cannot sort in tables?

[Guest]

I found a few posts of this (in different versions of Access), but no
resolutions. We have a computer with Access 2002 that does not allow us to
sort. With a table open, the Sort Ascending and Sort Descending buttons are
disabled as is the option in the context menu. We've tried new and old
databases in 2000 and 2002 formats as well as databases with a single table
that work on other computers. Any ideas on this?

 

[John Vinson]

I found a few posts of this (in different versions of Access), but no
resolutions. We have a computer with Access 2002 that does not allow us to
sort. With a table open, the Sort Ascending and Sort Descending buttons are
disabled as is the option in the context menu. We've tried new and old
databases in 2000 and 2002 formats as well as databases with a single table
that work on other computers. Any ideas on this?

<shrug> Use a Query. Queries can be sorted very flexibly; the query
can be opened as a datasheet just like a table, or (better) used as
the recordsource for a Form.


John W. Vinson[MVP]

 

[Joseph Meehan]

I found a few posts of this (in different versions of Access), but no
resolutions. We have a computer with Access 2002 that does not allow
us to sort. With a table open, the Sort Ascending and Sort Descending
buttons are disabled as is the option in the context menu. We've
tried new and old databases in 2000 and 2002 formats as well as
databases with a single table that work on other computers. Any ideas
on this?

Tables don't sort. Tables are just buckets of data with no specific
ordering of the data.

Microsoft Access provides queries, forms and reports all of which allow
sorting. Tables generally should be used not viewed. Note: the data in
Access is not in any specific order. You need to have a field to order on.
Also autonumber is not an ordering field, it is only designed to provide an
unique number.

 

[Guest]

Thanks guys. I understand that sorting in a table is basically useless, but
the customer wants to do it. And since it is a feature of Access that does
not seem to be working, I'm trying to figure out why it is not working. If we
open a table with a text field, click in the text field, we want to be able
to sort, albeit temporarily, by that field. However, the sorting options all
remain disabled. On any other computer, using the same database, in the same
table, the sorting options work just fine.

:

 

[Guest]

Thanks John. I agree with you 100%. But in this case it is a customer, so we
must give them what they want. I thought we covered everything from Detect
and Repair of Access to Office, even reinstalling Jet, to no avail.

 

[Joseph Meehan]

Thanks guys. I understand that sorting in a table is basically
useless, but the customer wants to do it. And since it is a feature
of Access that does not seem to be working, I'm trying to figure out
why it is not working. If we open a table with a text field, click in
the text field, we want to be able to sort, albeit temporarily, by
that field. However, the sorting options all remain disabled. On any
other computer, using the same database, in the same table, the
sorting options work just fine.

:

My advice is to make a simple query based on the table and hide the
table so they can't see it. Letting them see the tables is asking for this
kind of request.

 

[Joseph Meehan]

Thanks John. I agree with you 100%. But in this case it is a
customer, so we must give them what they want.

What they want is to be able to sort the data they are looking at. Give
them what they want not what they are asking for. As a professional
developer you really should consider that as part of your job, to guide them
when you don't understand something.