combo box

  • Thread starter Thread starter george
  • Start date Start date
G

george

Hi,

I have a table with 2 fields used as the rowsource for a
combo box (throu a query). The primary key is an
AutoNumber and next to it there is a text field with the
names of the different parts for a machine.

For autonumber entry 1 I have left the text field next to
it blank and I start using the names of the different
parts from entry 2 on, thinking that in this way I give
the user of the combo box the convenience of a blank
field in case he changes his mind about a choice he made
and he would like to leave the combo box blank.

Generalizing this example, in terms of database design, is
this a good practice or will it lead me to trouble later
on?

thanks in advance, george
 
George

Are you saying that one of your "entries" via this combo box is a "no entry"
(blank, null, whatever)? Why? As in "why do you need to record the fact
that no fact has been selected for this one field?" I'm not being critical
or facetious, I'm trying to understand what business need you have to record
a "no value" entry.
 
Hi Jeff,

Actually I'm not sure what I'm doing that's why I posted
the question. You see, when for example you try to
construct a QBE in Access, in the "Sort" combo box it says
Ascending, Desceding, (Not Sorted), in other words it lets
the user know that it is not necessary to make a choice in
this field. Also I think I have seen in the past combo
boxes with a blank option at the top of their lists (they
may be badly designed of course, I don't know). In the
same way I feel that when a user sees a blank option in a
combo box he feels free to use it especially if he's
already made a wrong choice and doesn't know how to delete
it

george
 
George

I'm not sure I've ever used that interpretation of "Ascending,
Descending..." -- I believe that only relates to sort order, not to any need
to make a selection.

An alternative to forcing the users to make a blank choice is to let them
know they can highlight an incorrect choice and hit <Delete>. Anyway, how
can users tell the difference between what they see when there is no value
chosen, and when they've chosen a blank value?! Since these are two
different conditions, they would require two different selection criteria to
find!

I'm still not sensing a business need to store a <no value chosen> value...
 
Back
Top