Confused about text criteria

[Sheila D]

Can anybody tell me why this works:

WHERE
(((Q_Procedure_Type_Strings.Combined)=[Forms]![ChooseF_Consultant_Procedure_Times]![Combined]))
OR ((([Forms]![ChooseF_Consultant_Procedure_Times]![Combined]) Is Null));

but this does not

WHERE (((Q_Procedure_Type_Strings.Combined) Like
IIf([Forms]![ChooseF_Consultant_Procedure_Times]![Combined] Is
Null,"*",[Forms]![ChooseF_Consultant_Procedure_Times]![Combined])));

I have other text criteria expressed with the Like IIF which work perfectly
so I'm puzzled! ANy help much appreciated.
Sheila

 

[Marshall Barton]

Can anybody tell me why this works:

WHERE
(((Q_Procedure_Type_Strings.Combined)=[Forms]![ChooseF_Consultant_Procedure_Times]![Combined]))
OR ((([Forms]![ChooseF_Consultant_Procedure_Times]![Combined]) Is Null));

but this does not

WHERE (((Q_Procedure_Type_Strings.Combined) Like
IIf([Forms]![ChooseF_Consultant_Procedure_Times]![Combined] Is
Null,"*",[Forms]![ChooseF_Consultant_Procedure_Times]![Combined])));

I have other text criteria expressed with the Like IIF which work perfectly
so I'm puzzled! ANy help much appreciated.

The second only works under a bunch of restrictions
(wildcards). The first one is much more explicit without
the confusion of using Like.

 

[Duane Hookom]

You don't tell us why you think your second syntax doesn't work. Your issue
might be that a criteria of:
Like "*"
will not match Nulls in your field.