I'm not real advanced, but I'm not a beginner either. I've created a number of forms based on a file or a query, and placed a "search for" box on the form that allows the user to key in part or all of a text in the search box, press enter of tab, and the code behind the form finds the desired record. But this only seems to work when the searched-for item is unique. The record (or the nearest one to it, if only a partial text was entered) is found and the form positions itself to that record.
What I'm trying to accomplish may not be possible on a form because the more I think about it, the more I'm guessing that it would involve the form having to reload in order to group the records in a different order than how they initially are loaded and appear. What I'd like to do is what I can do in a query using the LIKE function in the Condition. There the user can type "ALF," and the Query will return any record it finds with the characters "ALF" anywhere in the field. But that's different, because the query selects, sorts, and groups before it presents its results either on the screen or on a report. I'm pretty sure that won't work with a Form, because once the records are displayed on the screen, typing "ALF" in the search box can't resort and regroup records on the screen that may be thousands of records apart.
So, I may have answered my own question. But if anyone has additional insight into this, I'd appreciate the feedback. Thank you,
Jerry