Missing Data (Access 2000)

Topic

New Reply

I have cobbled together a simple database for the few customer complaints we receive. It is on a shared drive as only 3 or 4 of us use it. I have one form for inputing new complaints, one for reading them and one for editing them….they are all set up differently and have different buttons to take you to them so that it should be easy to know which form you are in and what you are doing. When a new complaint is entered an “autonumber” is assigned to is as it’s unique identifier.
One particular team member is always complaining about this database (ironically!) because occasionally when he enters a new case it disappears afterwards. (i.e he checks the read only screen and it isn’t there). When I check the table containing all the cases, i can see that the autonumber he said was assigned is missing (e.g skips from 500 to 502). What happens to the info he has entered?
It has to be said that only one of us has this problem, but given that autonumber skips something has happened. Could it be something in the setup of his PC or Access that does this, is it my database or is it him??? (He is on hol for a couple weeks so say what you like!!)
Thanks for any help, Al.

Reply | Quote

Replies

First two thoughts:

Does this user have the necessary permissions for the shared drive? (He needs FULL permissions)

Otherwise it sounds like an ID 10T error!

You’ll need to watch them inputting a record and see them hitting the Escape key or something like that!

Reply | Quote

ID 10T….I like that!! Must be one myself as i thought (just for a split second!) that i would have to look that one up on the help menus!!
I am pretty sure the person in question has all the permisions he needs….he is my manager after all!! The fact he is my manager also leads me to suspect that your second suggestion is correct! I have watched him input cases before, and they worked, so i don’t know what he does when i’m not there. If hitting escape or exiting the form incorrectly could do it then i suspect it is something like that.
If there are anymore ideas out there though please let me know else my manager will send me on another course!! Could it be in the setup? Or another database interfering? Any ideas how to tell a Manager about the ID 10T virus??

Reply | Quote

My collegue and I have just found out what it is!! I have set up mandentory fields, such as customer surname, so that we always have the bare bones of the information we need. I have also set us warnings telling you that these fields are required. BUT…and here is perhaps an area i could improve the database….if you click into the fields rather than tab through them you get around this mandentory field thing and the record simply dissappers with it’s assigned number!!
I don’t want the form to close unless all the mandetory fields are entered. How do I achieve this? I have set the “required” to Yes, and have tried changing the “Allow Zero Length” to Yes (have it set on No currently) but this doesn’t work as far as I can tell. Any ideas?

Reply | Quote

Do you have a button for saving the new record?? … If not, my suggestion would be to put a quick validation routine in the Form Unload event…
Maybe something like:

Private Sub Form_Unload(Cancel As Integer)
Dim ctl As Control
Dim blnMissingData As Boolean

For Each ctl In Me.Controls
If ctl.ControlType = acTextBox Then
If IsNull(ctl) Or ctl = “” Then
blnMissingData = True
End If
End If
Next ctl

If blnMissingData Then
MsgBox “Data missing, please ensure all required fields are complete… Record will not be saved as is… ”
‘set the focus back to the first text box
Cancel = True
blnMissingData = False
End If

End Sub

Now this routine will check all text boxes for data… Obviously it’ll need adapting if you only have certain controls that are mandatory… but hopefully this will give you an idea… Have a great day!

HTH

Reply | Quote

The validation should be called from the Form_BeforeUpdate event, not Unload. BeforeUpdate happens just before a record is saved, regardless of what triggers that save. Buttons to save a record are unnecessary, since Access will automatically attempt to save the record when you move to a new record or move to another form or close the form.

Reply | Quote

Thanks Charlotte… I should have known better… lol…

Reply | Quote

Thanks for the suggestion! I will give it a go. I do have button for closing (and therefore saving) the form. I have also, since starting this, coloured the mandatory fields a different colour and put lots more “Control Tips” about reminding the user to fill in these coloured fields! If all this doesn’t work then I don’t know what will. Maybe I should be the manager?!
Thanks for your help! Al.

Reply | Quote