tab controls

[SusanV]

I have inherited a database with several forms which work well together via
button controls, but I would like to streamline things using tab controls.

This is how it works now:
The secondary forms are filtered by the current recordset in the main form,
which is workable but kind of clunky - if a user want to compare this
dataset for another record, they have to close the secondary form, scroll to
the new record on the main form then click the button to get the new records
secondary data. Pain in the butt for sure.

Using tab controls, I can put the main, secondary, tertiary etc forms in one
interface, which is more useful as the user can change recordsets from any
tab. However, when I try to bring the existing forms into the pages, I lose
all the event handling, such as OpenReport or StartDoc or whatnot.

Is there some way to bring my existing forms in without losing the
functionality of all the buttons and other controls? I really don't want to
have to dig through to re-associate (or recreate) all the subs...


Thanks in advance,
Susan

 

[Guest]

I have inherited a database with several forms which work well together via
button controls, but I would like to streamline things using tab controls. Use this code: Me!TabCtlName!Value where TabCtlName is the name of your tab control.

Good luck,
Vic

 

[SusanV]

Hi Vic,

Thanks for helping, but I don't understand - where do I use this code? I'm
learning but still foggy on quite a few things, being self-taught, so please
be patient with me...
I'm not strong with tab controls, learning as I go in fact, and I *think* I
have to start with a blank form, add tab control, then design each page, no?
The forms are fairly complex, and I can copy/paste to get the labels
textboxes etc, but the buttons lose functionality. Some of the buttons will
go away, having been replaced by the tabs, thankfully, but still a lot of
them need to stay...

Is the copy/paste where I'm going wrong? Can I somehow join or import the
form?

I'm so confused... <grin>

 

[Guest]

Hi,

Boy do I remember "I'm so confused... <grin>" I am also self-taught, but I
started a long time ago - 1992 or 1993. So here goes: First go to
www.vicrauch.net and download the sample database there. This database uses
a tab control as the main user interface/navigation tool for the database.
(I love tab controls!)

Generally speaking, you do not want to create your own "stuff" on a page of
a tab control, but rather you want another form "inserted" onto the page of a
tab control. The way you get an already designed form onto a page of your
tab control is to drag that form (by draging the name of the form) from your
database window onto the specific page where you want that form. Another
option would be to create a new control on your tab control page. It sounds
like you have been doing that already with buttons, fields, etc. But, what
you really want is a sub-form control, then make the source of that new
control be the name of one of your existing forms.

Hope this helps. If not, let me know and I'll try a different approach.

Vic

 

[SusanV]

Oh My Gawd.................

That was so INCREDIBLY simple, it never occurred to me to drag and drop the
form. Wow, do I feel dumb, thank you SO MUCH you saved me at least a day
re-coding everything! Took me 5 minutes to bring 5 forms into one sweet tab
control, everything works, You TOTALLY rock! Added your site to favorites,
tomorrow I'll give the alternate method a shot in my "play copy" of the app
just to learn it... Again, thanks a million, I owe ya one. I'm doing a
mid-career shift from Exchange Server to coding (it's so much more fun than
e-mail!) so if you need help with some silly old mail server let me know
<grin>

I'm off to download that sample db now, thanks again!!!!

SusanV