Show/hide columns in design mode

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Guest

I un-picked show columns. Then saved. Columns are still there -- they show
in the table view -- but I can not see them in design view. Maybe have a 0
width. I want them back, with some width. I am then going to put them back
to 'show'. I have tried dragging columns to the right -- as soon as I
release it, the 'invisible' columns move to the right. I need my fields back.
 
Not sure what you mean. In design view of a query, you should see all the
fields you are using in your query. Clicking or unclicking the "show"
checkbox will determine if the data appears in data sheet view.

Did you squeeze them to zero letgth while viewing the query in data shhet
view? If so, Hold down the SHIFT key and highlight the first and last
column (this will also get all the ones in between) and while holding down
the SHIFT key, right click the column heading and then select "Column
Width". You can then set them all to 5 or 10 and click OK. Or, I believe
there is a checkbox in that dialog that lets you set them to the 'best'
size.
 
Rick,

If you save the query (in design mode), when you come back into the query,
the not 'show' columns are moved to the end. That is what all the
documentation says. I think they are there, just with 0 length. I can see
all the fields, including the not 'show' fields in my datasheet view. And
changing my column width in the datasheet view does not seem to affect my
columns in design mode.
 
I can see all the fields, including the not 'show' fields in my datasheet
view.
Click to expand...

OK, hmmm, well, if you mean this literally, there is only one way I can
think of that you could see a field in datasheet view but not in design
view, and you're right, somehow your've set the column widths to zero in the
design grid itself.
- In query design view, select all your query fields + 1 blank one (hover
cursor above field-grid until you get a down-pointing arrow & select fields
per standard Windows conventions)
- In the grey area above field names, Double click on any of the lines
that separate one column from another. This should cause all columns to
"auto fit" (just like Excel). Autofit in this case is dependent on the
length of the field name, etc., not the 'no-show' setting.

This should cause all columns present in the query to be visible in design
view, although you may want to manually reduce a lot of them :-)

BTW,
If you save the query (in design mode), when you come back into the query,
the not 'show' columns are moved to the end.
Click to expand...

That's only true if you have a criteria or sort on the "no-show" field.
"Unused" fields will disappear during query optimization, and you would need
to add the field to the query again if changed your mind.

Without a criteria or sort in effect, "no-show" fields will be automatically
removed from the query when it is optimized/compiled upon saving or running
(switching to Datasheet view doesn't always cause optimization). Per the
current SQL, the query no longer "uses" the field. (It doesn't appear in the
SELECT, ORDERBY or WHERE clauses, etc..., right?). Since the presence of
the field serves no recognizable purpose to the (Jet?) optimizer, it is
removed from the query.

A field with a criteria/sort, if set to "no-show", will be moved to the
"end" in query design view. (This can occasionally cause surprises if you
are sorting on multiple fields when some are showing and some are not, but
it is easily dealt with once you know what to expect).

HTH,
 
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