Generate button in report ONLY IF link exists

[rhewitt]

I have a report that includes buttons that link to external websites. Each button dynamically generates the URL by concatenating a base URL with a UID (from table), which opens the appropriate webpage (Species profile). The more rare / recently discovered a species is, the less likely that there's a species profile.

Rather than showing a button for EVERY species (as some will open a 'Species has no profile' generic webpage), I'd like to only show buttons where a full URL exists.

I'm assuming this would have to be tied to something like an OnLoad event for the report.

The following only works on the first record. If that's Null, it doesn't create any buttons. If the first value is notNull, it creates a button for every record. Seems like I need to loop through all records with this test, but I'm not sure how to accomplish this.

Private Sub Report_Load()
    If IsNull(Me.ECOScode) Then
        Me.ECOSbutton.Visible = False
    Else
        Me.ECOSbutton.Visible = True   
End Sub

Thanks for any help you can offer,
Roy

[June7]

I tried some code just recently to set properties of controls on a report. Didn't work and I gave up. The event I used was OnFormat for Detail section.

[rhewitt]

The Format even looks promising... can't seem to get the output the ECOScode value of the current record with Debug.Print.

[June7]

The issue is there is only one control involved, as can be seen in design view. The control is repeated for each record displayed but it is only one control. Setting property by code sets it for all instances of the control on the report. At least that was my experience for the properties I was trying to code. Maybe Visible property will be different.

Try your code in the OnFormat event. Don't forget the End If which is missing from your first posted code. No 'Loop', the Format event should be applied to each record.

[rhewitt]

WOW! Apparently this event isn't fired in ReportView, only in Print View! That doesn't make a lick of sense.

http://database.ittoolbox.com/groups...report-4756326

[June7]

Sorry, I should have thought to mention that. Format event fires only for PrintPreview or direct to printer.

So this issue resolved?

[rhewitt]

Solved in the sense that it doesn't have a solution. Why would Microsoft make events that fire only in certain views. That's something I may never understand.

Thanks again for your help,
Roy

[June7]

Of yeah - can't click on button in PrintPreview. Nasty Catch22!