Dynamic Headings on Multi Column Report

[EddieN1]

I have a 4 column, simple report listing inventory items in a down, then across layout. There are only three data elements, category, item number, description, sorted in category then item number sequence. There are a number of items in each category. Each of the 4 columns is a column with the three data elements, above each other. For example,



Category 1_____________Category 1 ________________Category 3_______________ Category 4
Item 1 _________________Item 3 _____________________Item AAA ___________________Item 111
Item 1 Description_______ Item 3 Description ____________Item AAA Description _________Item 111 Description


Category 1 ____________Category 2 _________________Category 3 ________________Category 5
Item 2 _________________ Item A _____________________Item BBB ____________________Item ABC
Item 2 Description ________Item A Description ___________Item BBB Description __________Item ABC Description

I want the Category name to appear only (1) when it changes or (2) when it is at the top of the column on the page. I have marked the ones in red that I don't want to appear and I show the ones I do want to appear in bold text.

I am comfortable working with VBA events so it I can make this happen using VBA, that would be fine.

Thanks for any help you can provide. Eddie

[June7]

This looks painfully difficult because the display condition is dependent on values in other records. For a record to use value from another record usually calls for a subquery.

Could try textbox HideDuplicates property but I am doubtful it can handle your requirements.

[EddieN1]

Thanks for your suggestion. The Hide Duplicates does solve objective 1 in that it doesn't appear unless it changes. However, if the first category in column 2 is the same as the last category in column 1, it doesn't appear at the top of column 2. Is there a way to detect what column number the data is being formatted on? Thanks, Eddie

[June7]

I don't even understand why that is happening. Surely HideDuplicates property of a textbox doesn't know what is in another textbox? It should only consider the values of the field the textbox is bound to, not the values of field another textbox is bound to.

[EddieN1]

I have only three text boxes on the report...

Category (Hide Duplicates = Yes)
Item Number
Item Description

These text boxes are set up only once, but the data lists down the page for each item. Since I have the report set to 4 columns, after the first column fills up the page the second column starts from the top. Same for columns 3 and 4.

Do you know of any way I can detect when the text boxes move from one column to the next?

Eddie

[June7]

Oh, didn't catch what you meant by '4 column' in original post. Nope. That is way out of my experience. I have no idea if, and very much doubt, it is possible.

[EddieN1]

Okay, thanks. Maybe someone else has figured this out in the past. Eddie

[June7]

The only approach I can imagine would be an elaborate VBA procedure that writes data to a 'temp' table set up with 4 columns. It is technique I use to rearrange data into horizontal orientation. Example can be viewed at http://forums.aspfree.com/microsoft-...ry-322123.html