AutoComplete in Access tables

[Guest]

I am filling in a new table in an Access database, and one of the fields has
only 5 or 6 values that are repeated over and over. In Excel when you enter
data like this, the program automatically fills in the repeated word or
phrase after you type the first couple of letters, and then you either tab
over (to accept) or keep typing if the current word is different from the
AutoComplete choice. It seems a no-brainer that Access should have this
feature too, but I can't find any way to turn it on. I can use CTRL-' if
the value is repeated from the preceeding record, but more often the repeated
phrase occurs a few records up from the one I'm entering. Some of them are
quite long phrases and I'm getting tired of typing them out. Any advice?

 

[Guest]

You should not be entering data directly into the table but into a form.

 

[Guest]

Karl: Thank you for the tip! I was following a textbook's instructions to
"create a table by entering data", so I'm stuck for the moment, but I'll make
a note of your advice for future use. Probably the textbook writers want us
to try things every possible way so that we can better understand the
advantages of doing it right
Thanks,
Eman

 

[Guest]

Hi Eman,

I am filling in a new table in an Access database, and one of the fields
has only 5 or 6 values that are repeated over and over.

This is generally a clear indication of a poorly designed table structure.
You should not have lots of repeated data. Take a quick look at the first
screen of the Table Analyzer wizard (Tools > Analyze > Table).

Some of them are quite long phrases and I'm getting tired of typing
them out. Any advice?

You can always select the text that you want to copy, and then use the
control key + the C key (Ctrl C) to copy this text into the clipboard. Then
use Ctrl V to paste the contents of the clipboard into the target position.

I was following a textbook's instructions to "create a table by entering data"...

I can appreciate the fact that you are a student, and must follow the
instructions in a textbook. Let me guess-is your book published by Course
Technology? In real life--after you finish this course--you should NEVER
create tables by entering data. Doing so is a great way to end up with a
denormalized structure!

The best designs are done using paper and pencil, with a good erasure,
before attempting to implement the design in any RDBMS (Relational Database
Management System) software.

Tom
______________________________________

:

Karl: Thank you for the tip! I was following a textbook's instructions to
"create a table by entering data", so I'm stuck for the moment, but I'll make
a note of your advice for future use. Probably the textbook writers want us
to try things every possible way so that we can better understand the
advantages of doing it right
Thanks,
Eman
______________________________________

:

You should not be entering data directly into the table but into a form.

On the form use a ComboBox and set the Auto Expand property to Yes.
______________________________________

:

I am filling in a new table in an Access database, and one of the fields has
only 5 or 6 values that are repeated over and over. In Excel when you enter
data like this, the program automatically fills in the repeated word or
phrase after you type the first couple of letters, and then you either tab
over (to accept) or keep typing if the current word is different from the
AutoComplete choice. It seems a no-brainer that Access should have this
feature too, but I can't find any way to turn it on. I can use CTRL-' if
the value is repeated from the preceeding record, but more often the repeated
phrase occurs a few records up from the one I'm entering. Some of them are
quite long phrases and I'm getting tired of typing them out. Any advice?