How to "reverse engineer" a report

[Buakaw]

Hi,
I am taking over an existing Access project, and I'm totally new to this. I would like to understand how the existing reports were created, and where it's drawing it's data source. In short I want to learn how to "reverse engineer" the existing records.

Is there a way I can tell which query the report is created from, or it's source?

Also what's the easiest way to see where each of the fields are being drawn from? I tried to put it into design view then go one by one in the text and combo boxes to try to see where the data is coming from, but I do not know how to interpret the fields in the property box.

Tried searching on Access help and on the web without much success. Is there an online resource the tells you how to interpret the property sheets of each control in detail? Thanks.

[RuralGuy]

Each Report has a RecordSource on the Data tab of the Property sheet for the Form. This is usually a query and pressing the "..." button next to the value will bring up the query in design view so you can examine it.

[Buakaw]

Hello RuralGuy,
Do you mean that every report has a generic Property tab that lists its datasource? I tried clicking on the spaces where there are no controls, and for data it is a blank sheet. How do you bring up this generic datasheet for the entire report?

The best I can do is go to design view and click on each and every single control (text box, etc.) and then right click and select Properties. But when I look at the property sheet under the Data tab in the Control Source field, it only lists the field name, and sometimes the field name in square brackets.

E.g. Last Name or [Last Name]. It does not tell me where exactly this field came from (there may be multiple fields in different tables called "Last Name"), or it could even come from a Query.

How can I get the full path to the actual variable? E.g. tblMainStudentInfo.Last_Name or something like that, instead of just [Last Name]?

I click the "..." expression builder button but in the builder's textbox it still says [Last Name] and nothing else.

Thanks.

[RuralGuy]

At the far top left of the Report is a box. It is at the left edge of the ruler. If it is selected then you can look at the Property Sheet for the whole report.

[ajetrumpet]

this box next to the ruler, if you haven't found it yet.

[weekend00]

Just create a report by yourself without the wizard, then you will know how a report works.

[Buakaw]

Ah! Found it! Thanks all, that's so "hidden!" Yes that's what I was looking for, thank you.

[RuralGuy]

Excellent! Glad to hear you got it sorted.