Conditional Format assistance

[Kirnicko]

Hi all! I have an Access database with numerous tables, queries, reports etc. I'm comfortable with the program but am struggling to find detailed information on how to do key word search in a field for conditional formatting. When researching conditional format help, they are VERY specific parameters, i.e Less than 100. Or if field matches "Robert". I need something a little more flexible. I have a text field that is unlimited size. Notes are kept in the field reference automobile maintenance. So if I put "oil change completed" or "brakes grinding. Replaced front and rear". I need to highlight the report field so that anything with "oil", or "b service" or "oil change" will highlight Blue. Or "brakes", "brake" highlight green.

So essentially I need to figure out how to tell system to search the entire field and if "oil" shows up, (condition), then shade blue (format). If anyone has a link to a detailed site that expands on this I would really appreciate it! Or if anyone can explain or show examples. Thank you!

[pbaldy]

Try a condition of:

[FieldName] Like "*Oil*"

You can add others separated by OR if that works.

[Missinglinq]

While you can enter all kinds of data in a Memo (Long Text) Field, one of the Cardinal rules to having a well designed, normalized database is that no single field will contain more than one individual piece of data. Data stored in Memo fields should be restricted to "notes" or narrative type information, such as a salesman's notes on a customer visit or a doctor's progress notes on a patient.

These fields have are considered to be problematic by many developers, but working primarily in a Heath Care environment, I've used Memo fields extensively for a number of years, without ever having a problem. The secret is to follow one single rule:

Never, never, never place data in a Memo field if there any possibility that you will ever need to search, sort, parse or in any other way manipulate the data!

Don't know how deep into this database you are...but if possible you really should be using a Subform to enter the various maintenance procedures...with one procedure per Record. It'll save you a lot of heart ache in the end. Right now you're just trying to identify one piece of data in one Record...one day you'll need to know how many oil changes you've done in a given time period...or brake jobs, etc. And it'll be a whole lot easier doing this searching a single Field for a given Value than having to slog through a much larger Table with a text field that is unlimited size.

Linq ;0)>

[Kirnicko]

THank you so much for replies. Unfortunately I'm YEARS into this database and am too late to start over. FORTUNATELY, vehicles are only kept for certain amount of time so any searches are relatively few entries. (not thousands or anything). Luckily, I had stumbled upon the suggestion pbaldy had above and I've been able to do exactly what was needed with this method, it just seems I've tapped out. I'm unable to capturn any more items. I DO separate each entry by type of service. But we recently decided we needed to watch strut damage and when I tried to do the LIKE sample above, there was no response from system. Conditional formatting did not produce results. Wondering if there is a "limit", and are you able to show the string to include "and" i.e. Like oil AND B serive AND oil change? I'm struggling with the exact formula

[pbaldy]

Along the lines of

[FieldName] Like "*Oil*" OR [FieldName] Like "*B serive*"

[Kirnicko]

Thank you pbaldy! I will try that today!

[pbaldy]

No problem, post back if you get stuck.

[bubai]

Along the lines of

[FieldName] Like "*Oil*" OR [FieldName] Like "*B serive*"

Hi there!
I need to do conditional formatting on report where I have got both text and number fields. Record source is from a Union query. I would like to have 2 effects based on the value of "Type" field. If it's value is "Balance", I would like to have the other 3 fields horizontally to it's right which are value fields to be Bold. And also the "Balance" field have to be Bold as well.
Screen shot is attached below.

[ssanfu]

Since you didn't post a sample dB, I threw together one. This is just a demo of conditional formatting (not of how the report should be designed).
I made "Balance" bold red, "Akhaura" bold green, "Bhomra" and "Dhaka" bold black.

Open the report in design view, select a control, click FORMAT in the menu, then click Conditional Formatting.
The Conditional Formatting rule is different for "Type" than Conditional Formatting rules for "Akhaura", "Bhomra" and "Dhaka".
To set the same Conditional Formatting rules for multiple controls, select the controls before setting/creating the rule(s).

[brigitteAT]

thank you Steve for sending me the whole db, but I dont use the accdb - extension - always use mdb - 2000 standard ... and
even with your db and extension, the button CF does not react at all ... think I'll better try to get my new pc to the old standard of the 9.0 Library and hope it works then

[ssanfu]

OK, refresh my memory.

This thread was started by Kirnicko - July 2020
Then bubai posted in this thread - Oct 2020. (thusly Hijacking the thread started by Kirnicko)
And now, there is your post (brigitteAT) Feb 2021. I can't find where I have replied to you.

My main computer died a slow death at the beginning of Jan 2021, so maybe you would post the db and remind me of your question?
And you should start your own thread so more people will see your question(s)......


UPDATE:

Success!! I did a search and found your posts. I never replied to any of your posts..... no wonder I don't recall anything.

OK, so you are having problems with CF..

I still have A2010 on a computer at home and A2000 on my laptop. If you want, post your dBs and tell me the problem(s) you are having and I'll take a look and do a conversion if that is what you want.
Or PM me and we'll work out something....

[brigitteAT]

OK, refresh my memory.

This thread was started by Kirnicko - July 2020
Then bubai posted in this thread - Oct 2020. (thusly Hijacking the thread started by Kirnicko)
And now, there is your post (brigitteAT) Feb 2021. I can't find where I have replied to you.

My main computer died a slow death at the beginning of Jan 2021, so maybe you would post the db and remind me of your question?
And you should start your own thread so more people will see your question(s)......


UPDATE:

Success!! I did a search and found your posts. I never replied to any of your posts..... no wonder I don't recall anything.

OK, so you are having problems with CF..

I still have A2010 on a computer at home and A2000 on my laptop. If you want, post your dBs and tell me the problem(s) you are having and I'll take a look and do a conversion if that is what you want.
Or PM me and we'll work out something....

thank you, my whole mdb is much too large to send/post, thus I made a small one with just the form I'd been working on, when I started the thread
in the form WEGLinks I tried to get one of the field "DatumStatus" or "Status" in Red (if it says 8.2.21 or "angelegt - leer" ) to tell me, that I still have to work on this
but in whatever view I chose, the CF button does not react at all.....

[Minty]

@Steve - I have replied here https://www.accessforums.net/showthread.php?t=82858

It might be sensible to only have the one thread for potential answers?

[brigitteAT]

@Steve - I have replied here https://www.accessforums.net/showthread.php?t=82858

It might be sensible to only have the one thread for potential answers?

Thank you so much Minty!
of course I agree, but must confess, that I haven't yet understood the system of this platform ... I get a mail telling me there is some response and then just answer there .... sorry!!!!

[ssanfu]

Thanks Minty... I'll switch to the other thread.