ACC1x: Error in Column Property Help Menu Topic

• Microsoft Access versions 1.0, 1.1

SYMPTOMS

When you search for "Column," then "Column Property" using the Microsoft Access Help menu, some of the remarks are not correct.

RESOLUTION

When you use the Column property to reference a specific column in a combo box or list box, use Column(0) to refer to the first column, Column(1) to refer to the second column, and so on. In other words, the numbering begins with 0, not 1.

Incorrect Statement in the Column Property Help Topic

You can use the Column property to refer to a particular column in a multiple-column combo box or list box. Use 1 to refer to the first column, 2 to refer to the second column, and so on.

Corrected Version

You can use the Column property to refer to a particular column in a multiple-column combo box or list box. Use 0 to refer to the first column, 1 to refer to the second column, and so on.

STATUS

This behavior no longer occurs in Microsoft Access version 2.0.

MORE INFORMATION

To create a multiple-column combo box, set the RowSource property to include more than one column, and set the ColumnCount property to a number greater than one. To refer to each column in the combo box, use the Column property and include a reference number. Here is the syntax:

   Forms![Form Name]![Control Name].Column(#)

Here is a step-by-step example that demonstrates how to use the Column property reference number correctly:

1. Open the NWIND.MDB sample database, and create a new, blank (unbound) form.

2. Add a combo box and a text box to the new form. Use the following as a guide to set the properties for each control:

         Object: Combo Box
         -----------------
            ControlName:   My Combo Box
            RowSource:     Employees (a table)
            ColumnCount:   3
            ColumnWidth:   0,1,1
            BoundColumn:   1
   
         Object: Text Box
         ----------------
            ControlName:   My Text Box
            ControlSource: =[Forms]![Column Example]![My Combo Box].Column(2)
   
      Because you set ColumnCount to 3 and RowSource to the Employees table,
      Microsoft Access loads the combo box with values from the first three
      fields in the Employees table: Employee ID, Last Name, and First Name.
      Because you set the width of the first column to 0 in the ColumnWidth
      property, the first column (Employee ID) does not show up in the combo
      box. The 2 in the Column(2) in the ControlSource setting for the text
      box, refers to the third column (First Name), not the second (Last
      Name).
   
   

3. Save the form, and name it Column Example.

4. Switch to Form view, and select a name from the combo box list.