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  1. #1
    Mynotoar is offline Novice
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    Question Can you edit multi-value combo boxes using the keyboard?

    I have a database to store items in an inventory, and I want to use Tags to help me filter them. So I've got a multi-value combobox populated with a list of tags, e.g. "Stationery", "Printer", "Cable" according to what category of item it is.



    With normal combo-boxes, I can type in the values I want and use tab to continue. But the only way I can edit the combobox is by clicking on it and opening it. Clicking is just too cumbersome when I'm adding in several hundred entries. I couldn't find any setting on the combobox control that allows me to use the keyboard to modify it.

    Is there any workaround for this that allows me to input multiple values into one field using the keyboard, without having to click and select?

  2. #2
    Micron is offline Virtually Inert Person
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    Perhaps not what you want to hear, but multi value fields and lookup fields in tables are to be avoided whenever possible. The problems they introduce are usually not worth it -
    or so you're beginning to realize. A properly normalized set of tables is preferred. BTW, Tag is a specific property and multi-value has a specific meaning. If I've misinterpreted your post that would be why. For example, there really is no such thing as a list of tags.
    The more we hear silence, the more we begin to think about our value in this universe.
    Paraphrase of Professor Brian Cox.

  3. #3
    Mynotoar is offline Novice
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    Hi Micron,

    Thanks for the reply. I'll try and clarify what I'm trying to do and have done so far - though I'm probably misusing terms. I want to have a list of conceptual categories that I can use to filter my items - I'm using the term "tag" because it makes the most sense in context. So I created a list from which I could select multiple values - e.g. an item might have the categories of "Printer" and "Cable" if it's a box containing both things. That was my intended meaning of multi-value.

    I see what you mean about how a table might be easier in this context. I'm just a little bit unsure how I might incorporate it into a Form, in a user-friendly way. If I had "tags" stored in a table, I guess there would be a many-to-many relationship between "item" and "tag", so I would need a junction table in between. If I'm adding one or more tags to an object, should I create a sub-form control for the junction table, or the tags table? Or something else?

    (I'm an Access beginner if it wasn't clear)

  4. #4
    Micron is offline Virtually Inert Person
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    My inclination is that things are pretty much black and white and there's no grey - not always an advantage. Thus I can take this 3 ways
    So I created a list from which I could select multiple values
    - you have a listbox from which you can multi select
    - you have a table (list) with records where one or more fields is a multi-value field
    - you have a table with records where one or more fields has multiple values separated by some character (often comma, thus called Comma Separated Values or csv)

    This is probably one of those cases where you're better off giving an explanation of the requirements of this part of the db rather than what you've tried. Sounds like you want to select several items on a form and identify them as being in a box that has some sort of identification. However, I suspect there's more to it.

    Or you could research listboxes - how to populate them, single or multi-select and deal with the selections. BUT normalization of your data is key. If that is a foreign topic I suggest you back up and learn it. It's the foundation of a well designed db and if yours is lacking in that respect, you will frequently have issues that require some sort of work around.

  5. #5
    CJ_London is offline VIP
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    one option is to have a combo with a rowsource of existing entries which you can then simply add to. The potential issue is that you can end up with near duplicates

    so if your table is something like

    myTable
    PK
    Desc
    Tag

    so your combo rowsource with be

    SELECT DISTINCT Tag FROM myTable ORDER BY TAG

  6. #6
    June7's Avatar
    June7 is offline VIP
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    Tag is a reserved word. Should not name anything with reserved word.

    Common form arrangement for m-to-m is a main form for one side of relationship and subform for junction table with a combobox to select from other related table.
    How to attach file: http://www.accessforums.net/showthread.php?t=70301 To provide db: copy, remove confidential data, run compact & repair, zip w/Windows Compression.

Please reply to this thread with any new information or opinions.

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