Combo Box Control

[Guest]

I am using a combo box to allow users to select their name from a list based
on a query.
If the user clicks on the arrow to the right of the box a query pop up box
asks them to enter the first letter of their surname and this then displays
the drop down list of names from which they can select.
Some users inadvertantly click directly into the combo box and then start to
type their name ,which then brings up the query pop, up but the user carries
on typing not seeing it , and when they press enter they are left with just
the first letter they typed inserted in the combo box.
Is it possible to ensure that if the user clicks directly into the combo box
they get the same response as clicking on the arrow i.e the query pop up
appears immediatly.
Secondly is it possible to customise the size and text of the query pop up
to make it larger.
Thanks in anticipation

 

[Al Campagna]

Dave,
I think your re-inventing the wheel here...
The AutoExpand property of the combo (set to Yes) does exactly what your trying to do.
If you type "C" it will go to the first name that begins with "C"
Then type "a" and the combo will further "drill down" to the first name that begins
with "Ca" etc... as you continue to type.

Within a few keystrokes you should have drilled down to pretty close to the selection
your looking for.

Is there some reason, not indicated in your post, why that would not work?

 

[Ken Snell \(MVP\)]

Assuming that you're doing this because the list in the combo box would have
too many entries until filtered by the first letter, perhaps this sample
database will give you an idea:
http://www.cadellsoftware.org/SampleDBs.htm#CombinedTextComboBoxes

 

[Guest]

The table has 700 names and the column displayed includes the persons
initials and therefore using the auto expand will not drill down to
surnames, Hence I use a seperate column of surname only and run a query on
the table to preselect all surnames begining with that letter for the combo
box.
Thanks for the tip on Sample Databases, I will have a look.

 

[Al Campagna]

Dave,
In addition to Ken's suggestion... I would think that the column would be better
presented as Last First MI, avoiding the problem and the need to pre-code altogether.
That would be considered a more "normal" (whatever that is :-D) way to drill down to a
small name range.
700 names is not a significant load to Access.
You're call though...
Good luck,

 

[Guest]

Al
Good idea I'll give it a try.
Thanks