Blanc form

[Soot]

Hello,



I would like to ask for some advice regarding a problem I keep having when trying to construct a form on Access (2016). The relational database I have built contains 9 tables.

When using ‘wizard form’: I can only add 3 to 4 tables to my form order to get to the step ‘how to view your data’ and select ‘by [name table]’. Once I add more tables to the form, this option is skipped and the end result of my form is not at all what I would want it to be. Moreover, when I select 4 tables or more my form ends up completely blanc in ‘form view’ while the variables do show up in ‘design view’.

I tried to overcome this problem by starting from ‘empty form’, but the same problem occurs. Once I add one (what seems to be a completely random) variable too many, the form is shown as completely blanc in ‘form view’ while ‘design view’ does show the variables. I have no idea how to overcome this problem..

My final question concerns the use of ‘forms with subforms’ or ‘linked forms’. I have heard of many arguments pro and contra each of those but is there a clear argument to choose one or the other?

Thank you very much!

[CJ_London]

for providing a user interface where the user can add/change data, the rule is one form, one table. If you need to use multiple tables, use subforms for the other tables. So far as I am aware there are no arguments against using subforms since that is the expected way user interfaces will work when multiple tables need to be seen on the same form. Perhaps the contra views you have heard are to do with using subforms inappropriately - can you provide examples? Or perhaps the contra view is about using a form or report and you want to create an excel type view where you will not be able to add/edit data.

Access is not a 'bigger' version of Excel but uses relationships to join tables together - it may be your blanc form is due those relationships not being created or the joins being of the wrong type - an ordinary inner join between two tables will only show data where the related fields contain matching data values - if one of the tables does not contain matching values with the other table, then no data will be shown for that value.

[Soot]

Thank you for your useful response.

Among the (contradictory) things I have heard is that the use of subforms rather than linked forms is more likely to create errors in the established relationships and that they can conflict with each other. I have also heard about ways of how to prevent that: by using ‘front end’ rather than ‘back end’ but I am too unexperienced in Access to understand this fully.

[CJ_London]

have heard is that the use of subforms rather than linked forms is more likely to create errors in the established relationships and that they can conflict with each other

I have never heard of that or found that to be an issue - you use the linkchild and linkmaster properties of the subform control to maintain the relationship. If anything, you are more likely to get issues with linked forms where you have to maintain the relationship via code.

I have also heard about ways of how to prevent that: by using ‘front end’ rather than ‘back end’

'splitting' is a given requirement regardless of types of forms used, and should always be done with the possible exception of a small, temporary db with a single user. The 'split' principle has nothing to with access but is good design practice. Backends contain only tables (and might be access, sql server or any other database) and are located in a suitable location (typically on a network) shared by all users. Front ends contain all the code, forms, reports and queries and each user has their own copy located on their machine or the users private area on a network.

[CJ_London]

@soot - just noticed you are crossposted here https://www.access-programmers.co.uk...d.php?t=293981

I see you have been advised of the protocols for cross posting