Totally Bewildered

[PeeODE]

I have watched tutorials, gotten Access for Dummies and looked for advice on the Net and have come to the conclusion that my head was not made for Access. I am trying to build a database to track the on goings of an electronic repair shop and feel as though I keep getting kicked in sensitive places. From what I'm reading Access is great for sorting data however not so good at input. I have created tables for engineers, locations, factory service, inventory and others using relationships and have become very familiar with the various controls and options. What is killing me is just the general function. I can only input data to a single record via a form and if I dare to try and use a subform to input to more than one location I get a "you tried to put a null value into a varient" BS which I read had to do with saving the parent form due to losing focus. If I create a form (like an RMA form) and print it out it prints every record. The work around for this is to duplicate the form with the data entry to "no" and go to the last record (really?). What I want is something like you see at a doctors office where you fill it out and it enters data that can then be used later. I need things like work orders where I need to track engineers productivity (maybe a record called engineer) and locations (maybe a record for that) and various equipment and repairs and so on. How are you supposed to multiple records to input data. I see how a query well to recover data from multiple locations but I find little on how to get the data there. I'm trying to reduce the labor and paperwork not make more. When info is put into the database I want one button service that will take the equipment make, model, and serial number and put it on a form with a factorys name address city state bla bla bla and print it out. I don't want to print an RMA form for every piece to every factory every time. I have researched and worked with this far too long at this point. I have addressed different problems from different directions and I can't seem to grasp this. Wow...all that and no expletive

[cbende2]

For printing out single forms, I added a field to my tables that is a checkbox(Yes/no) named "print," simply create a new form with the fields you would like to have printed out and make the query criteria have that field "Print" set to Yes. only the records that have "Print" selected yes will print. Its an easy work around for wanting to print only one, two, or however many records you need to print. And make an update query to reset the "Print" field to "no" after the print job is complete. That way, the next time you want to print, you dont have to go unselect all the items that you dont want to print anymore.

Hope that helps, If not try attaching your DB and I'll have a look at it and try to get a better understanding of what your trying to do. Or you can create a sample DB and try and explain it in simpler forms.

cbende2

[NTC]

ummm well this is kind of a rant and so learning Access is of course different for different people. The statement that it is "not so good for input" is completely incorrect. Forms are the input vehicle for records that go into tables - and can be optioned to either display single record or all records (Continuous Form or Datasheet View).

A sub form implies that another table has a relationship to the table source of the Main form. The wizard launches when you insert a sub form and asks you to identify the cross referencing field - it will suggest it by displaying what it thinks it is....

The "you can't have a null" message will occur anytime you have optioned a field in table to be required - and then don't put anything in there....this is also true of a field that is designated a primary key field as it can never be blank...

I once attempted to learn how to tune up my own car and suffered your same frustration despite the books.....