code or pseudocode included in this post is offered "as is", with no
guarantee as to suitability.

You can thank the FTC of the USA for making this disclaimer
possible/necessary.

 

[John W. Vinson]

I have a form that is bound to a table (tblSchool) as a record source. This
table mostly includes a primary key and foreign keys from other tables. For
example, tblSchool.studID (PK), majorID (FK), and minorID (FK). [majorID]
links to tblMajor and minorID links to tblMinor.
This form is a data entry form and also allows the user to view existing
records. How can I design it so the user can understand what this form is
about? For example, the form should show studID, name, major, and minor.
Thanks!

Typically you will use Combo Boxes on the form; these would *store* the
numeric ID while *displaying* human readable text.

If this isn't the problem... please explain what is!

 

[Tim]

Thank you all of you for interesting at the topic. Bruce gave a very good
example. You guys are right about using the combo box to store the ID while
displaying the human readable text. I got it and it works!
Thanks again!!!

I have a form that is bound to a table (tblSchool) as a record source. This
table mostly includes a primary key and foreign keys from other tables. For
example, tblSchool.studID (PK), majorID (FK), and minorID (FK). [majorID]
links to tblMajor and minorID links to tblMinor.
This form is a data entry form and also allows the user to view existing
records. How can I design it so the user can understand what this form is
about? For example, the form should show studID, name, major, and minor.
Thanks!

Typically you will use Combo Boxes on the form; these would *store* the
numeric ID while *displaying* human readable text.

If this isn't the problem... please explain what is!