Look up tables?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Stranger
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Stranger

When should a look up table be created?

What I was thinking is in the IT inventory database, for field type, I created a combo box that pulls what is already in the type fields as a choice to use for new entries. However, if I wanted to add a new type of hardware, I would have a problem. Would this be an instance where I could just create a table called hardware type and just put the different types of hardware in there and then use that as the source of the combobox in the table? Then would I be able to just have a form to add types of hardware to the hardware type table?

I just want to make consistency and have everything as simple as possible for the person that will be using.

thanks.
 
I don't think you want to create lookup fields in a table http://www.mvps.org/access/lookupfields.htm. You probably should create a table for your hardware types and then use this table as the row source of a combo box on a form.

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Duane Hookom
MS Access MVP


When should a look up table be created?

What I was thinking is in the IT inventory database, for field type, I created a combo box that pulls what is already in the type fields as a choice to use for new entries. However, if I wanted to add a new type of hardware, I would have a problem. Would this be an instance where I could just create a table called hardware type and just put the different types of hardware in there and then use that as the source of the combobox in the table? Then would I be able to just have a form to add types of hardware to the hardware type table?

I just want to make consistency and have everything as simple as possible for the person that will be using.

thanks.
 
Interesting. I will use it as the row source. Thanks for your help.

I don't think you want to create lookup fields in a table http://www.mvps.org/access/lookupfields.htm. You probably should create a table for your hardware types and then use this table as the row source of a combo box on a form.

--
Duane Hookom
MS Access MVP


When should a look up table be created?

What I was thinking is in the IT inventory database, for field type, I created a combo box that pulls what is already in the type fields as a choice to use for new entries. However, if I wanted to add a new type of hardware, I would have a problem. Would this be an instance where I could just create a table called hardware type and just put the different types of hardware in there and then use that as the source of the combobox in the table? Then would I be able to just have a form to add types of hardware to the hardware type table?

I just want to make consistency and have everything as simple as possible for the person that will be using.

thanks.
 
This is JOPO (just one person's opinion) ... take it with a grain of salt.
If there is a hard/fast rule about when to create a lookup table, I was out
of the room when it got presented.

If I can imagine needing to add one or more items to a list that needs to
show up in a combo or list box, my preference is to create a lookup table.
I do this more for my convenience than for the users.

If the list I need is unlikely to change, I can see the argument for
creating a value list for the combo/list box, and have been known to take
this approach once or twice.

Even if I did create a tlkpHardwareType, I would not use the table itself as
a row source. I generally create a query against the table, to manage
selecting and sorting, then use that query as the row source.
 
Hi,

My main reason for asking is that it would be easier to create a form to
update a lookup table than to constantly update the value list in a form(s).
I kind of like the idea of creating the lookup table and then using that on
the form. If that works. I haven't got that far yet.
 
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