Combo Box Column Order and Selection

[Narvic]

To June7 and Rpeare. I have attached two very basic dbase's with a link to explain my problem. In each one click on the combo box "Item".The db called forum 1 lets me put in the correct value which is "item" in the form. But the columns in the drop down box are not in the order I want people to view. I want the action column first. In db Forum 2 the columns are in the order I want but it will only let me enter the "Action" value not the "Item" value. Can we leave the columns in this order but enter the value from the 2nd column. Both fields are text. Hope this explains the problem better and I would be very pleased if you can solve it. Please click link https://www.dropbox.com/sh/pnkdffi44yu7hra/9h7LTKw5hF

[Narvic]

Rpeare just noticed you have Access 2003, not sure if you can open 2010. Let me know if it is a problem and I will send dbs in 2003 format.

[rpeare]

I can't read 2010 files, sorry. But regardless, what you want to do isn't possible as far as I know. Whatever appears in the first column of your combo box will always be the value that's displayed in the field. If you use a list box you can show the columns in whatever order you want but for data entry list boxes are not typically a great idea. I don't understand why you couldn't use a cascading combo box or why it's so important that that your columns appear in a certain order you haven't really explained that just said it had to be that way. But the long and the short is that combo boxes will always show the first non-0 width column values.

[June7]

rpeare, did you mean 'will always show the first non-0 width column values'?

[rpeare]

indeed I did fixing it now

[Narvic]

Hi rpeare and June7. I do not know what a cascading combo box is. Perhaps you could demonstrate on one of the dbs I am including in the link below. Forum 1 puts in the correct data but columns wrong. Forum 2 columns correct but enters wrong data. My form is actually a sub form and forum 3 shows how it is in practice. If what I want cannot be done (enter 2nd non-0 column) I will leave the "Action" column as the 2nd column as in Forum 3. Thanks again for your help it is appreciated. Please follow the link https://www.dropbox.com/sh/sb966oqlvf0pb4t/-z2Kn1CuDc

[rpeare]

First, I am only looking at the item labeled 'forum1.mdb'

Second, I am assuming your 'main' database the ACCNO field of your ACCESSORIES table is in fact an autonumber field you are using as your primary key.

Your table TblEstimateAccessoriesRequired only needs two fields. the ACCNO (foreign key to your ACCESSORIES table) and the Quantity.

Here is a copy of that database:forum 1.zip

[Narvic]

What I sent in Forum 1 is a much simplified version of the form, just to see if you could make it enter values from a 2nd non-0 column. My actual database is Forum 3mdb and the form in question is a subform linked to the main form. The Accessories table primary key is "Item". The table TblEstimateAccessoriesRequired has 8 fields as you will see in Forum 3mdb and the primary key is AcNo which is an auto number. It is all working extremely well. I just wanted to switch the position of the columns in the "Item" combo box if possible. Please see forum 3mdb which should make every thing clear. I have obviously mislead you by sending mdb's 1 & 2. If you agree that it is not possible to enter the data from a 2nd non-0 column in a combo box then you have answered my original post where I asked if it was possible. I do find it strange that Access is not capable of doing it.

[June7]

Here is example of dependent (cascading) comboboxes http://datapigtechnologies.com/flash...combobox2.html