Parameter query options...

  • Thread starter Thread starter jpuckett
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J

jpuckett

Ok guys, I'm going to try and make this as clear and straight forward as
possible.

I have a report with a query as its recordsource. I want to be able to
limit the records that are displayed in the report based on the value chosen
from a combo box on a form. No problem so far.

However, where I'm stuck is that the items in the table being queried are
fairly random. A couple of examples follow:

If the user selects "Rollover" from the combo box on the form then the table
could be queried for records containing the word "rollover"

But...

If the user selects "Seat Back Failure" from the combo box then the table
would need to be queried for Like "*seat*" and Like "*back*" and not Like
"*reclined*"

I guess what I'm getting at is that there will be varying formats to the
criteria expression for the individual options. Any ideas??

TIA-

JP
 
Ok guys, I'm going to try and make this as clear and straight forward as
possible.

I have a report with a query as its recordsource. I want to be able to
limit the records that are displayed in the report based on the value chosen
from a combo box on a form. No problem so far.

However, where I'm stuck is that the items in the table being queried are
fairly random. A couple of examples follow:

If the user selects "Rollover" from the combo box on the form then the table
could be queried for records containing the word "rollover"

But...

If the user selects "Seat Back Failure" from the combo box then the table
would need to be queried for Like "*seat*" and Like "*back*" and not Like
"*reclined*"

I guess what I'm getting at is that there will be varying formats to the
criteria expression for the individual options. Any ideas??
Click to expand...

This is not a question of *formatting*. It's a question of *meaning*.

A human being can see that the sentence "The seat back broke as soon
as it was reclined" in fact is a hit for the search term "set back
failure". By your very example, it would not be selected.

Computers are very fast idiots. They are, of course, brutally literal
minded. They do NOT understand meanings. Unless you have a predefined
field listing keywords (or links to a table of unique key words) I
don't see any *reliable* way to do what you ask.

Am I misunderstanding? Is the field that you are searching just free
text, or is it from some sort of controlled vocabulary?


John W. Vinson[MVP]
 
Yeah, the field is open to any entry, which I know is a problem. At this
point it's going to be a major hassle to go back and clean that up so I was
just hoping to find a viable workaround. Lazy, I know, but it doesn't
seemed that far fetched.

JP
 
Yeah, the field is open to any entry, which I know is a problem. At this
point it's going to be a major hassle to go back and clean that up so I was
just hoping to find a viable workaround. Lazy, I know, but it doesn't
seemed that far fetched.
Click to expand...

Well, if you can find a general solution to having a reliable,
specific search of a free-text field, you'll be able to name your
price at any software company in the world.

John W. Vinson[MVP]
 
Fair enough. I guess I'll put my nose to the proverbial grindstone and
clean up my entries.

JP
 
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