subforms vs queries

[BJ]

I have a db with about 10 tables. I would like to use one form to
access (for input and editing) data from most of those tables. Is it
better to use subforms to carry this out or to build a query that has all
of the appropriate fields? Are the particular drawbacks to each
method? ( I understand that I can nest my subforms to a maximum of
seven levels and that I can have as many subforms on a main form as I
might wish. ) The major drawback that I experience using subforms is
that they are fairly clumsy form controls and difficult to set up so that
they lay out just right in form view.

Thanks

 

[Steve Schapel]

BJ,

I would say it is *extremely* unlikely that you would be able to
construct a query based on multiple tables that will be updateable. If
you can, it probably means your table design is flawed

Subforms are awesome, and are a major reason for choosing Access as an
application development tool. However, you have to be careful with
them. One way to use multiple subforms on the same form, without
getting too cluttered, is to put a Tab control on the main form, and
then arrange the subforms as applicable on the different pages of the
tab control. But if you are dealing with more than a very moderate
volume of data, a form with multiple subforms can be slow to load,
unless you use code to assign the recordsource to the subforms only when
they are accessed.

This is an incomplete answer to your questions, but hope these comments
might help.