Searching for records

[C Tate]

I am an administrator and I have designed a small database which will be used
by my colleagues at work. It's nothing brilliant but I'm confident it more or
less works ok. There are just a couple of forms. The main one contains
details of building sites. The others relate to the houses on those sites and
the various funding sources.

While I am confident I can find records in the database (just using the find
button) I am not so sure other less IT literate people would have a clue. I
need to sort of 'idiot proof' it. I want to find a way of letting people
search through the sites to open the one they want. Perhaps through a search
button or some other means.

None of the books I own seem to cover this. They all talk about designing
the tables, forms, reports etc but omit this! And after all, it's quite
important if you are trying to make a database other people will use.

Any advice would be much appreciated. In particular I'd like to see some
sample sites which use such a feature and explanations (very basic ones!) of
how it's done. I don't have ANY programming experience so for me that is out.
There's absolutely no use even talking about vba or anything like that!

 

[Rick Brandt]

I am an administrator and I have designed a small database which will
be used by my colleagues at work. It's nothing brilliant but I'm
confident it more or less works ok. There are just a couple of forms.
The main one contains details of building sites. The others relate to
the houses on those sites and the various funding sources.

While I am confident I can find records in the database (just using
the find button) I am not so sure other less IT literate people would
have a clue. I need to sort of 'idiot proof' it. I want to find a way
of letting people search through the sites to open the one they want.
Perhaps through a search button or some other means.

None of the books I own seem to cover this. They all talk about
designing the tables, forms, reports etc but omit this! And after
all, it's quite important if you are trying to make a database other
people will use.

Any advice would be much appreciated. In particular I'd like to see
some sample sites which use such a feature and explanations (very
basic ones!) of how it's done. I don't have ANY programming
experience so for me that is out. There's absolutely no use even
talking about vba or anything like that!

Your last few sentences rule out any good solution. The built in search
tool that combines ease of set up, relative ease of use, and relatively
powerful searching is Filter-By-Form. See if that gives you adequate
results. If not, then something that involves VBA code is about all that is
left.

 

[C Tate]

Oh dear. I wonder if I could get my head around that. Perhaps I could follow
something very basic, even if it just meant cutting and pasting some code?!

I also wondered if something along the lines of the order form in the
Northwind sample database might provide a solution? There one enters customer
details in a separate form. When it comes to placing an order, you select the
customer from from a drop down box. I thought perhaps I could apply this to
my own database. It would mean you entered details about a site on its own
form. When it came to entering details about the houses on the site, you
would select from a dropdown box in the same way.

Can you see any disadvantages with this approach? Or is it just too clumsy?
Perhaps I would just be better off training people how to use the inbuilt
find button in Access!

 

[binny]

don't let VBA bluff you go to vtc.com $30 buys you a month's access to audio
visual training courses on a raft of software including VBA for access . They
a VERY easy to follow. 3 days ago I didn't even know what VBA was now if
someone give me some code to fix a problem I can enter it with out fear and
I'm even thinking up a few tricks of my own. It is very hard to stream line
and idiot proof a form with out VBA and lets face it stream lining and idiot
proofing go hand in hand.

 

[C Tate]

Many thanks for your kind offer. However, I have managed to find a simple-ish
solution by searching through some posts on here. There are a few posts
explaining how to do a command button with some code attached. Seems to work
ok, at least on one field.

thanks again

 

[A BYV]

C Tate- I'm having the same troubles please let me know where you found the
other posts on here that helped you. HELP