ACC2: No "Can't Add Records" Data Mode Arg. for OpenForm

• Microsoft Access version 2.0

SYMPTOMS

Moderate: Requires basic macro, coding, and interoperability skills.

When you set the OpenForm macro action's Data Mode argument, you can select Add, Edit, or Read Only, but the Can't Add Records option that you can select for the form's DefaultEditing property is not available.

RESOLUTION

To work around this behavior, use Access Basic code to pass the specified DefaultEditing property setting in the OpenArgs argument and set the property in the form's Load event. See the "More Information" section for an example of how to use the OpenArgs argument.

STATUS

This behavior is by design.

MORE INFORMATION

The following example demonstrates how you can use the OpenForm macro action's OpenArgs argument to pass the specified data mode for use in a form. By using this argument, you can open a form with the Can't Add Records data mode.

CAUTION: Following the steps in this example will modify the sample database NWIND.MDB. You may want to back up the NWIND.MDB file, or perform these steps on a copy of the NWIND database.

1. Open the sample database NWIND.MDB.

2. Open the Employees form in Design view.

3. Enter the following code for the form's OnLoad event procedure:

         Sub Form_Load (Cancel As Integer)
            ' Set the DefaultEditing property to the value passed in the
            ' OpenArgs argument.
            Me.DefaultEditing = Me.OpenArgs
         End Sub
   
   

4. Save and then close the form.

5. Open the Utility Functions module in Design view and choose Immediate Window from the View menu.

6. Type the following statement in the Immediate window and press ENTER:

         DoCmd OpenForm "Employees",,,,,,"4"
   

   Note that the Employees form opens. You cannot add new records, but all the employee records are available.

   1 = Data Entry
   2 = Allow Edits
   3 = Read Only
   4 = Can't Add Records

Opening the Form with a Filter

If you set the form's DefaultEditing property to Can't Add Records, you remove any filter that you applied to the form. To open the form so that it retains the filter, use the OpenForm macro action's Filter Name or Where Condition arguments to set the form's DefaultEditing property to Can't Add Records. To pass the filter, use the OpenArgs argument.

For more information about how setting the DefaultEditing property to Can't Add Records removes any filter, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

   ARTICLE-ID: Q129302
   TITLE     : ACC2: DefaultEditing Set to Can't Add Records Removes
               Filter

1. Change the Employees form's OnLoad event procedure to the following code:

         Sub Form_Load ()
            Dim iSemicolon As Integer
            Dim iDefaultEditing As Integer
            Dim sWhereCondition As String
   
            ' Find the semicolon.
            iSemicolon = InStr(Me.OpenArgs, ";")
   
            ' If the semicolon is found...
            If iSemicolon > 0 Then
               '...parse the DefaultEditing and Where Condition arguments...
               iDefaultEditing = Left(Me.OpenArgs, iSemicolon - 1)
               sWhereCondition = Mid(Me.OpenArgs, iSemicolon + 1)
   
               '...and set the arguments.
               Me.DefaultEditing = iDefaultEditing
               If sWhereCondition <> "" Then
                  DoCmd ApplyFilter , sWhereCondition
               End If
            End If
         End Sub
   
   

2. Type the following statement in the Immediate window and press ENTER:

         DoCmd OpenForm "Employees", ,,,,,"4;[Employee ID]=9"
   

   Note that the form opens with a filter, and you cannot add new records.

REFERENCES