TABLES IN EXPRESSION BUILDER

[Jolene]

Hi

I am trying to use expression builder to create a new value for a column
(not in a query, just an existing table with a new column). However, I cannot
see the Tables folder in the block with the functions, operators etc. The
column I'm looking for is from the same table in which the new field has to
be created, so there isn't a linkage problem (I think).

Can somesone please help me figure out how to see that folder?

Thanks

 

[John W. Vinson]

Hi

I am trying to use expression builder to create a new value for a column
(not in a query, just an existing table with a new column). However, I cannot
see the Tables folder in the block with the functions, operators etc. The
column I'm looking for is from the same table in which the new field has to
be created, so there isn't a linkage problem (I think).

Can somesone please help me figure out how to see that folder?

Thanks

You're looking in the wrong place, I fear. To update a new field in a table to
some value you will want to use an Update Query, not the expression builder.
What's the context? What value do you want stored in this new field?

 

[Jolene]

The new field should be the month and year of a date field (e.g. I have
invoicedate as 2009/01/01 and I want the new field to be "Jan 2009". I don't
understand why the query builder is available in design view if it can't be
used to update tables? Is it there for something else?

 

[John W. Vinson]

The new field should be the month and year of a date field (e.g. I have
invoicedate as 2009/01/01 and I want the new field to be "Jan 2009". I don't
understand why the query builder is available in design view if it can't be
used to update tables? Is it there for something else?

A couple of things here:

A Date/Time field is actually stored as a Double Float count of days and
fractions of a day (times) since midnight, December 30, 1899. As such it
corresponds to an exact moment of time, accurate to the second. Jan 2009 was
not an exact instant of time - you'ld need to store a date during that month,
e.g. #01/01/2009 00:00:00# <cue champagne cork sounds>. You can *DISPLAY* it
with just the month and day by setting its Format to "mmm yyyy", but it
actually stores the full date.

For your other question - of course, the query builder can be used to update
tables; or more precisely, the Query Builder can be used to create an Update
Query, which you can then execute. It's not clear to me what actual steps
you're taking, what you are seeing, and what you expect to see. Could you
describe the actual operation that you want to perform - what table do you
want to update, what field(s), which records, and what you want the field
updated to, at least in general terms?