Help with Modal Popup form

[dchendrickson]

I am using Access2002 / XP Pro.

I am working with a main form and a popup form. When the
OK button on the main form is clicked, the cmdOK_Click()
event procedure determines if the popup needs to be
opened based on certain criteria. The popup lets the user
choose between Overwriting the current record with new
information, or ADDing a new record based on the
information.

The popup contains a label (for messages) and two
buttons. The form has Allow Edits=true, popup=true,
modal=true, borderstyle=dialog. The OnClick events for
each button set the value of a global boolean and then
close the popup. The global boolean is used to determine
the choice of the user.

Based on another posting here, I am opening the popup with
Dim frm as Form
Set frm = ....
....
DoCmd.OpenForm frm.Name, acNormal, , , , acDialog

I am using the acDialog setting to stop the program flow
of the main code (cmdOK_Click) until the user clicks a
button. But I am having some problems.

I need to open the popup and change the caption of its
label. But if I set a variable equal to the label control
of the unopened form, assign my new label string to
label.caption, then execute the ...OpenForm method, the
label does not show the new string. If I put the command
to update the label after the OpenForm method, the
program is paused for input and never gets there.

Next problem: There is no close button on the popup. The
last line of the code for each button on the form is:

DoCmd.Close acForm, "popOverWriteAdd", acSaveNo

The theory is to click the button of choice, the code
sets the value of the boolean and then closes the form.
But the form won't close. Do I need to change the focus
back to the main form before I can close the popup? Or is
there another issue?

Ideally, I would like to have the popup behave exactly
like the msgbox function, but be able to put my own
Caption on the buttons. Class Modules and functions at
that level are above my abilities at this time. Is there
something 'off the shelf' that I could use?

I know this has several different issues wrapped into one
posting, but thanks for your help.

-dc

 

[Ken Snell]

Comments inline....


--
Ken Snell
<MS ACCESS MVP>

I am using Access2002 / XP Pro.

I am working with a main form and a popup form. When the
OK button on the main form is clicked, the cmdOK_Click()
event procedure determines if the popup needs to be
opened based on certain criteria. The popup lets the user
choose between Overwriting the current record with new
information, or ADDing a new record based on the
information.

The popup contains a label (for messages) and two
buttons. The form has Allow Edits=true, popup=true,
modal=true, borderstyle=dialog. The OnClick events for
each button set the value of a global boolean and then
close the popup. The global boolean is used to determine
the choice of the user.

Based on another posting here, I am opening the popup with
Dim frm as Form
Set frm = ....
....
DoCmd.OpenForm frm.Name, acNormal, , , , acDialog

I am using the acDialog setting to stop the program flow
of the main code (cmdOK_Click) until the user clicks a
button. But I am having some problems.

I need to open the popup and change the caption of its
label. But if I set a variable equal to the label control
of the unopened form, assign my new label string to
label.caption, then execute the ...OpenForm method, the
label does not show the new string. If I put the command
to update the label after the OpenForm method, the
program is paused for input and never gets there.

Use the OpenArgs argument of the DoCmd.OpenForm command to pass the text
string that is to be the label caption:
DoCmd.OpenForm frm.Name, acNormal, , , , acDialog, "CaptionForLabel"

Then, in the OnLoad event of the popup form, use code similar to this to set
the caption of the label:
Me.LabelName.Caption = Me.OpenArgs

If you want to convey many captions, use some delimiter when building the
OpenArgs text string, then split the text string apart in the popup form's
OnLoad event.

Next problem: There is no close button on the popup. The
last line of the code for each button on the form is:

DoCmd.Close acForm, "popOverWriteAdd", acSaveNo

The theory is to click the button of choice, the code
sets the value of the boolean and then closes the form.
But the form won't close. Do I need to change the focus
back to the main form before I can close the popup? Or is
there another issue?

You don't need to set focus back to the main form. I'm guessing that the
form name isn't spelled correctly. I usually use this code step:
DoCmd.Close acForm, Me.Name

The acSaveNo argument isn't needed unless you make changes to the design of
the popup form, which I understand you're not doing.

Ideally, I would like to have the popup behave exactly
like the msgbox function, but be able to put my own
Caption on the buttons. Class Modules and functions at
that level are above my abilities at this time. Is there
something 'off the shelf' that I could use?

Are you desiring to set different captions on the buttons when you open the
popup form? If yes, use the OpenArgs concept I noted above.

