random sampling

[Guest]

I am new to using Access and am trying to create a sampling from a group of
questions to create a query and do not know where to start. There are 160
questions and I am needing only 50 to be randomly selected. I do know know
where the formula will be placed to have this item ran.

 

[Marshall Barton]

I am new to using Access and am trying to create a sampling from a group of
questions to create a query and do not know where to start. There are 160
questions and I am needing only 50 to be randomly selected.

You can use this kind of query:

SELECT TOP 50 tbl.fld1, tbl.fld2
FROM tbl
ORDER BY Rnd(Len(tb.fld1 & "x"))

Just be sure to run a procedure that includes the Randomize
statement before you run the query. Hint - a form button is
a convenient place to do both.

 

[John W. Vinson]

I am new to using Access and am trying to create a sampling from a group of
questions to create a query and do not know where to start. There are 160
questions and I am needing only 50 to be randomly selected. I do know know
where the formula will be placed to have this item ran.

You can use the Top Values property of a query, with help
from a little VBA. Put this little function into a Module:

Public Function RndNum(vIgnore As Variant) As Double
Static bRnd As Boolean
If Not bRnd Then
'Initialize the random number generator once only
bRnd = True
Randomize
End If
RndNum = Rnd()
End Function

Then add a calculated field to your Query by typing

Shuffle: RndNum([fieldname])

in a vacant Field cell, where [fieldname] is any field in
your table - this forces Access to give a different random
number for each record.

Sort the query by Shuffle, and set its Top Values property
to the number of records you want to see.

John W. Vinson [MVP]