Dynamically send form names via VBA

[Thomasso]

Hello,

I want to automate text box design changes based on several conditions. For example, under some circumstances, I want to make a text box locked and change its appearance, so it's obvious that it's locked.

I tried this:

Public Const COLOR_LOCKED As Long = 10855845        ' #A5A5A5


Public Sub MakeControlLocked(FormName As String, ControlName As String, Optional LabelName As String)

    Forms!FormName!ControlName.ForeColor = COLOR_LOCKED
    Forms!FormName!ControlName.Locked = True

End Sub

And then call it from any form like this:

Private Sub cmdTest_Click()

    MakeControlLocked Me.Name, txtNotes

End Sub

However it seems like I cannot send form name as a parameter like this, because I get Runtime 2450: “Cannot Find The Referenced Form”

Is there any way to accomplish this? Thanks.

[Minty]

Pass the form in as a Form, and the control as a control.

Colin has some excellent examples on controls and controlling the Access UI
https://isladogs.co.uk/greyed-out-controls/index.html
https://isladogs.co.uk/set-controls/index.html

[moke123]

Since it appears your only manipulating the controls, you only need to pass the control object

Public Sub MakeControlLocked(ctl as control)

   ctl.ForeColor = COLOR_LOCKED
   ctl.Locked = True

End Sub

calling code:

MakeControlLocked Me.YourControlName

[Micron]

Now for why it didn't work: Forms! invokes reference to a collection of forms. What follows the bang (!) becomes the argument to whatever is the default member of the collection - in this case, the form name. You have no form by the name of "FormName" so it fails. IIRC, you can use a variable in place of a form name, but you would have to use the other syntax: Forms(FormName) or if the form name was frmMyForm, then Forms("frmMyForm").

[Thomasso]

Thanks everyone for the insights, I have now made it work!