Field Size

[Guest]

I am working on a database made by someone else. I am trying to redo one of
the forms to meet our new standards of how we want to display information.
The existing field was a combo box that took data from our Job Manager table
which listed managers by their initials (up to three characters). We now want
to display the full last name and first initial of the manager. I changed
the information in the table from initials to name. Now when I try to select
a manager's name from the drop down box in the form it tells me that the
field size is too small to accept the amount of data. I checked the table and
the field is set to 50 characters, more than enough for these names. Why
can't I get it to accept the full name now? Any advice?

Maddini

 

[Brian Hoops]

Is this field in any relationships?

 

[John Vinson]

I am working on a database made by someone else. I am trying to redo one of
the forms to meet our new standards of how we want to display information.
The existing field was a combo box that took data from our Job Manager table
which listed managers by their initials (up to three characters). We now want
to display the full last name and first initial of the manager. I changed
the information in the table from initials to name. Now when I try to select
a manager's name from the drop down box in the form it tells me that the
field size is too small to accept the amount of data. I checked the table and
the field is set to 50 characters, more than enough for these names. Why
can't I get it to accept the full name now? Any advice?

I'm guessing that this is a (yuck, PTOOIE!) Lookup field. Is it? If
so, the actual field contains the 3-byte initials, but what you *see*
is the looked-up name. If that's the case, you'll want to have the
Combo's properties set so that the bound column is the short code and
the displayed value is the full name, or an expression like

Left([FirstName], 1) & ". " & [LastName]

Out of curiosity: what code would have been used if you had two
managers named William J. Brown and Wenda J. Brukowsky?

John W. Vinson[MVP]
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[Mike Painter]

I am working on a database made by someone else. I am trying to redo
one of the forms to meet our new standards of how we want to display
information. The existing field was a combo box that took data from
our Job Manager table which listed managers by their initials (up to
three characters). We now want to display the full last name and
first initial of the manager. I changed the information in the table
from initials to name. Now when I try to select a manager's name from
the drop down box in the form it tells me that the field size is too
small to accept the amount of data. I checked the table and the field
is set to 50 characters, more than enough for these names. Why can't
I get it to accept the full name now? Any advice?

It's not clear which table you are talking about.
I'm guessing that you are trying to store the last name or full name in the
table that the form is based on and that still is set to tree characters.
(or three if you like)
That field should be left alone (see below) and a query built that relates
the form table and the managers table.

John asks a valid question that should be solved. There is another one that
might cause more problems. What happens when Wenda (time comes) and she gets
married?
Now Wenda J. Brukowsky is Wenda J. Smith. What do you do with her initials
and all the related records.