Set default value

[accessnewb]

Hi all,


I am trying to set a default value for a date textbox as 'mm/dd/yyyy'. And on focus of the textbox, the value needs to disappear and I would like it to reappear when the textbox loses focus. Also, when user types something into that textbox and then loses focus, then whatever the user typed needs to be displayed and not 'mm/dd/yyyy'.

I have seen this in multiple webpages and for the life of me I can't get hte code right . I tried specifying a condition like if the form is dirty then when the textbox loses focus, display whatever the user has typed, else display 'mm/dd/yyyy'. But just because the form is dirty, doesn't mean that the particular date textbox is dirty (it could be some other fields). So now I am out of ideas.

Any suggestions?

[pkstormy]

I might add an unbound text box onto the form and then in the OnGotFocus event of your field, copy the value of your field into the unbound text box (you can make the unbound text box invisible).

ex:
if not isnull(me.MyField.value) then
me.MyUnboundTextBox.value = me.MyField.value
end if

Then in the OnLostFocus event, copy unbound text box value into your field.
if not isnull(me.MyUnboundTextBox.value) then
me.MyField.value = me.MyUnboundTextBox.value
end if

You'll want to also make sure your field isn't formatted as a date so it can accept other type values.

As far as the default value, you can either utilize the field's default property to set it to a date value, or the form's onload property to set the date value, or you can instead set it to populate the unbound text box and wait for the OnLostFocus event to fire after the focus is lost on the field.

You may need to add a 'Refresh' command somewhere in your coding to refresh the screen.

ex:
me.MyField.value = me.MyUnboundTextBox.value
Refresh

(or me.requery)

Note though that the technique of over-writing (by setting the value when they lose the focus on that field) from what someone newly enters into a field is not really the best technique.

[accessnewb]

Hi,
This only works for unbound columns. For bound columns if the datatype is "date/time" and I set the default value as mm/dd/yyyy then I get the error, Run-time error '2113': The value you entered isn't valid for the field.

So I made the datatype into a "text", but now the date-picker doesn't show for the bound textbox .

I guess nothing can be done about it

[pkstormy]

See this post: https://www.accessforums.net/code-re...ent-15774.html

It's a replacement for the date picker and works much better with more control. Just import the CalendarPopuUp form and add a button on your form to open this form. See example coding on frmExamplePersons.