 

[Graham Mandeno]

Hi DC

The trick is to pass the information to the form using the OpenArgs
mechanism:
DoCmd.OpenForm frm.Name, acNormal, , , , acDialog, _
"This message will be displayed in the label"

Then, in the popup's Form_Load procedure:
Me.lblMessage.Caption = Me.OpenArgs

You can invent your own protocol for passing multiple values via OpenArgs,
perhaps by concatenating them with a delimiter character like vbTab. The
Form_Load proc then has to pick it apart to decide what is a message and
what is a button caption, etc.

When it comes to passing control back to the calling procedure, an
often-used method is to have the modal form hide itself:
Me.Visible = False

This allows the calling procedure to continue its execution. It can extract
values from controls on the modal form and then close it.

However, the method you are using (set global variable(s) then close myself)
should work. Are you sure that no error is occuring which is being ignored
(perhaps with On Error Resume Next)?

--
Good Luck!
Graham Mandeno [Access MVP]
Auckland, New Zealand

Return mail address is invalid in a vain attempt to reduce spam.
Feedback is welcome at: (e-mail address removed)
Please post new questions or followups to newsgroup.

 

[dchendrickson]

Ken & Graham,

The OpenArgs mechanism is just what I needed. I had never
used it before and really wasn't aware of it.

As for the other program flow problems I was having...
well they fixed themselves overnight. I got frustrated
and left for the day in order to come back with a fresh
mind in the morning. Got things fired up this AM and
everything worked just as I had been attempting.

There must have been some fly in the ointment that a
simple shutdown and restart fixed....

Now I am have troubles with the display of the text...
but that issue has its own posting.

Thanks for the info and for adding another tool to my
skull.

-dc

-----Original Message-----
Hi DC

The trick is to pass the information to the form using the OpenArgs
mechanism:
DoCmd.OpenForm frm.Name, acNormal, , , , acDialog, _
"This message will be displayed in the label"

Then, in the popup's Form_Load procedure:
Me.lblMessage.Caption = Me.OpenArgs

You can invent your own protocol for passing multiple values via OpenArgs,
perhaps by concatenating them with a delimiter character like vbTab. The
Form_Load proc then has to pick it apart to decide what is a message and
what is a button caption, etc.

When it comes to passing control back to the calling procedure, an
often-used method is to have the modal form hide itself:
Me.Visible = False

This allows the calling procedure to continue its execution. It can extract
values from controls on the modal form and then close it.

However, the method you are using (set global variable (s) then close myself)
should work. Are you sure that no error is occuring which is being ignored
(perhaps with On Error Resume Next)?

--
Good Luck!
Graham Mandeno [Access MVP]
Auckland, New Zealand

Return mail address is invalid in a vain attempt to reduce spam.
Feedback is welcome at: (e-mail address removed)
Please post new questions or followups to newsgroup.

I am using Access2002 / XP Pro.

I am working with a main form and a popup form. When the
OK button on the main form is clicked, the cmdOK_Click ()
event procedure determines if the popup needs to be
opened based on certain criteria. The popup lets the user
choose between Overwriting the current record with new
information, or ADDing a new record based on the
information.

The popup contains a label (for messages) and two
buttons. The form has Allow Edits=true, popup=true,
modal=true, borderstyle=dialog. The OnClick events for
each button set the value of a global boolean and then
close the popup. The global boolean is used to determine
the choice of the user.

Based on another posting here, I am opening the popup with
Dim frm as Form
Set frm = ....
....
DoCmd.OpenForm frm.Name, acNormal, , , , acDialog

I am using the acDialog setting to stop the program flow
of the main code (cmdOK_Click) until the user clicks a
button. But I am having some problems.

I need to open the popup and change the caption of its
label. But if I set a variable equal to the label control
of the unopened form, assign my new label string to
label.caption, then execute the ...OpenForm method, the
label does not show the new string. If I put the command
to update the label after the OpenForm method, the
program is paused for input and never gets there.

Next problem: There is no close button on the popup. The
last line of the code for each button on the form is:

DoCmd.Close acForm, "popOverWriteAdd", acSaveNo

The theory is to click the button of choice, the code
sets the value of the boolean and then closes the form.
But the form won't close. Do I need to change the focus
back to the main form before I can close the popup? Or is
there another issue?

Ideally, I would like to have the popup behave exactly
like the msgbox function, but be able to put my own
Caption on the buttons. Class Modules and functions at
that level are above my abilities at this time. Is there
something 'off the shelf' that I could use?

I know this has several different issues wrapped into one
posting, but thanks for your help.

-dc

.