Multiple combinations in form validation rule question.

[guggd2868]

Hi

Thanks for help with my problem yesterday, the advice here is very
valuable. Today, I have a new problem:

I have a field that describes which regions a document applies to.
The regions are:
Southwest
Northwest
SouthCentral
NorthCentral
Southeast
Southwest

Some documents apply to one region, some to multiple regions, some to
all of them.
I don't want user of the database to be suseptible to typos, because
that would mess up some of the queries based upon the regions. As you
can see, the number of possible combinations of regions available is
something like 6!, so I can't just list all the possibilities in the
validation rule or list box. Is there any way I can put something in
to limit people to putting in any possible combination of the 6
regions?

Thanks!

D Gugg

 

[Klatuu]

Instead of using a text box, use a combo box for the users to enter the
values. You can avoid them putting in an incorrect value by using the
combo's not in list event.

Now, having said that, I would point out you are missing a database
normalisation point here. You should really not be storing the text value
of the regions repeatedly in you table. Rather, you should have a table of
Regions each with a short code that is the primary key of the regions table.
An Autonumber field works well for this. Then your combo should be based on
the regions table. It should have two columns - one for the primary key and
one for the region description.
When a region is selected, only the primary key of the region's record is
stored in your table.

 

[guggd2868]

Instead of using a text box, use a combo box for the users to enter the
values.  You can avoid them putting in an incorrect value by using the
combo's not in list event.

Now, having said that, I would point out you are missing a database
normalisation point here.  You should really not be storing the text value
of the regions repeatedly in you table.  Rather, you should have a table of
Regions each with a short code that is the primary key of the regions table.
An Autonumber field works well for this.  Then your combo should be based on
the regions table.  It should have two columns - one for the primary key and
one for the region description.
When a region is selected, only the primary key of the region's record is
stored in your table.









- Show quoted text -

Ok, thanks a lot!