Can switchboard open up a table?

D

Douglas J. Steele

Why would you want to? You shouldn't be working directly with the tables:
that's what forms are for.
 
J

Joseph Meehan

AdamZ said:
Is it possible to have switchboard open a table?

If so, how?

Thanks for help.

-Adam

That would seem counter intuitive to me. You use switchboards to help
people who don't know their way around Access. If they don't know Access,
you don't want to give them an easy way to get to a table where they may
make big errors.

Sorry I don't know the answer to your question. I would guess you
could, but I have never tried.
 
G

Guest

It's a wierd situation. I'll try to make it simple:

There are two groups working on the same project. One is inputting
information in an excel file. I've created a linked .xls file in Access.
However, I can't get access to directly update that file. (I found a link
saying that Microsoft had to remove the ability for access to edit an excel
file.) So, we've been cutting and pasting the fields in the linked .xls file
to a different table in access where we can edit the information.

To make finding the two tables above easier (the linked one and the one
we're pasting in to) I'd like to link to them via switchboard.

Though, any suggestions on how to make the process easier are more than
welcome.

-Adam
 
G

Guest

I agree. It is counter intuitive. The problem is I need to figure out a way
to add and edit fields in access when then originating data is in excel.
Being that Access can only read the excel file, and not save information back
to it, I have to figure out a way to make the linked table's information
"editable."

The only way I could figure it out was to copy the information from the
linked table to a new table, where the information is editable. And, the
only way I know how to do that is via a cut and paste from one table to
another.

Tough situation, no?

-Adam
 
D

Douglas J. Steele

That still doesn't explain why you're not using a form with two subforms,
one for each of the two tables.

To answer your question, though, you can create a function that opens the
table using the OpenTable method, and call that function from the
switchboard.
 
G

Guest

Thanks for sticking with me. I don't think I explained my setup very well as
I only have one form, with no subforms.

All in all, I have two tables and one form.

Table 1: The linked table ("Excel Data")
Table 2: The table access can edit ("Editable Data")

Form 1: Tracking (This form only edits information from "Editable Data")

I use the tracking form to edit and add information in table 2. I would
have linked form 1 to table 1, however, as a linked table access can't save
the information back to the excel file. (At least, I can't figure out how.)
So, in an effort to make the data from table 1 editable, we copy the
information from table 1 (the linked table) to table 2 (the access table),
and then use the form (tracking) to make changes and input new data.

The reason we can't just do a single import and work completely in access is
that new records will be created in excel every week.

Does that help?

Adam
 
D

Douglas J. Steele

Yes, you're correct that you can no longer update linked Excel spreadsheets.

I still think you'd be better off adding a subform to your existing form so
that you can see the data from both sources at once.

In any case, is the work-around I gave you satisfactory?
 
G

Guest

Wouldn't Access's export function, to a .xls file type, achieve this without
all the cutting and pasting?
 
G

Guest

Figured it out!

Does anyone know of a product that I can buy that will let me write to an
Excel linked table from Access?
 
G

Guest

I'll take a look, though, I have a feeling it'll be over my head. In any
event, I do appreciate the help.

-Adam
 

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