-NOOB- ??? - Can a form auto-insert(append) if record does not exist?

[MarcusW.]

Thanks in advance for your patience as I try to explain.

Goals:
Display how much experience a mechanic has with each component. (High, medium, or low). (every mechanic must have a value for every component, default to "low" for newly added components)
Easily update with changes to experience
Automatically accommodate additions to either the mechanic, or component table.


Table list:
tbl_mechanic


tbl_component
tbl_experience
tbl_matrix <-- has a unique index key (mechanicID + componentID=uniquecomboid) to prevent duplicates


I've created a form (form1) that has THREE list boxes:
lb_mechanics
lb_components
lb_experience

Here's my desired outcome:
Step 1, choose the mechanic from the lb_mechanics listbox
Step 2, choose the component from the lb_components listbox

OUTCOME:
lb_experience; highlights correct experience level found in existing match/record.

IF i need to change the records' experienceID, I would like to simply select the NEW experience from the lb_experience listbox, and the record would change, BUT....IF there is NO matching record, the form would INSERT the selected mechanicID + componentID + <selected> experienceID into the tbl_matrix.


Please feel free to let me know what information I'm not including that would help. I've been self researching for a week now. I need help.


Attaching what I think would help.

Mechanics.mdb

[ranman256]

You can do this with a parent/child form.
The parent form would be the single record of 1 mechanic.
the subForm would be the tblExperience as a list.
the list will show only his components. Alter his level here. It would be a cboBox to choose a different level.
you can also add a new record ,a combo box to pick component.