Can I Insert or Paste a List into a Continuous Form?

[tatihulot]

Hello, everyone. I’m using Access 2013. I created a relational database for my CD collection (with a LOT of help from this forum’s community—thank you). The database has a continuous form.

I was wondering if it is possible to paste a list of CD titles into the table or continuous form, to help streamline the data entering process.

For example, let’s say I have a record for the Beatles. I have the following list:

Abbey Road
Sgt. Pepper
Revolver
Let it Be
Rubber Soul
White Album
Beatles for Sale
Magical Mystery Tour



As of now, I am typing in each CD title one by one into the continuous form. It would be a lot less time consuming to enter the data if I could plop an entire list into a table or the form, since some artists have numerous albums in their discography.

I tried doing this but couldn’t. I’m assuming this can be done, so obviously I’m doing something wrong. It’s probably something so basic and obvious, I’m overlooking it.

I’ve attached the database in a .zip file to this post, in case you’d like to see what I’m working with.
Music Database 2015 Final Draft.zip
Thank you for helping! Jack D.

[June7]

Can copy/paste Excel selected range but it is tricky.

[tatihulot]

Tricky how so?

[June7]

The sheet has to have column headings same as in the table. Have to click on the record selector on New Record row then paste (Ctrl+V is shortcut).

Try it.

[tatihulot]

The sheet has to have column headings same as in the table.

Not 100% sure I understand what you meant by this. Let me tell you what I've done, and perhaps you can tell me what I'm doing wrong.

I copied the list to the clipboard. When that happens, The Clipboard pane appears in the left side of Access. It says to click an item to paste. I select the list from that pane, then position the cursor in a new row in the continuous form. When I attempt to paste, the entire list is in ONE ROW. Each item in the list needs to be in a separate row.

I assume I am doing something wrong. My best guess is I need the list formatted in some special way, to let Access know each item in the list is a separate record. Am I right? Otherwise, how would Access know whether the list is one line, or multiple ones? If my guess is right, then how do I format the list so that each line is recognized as a separate record, so Access would know to make multiple rows, one for each line in the list?

[tatihulot]

I am making progress, but there is good news and bad news.

After doing a little more reading and research, I tried working with the form in Datasheet view. Here's what I did: I switched to datasheet view, and then clicked on the header for the column. In this particular case, the header is ALBUM. I clicked that, and it highlighted the entire column. I then tried to paste the list into the datasheet.

The GOOD news: It worked. The list was pasted into the column exactly as I wanted it.

The BAD news: If there was any previously entered data there, it disappeared. Pasting the new data replaced the old data.

If I am starting a completely new record, then this process works great. But if I am adding something to an already-existing record, it doesn't work.

Is there a way to prevent the previously entered data from disappearing, or is this a case of having to take the bad with the good?

[June7]

The first row in Excel is the column headers row. This row must have headers that are the same as the field names in Access

What do you mean by 'list'? Are you clipping from a text file?

The method I described is only way I know to paste without overwriting data.

[Micron]

I think I've done what you're trying to do, if I understand. Since you already have a list, dump it into Excel. Highlight the cells, go to Access and on the ribbon, choose Paste Append. You won't over write anything and you shouldn't have any issues with data types since it's all text.

[tatihulot]

I think I've done what you're trying to do, if I understand. Since you already have a list, dump it into Excel. Highlight the cells, go to Access and on the ribbon, choose Paste Append. You won't over write anything and you shouldn't have any issues with data types since it's all text.

YES! That works perfectly! Thank you! Thank you, everyone, for helping me with this. You all just helped me save a LOT of time! Jack D.