Text box truncates at ~250 characters

[bbelly]

Win 10 / Access 2016 / 64 bit. Still struggling through the transformation from Excel to Access.



_FINALLY_ got long text fields into access - I see 'em there in the table. When I try to present them on a form, only ~250 characters appear. I've formatted table and form as long text, "Can Grow = Yes". Am I missing something? Thanks for the help.

(Isn't it odd that Access should have so much trouble handling something as simple as text?)

[June7]

Does this help https://www.accessforums.net/showthread.php?t=26587

[bbelly]

That doesn't seem to address my issue. I have the text in a table - longest one is about 7,000 characters, and it's all there! (It came from Excel - that was a huge headache in its own right, and I have no idea how I finally got complete records imported - twice in separate files). I've copied the second version of the complete table to my working file - same problem. I only have 54 fields - the 'Plot' field is # 29.

[June7]

Sorry, I rushed reading through your post.

CanGrow doesn't seem to work on form, as far as I ever observed, unless possibly when printing a form. That's why textboxes have vertical scroll bar. I've never had issue displaying long text but have to use scroll bar to read all. CanGrow works just fine on report.

[ArviLaanemets]

Create 2 forms based on your table. One with Long Text field hidden, another with hidden primary key field control and the Long Text field control (textbox)

Create an unbound form with 2-page tab control and an invisible text box. In OnOpen event of form set the value for text box for topmost PK value from tour table by any condition you like.

Add 2 forms based on your table to unbound form as subforms - either of them on own page of tab control. Link them to hidden text box on main form.

On first page (with all controls in form), in subform's (the source form of subform) OnCurrent event, store the current PK value to hidden text box on main (unbound) form. In BeforeUpdate event, set hidden text box for Long Text field equal with Long Text field on form on second tab.

On second page, disallow adding and deleting records. Dimension the form there so that it fills the whole page of tab control, and the text box so, that it fills the whole form (NB! This form must be single, the form on first page can be single or continuous!).

Now whenever you select a record on form on 1st page, on 2nd page the Long Text field for this record is displayed (and you can edit it).

Edit. I remembered I did see here lately a design, where form controls were distributed to pages of tab control on form. Have never used this design myself, but maybe this is applicable instead of subforms pair, so there will be no need to design all those events.

[Minty]

Can grow really only works on reports, you can however display a report on a form, which can be handy for variable length memo / long text fields.
Also have a read here http://allenbrowne.com/ser-63.html
It's possible you have something in your underlying forms query that might be truncating the data.

[ArviLaanemets]

What is the TextFormat property of your text box? When it is "Rich Text", try to set it to "Plain Text" instead.

[bbelly]

As a neophyte in Access, I am again guilty of failing to supply all the parameters, and in realizing this, I believe I have identified the root of my problem.

The text box is populated by a 'search while typing' application. (OpenGate Software) The text box represents the contents of the 29th column of the selection in that text box. And so THAT must be where the truncation is happening.

So the solution seems obvious yet elusive to me (though I will start chasing it while awaiting any help offered here). I need to base the contents of my 'plot' text box on the ID number which can pull the required cell contents directly from the table. But how ???

The 'plot' text box control would be something like "show the contents of the column 'plot' of record number '666' where record number is currently generated in a text box by the Control Source

=[lstItems].[Column](0)

if I have sufficiently explained the situation, perhaps a solution is forthcoming. Meanwhile, I wade in with low boots.

[ArviLaanemets]

Is this text box on form which has the table as source? When yes, then why to search for it's contents at all - simply set text box control source to according field in table. When not, then you have to give more detailed description of your set-up for us to make some suggestions.

[bbelly]

Further ...

In a particular (search) text box one enters " 'T' 'H' 'E' ... ". After two letters, a list box begins to drill down with selections containing the searched for text. At some point, the desired Title can be selected, which in turn fills out the rest of the fields on the form - 'Year', 'Genre', 'Language', and 'Plot', among others. (A great many are simply "Yes/No" boxes) The selection list box is a mirror of the table, having some 54 columns, which are the source for the rest of the form (most of those columns will be set to width "0cm" to hide them away.) Wish to have the entire contents of the field 'Plot' for the selected Title appear in the appropriate text box. Currently, it is truncated at that ~250 character limit.
It seems to me that given that I know the selected records ID number is "666" , how do I pull the contents of field "Plot" of record "=[lstItems].[Column](0)" (which is the Control Source that populates the 'ID' text box from the selection) directly from the table, bypassing the listbox which seems to only supply the ~250 characters.

I hope at some point I can explain my situation adequately - (I think I have "known unknowns" challenged by "unknown unknowns" )

[orange]

bbelly,

I suggest you do a compact and repair on your database or a copy. Then zip a copy and attach to the thread.
If you give specific instructions of how to repeat something you are doing, users can 'experience' what you have.
It may be the easiest/efficient to reconcile the issue.

[ArviLaanemets]

It looks like you have a combo box or list box there, not a text box. There is the 255 character limit for control source length, and for record source text length (selection list or query string) for combo box and for list box, and I'm afraid in both cases 255 characters is upper limit to display too.