Combo Box Design Tradeoffs

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Nick S - 06 Aug 2005 19:37 GMT

I'm trying to understand basic design tradeoffs when using combo boxes. Can
anyone please tell me the pros/cons of:

1) defining a combo box in a table as a Display Control, rather than as a
bound control during form design?

2) using a lookup table rather than a value list to populate the combo box?

Thanks,

Nick

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Rick Brandt - 06 Aug 2005 20:21 GMT

> I'm trying to understand basic design tradeoffs when using combo
> boxes. Can anyone please tell me the pros/cons of:
>
> 1) defining a combo box in a table as a Display Control, rather than
> as a bound control during form design?

It has advantages only when usign the table as an interface which is something
you should never do anyway. The problems created far outweigh this non-benefit.

> 2) using a lookup table rather than a value list to populate the
> combo box?

Values in lookup tables can be edited, removed, and added without affecting the
design of forms. ValueLists cannot. If the list will NEVER change then it is a
wash or perhaps a slight edge to the ValueList only because it is more
encapsulated in the form. Few lists never change though.

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Nick S - 06 Aug 2005 23:00 GMT

>Values in lookup tables can be edited, removed, and added without affecting the
>design of forms. ValueLists cannot. If the list will NEVER change then it is a
>wash or perhaps a slight edge to the ValueList only because it is more
>encapsulated in the form. Few lists never change though.

Thanks Rick. Then lookup tables it is.

Would you mind telling me how to add a Null option to a lookup table? I can't
enter a "blank" record.

Nick

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Duane Hookom - 07 Aug 2005 05:45 GMT

You can add an "artificial" value/record to your combo box Row Source by
using a UNION query.

SELECT Null, "None"
FROM tblStates
UNION
SELECT StateAbbrev, StateName
FROM tblStates;

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Duane Hookom
MS Access MVP

>>Values in lookup tables can be edited, removed, and added without
>>affecting the
[quoted text clipped - 10 lines]
>
> Nick

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Nick S - 09 Aug 2005 04:40 GMT

Thanks Duane!

Nick

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