Question

So in my Access application, there’s a field where the user selects a name from a dropdown list, or types one. The list should return a number (the PersonID of the person selected, if in the People table) or a string (if entering the name of someone not in the DB).

This must be a fairly common requirement, but I don’t see any very simple way to do it. The way that first occurs to me is to have VBA code which, if the user types a name instead of selecting from the list, creates an entry in the People table for the new person and then returns his PersonID (newly assigned by AutoNumber). This would presumably involve a dialog interrogating the user for required information (e.g. phone number) about the new person.

Is there a better way? Thanks.

Answer 1

Use the NotInList event of the ComboBox. Here is a quick sample:

Private Sub PersonID_NotInList(NewData As String, Response As Integer)
Dim Result As VbMsgBoxResult, NewPersonID As Long, MaxPersonID As Long

    On Error GoTo Err_PersonID_NotInList

    Response = acDataErrDisplay
    Result = MsgBox("'" & NewData & "' is not currently in the database.  " & _
                    "Would you like to add '" & NewData & _
                    "' to the database?", vbYesNo + vbExclamation, _
                    "Person Not In List")
    If Result = vbYes Then
        MaxPersonID = DMax("PersonID", "People")
        DoCmd.OpenForm "AddPerson", , , , acFormAdd, acDialog, NewData            
        NewPersonID = DMax("PersonID", "People")
        If NewPersonID > MaxPersonID Then
            Me.PersonID = NewPersonID
            Me.PersonID.Requery
            Response = acDataErrAdded
        End If
    End If

Exit_PersonID_NotInList:
    Exit Sub
Err_PersonID_NotInList:
    MsgBox Err.Description
    Resume Exit_PersonID_NotInList
End Sub

NOTES:

• Using DMax is not a reliable way to get the newly added PersonID, but it makes the sample easier to read. You should use SELECT @@Identity instead (Google for more info).
• I passed NewData as an OpenArg to the “AddPerson” form. This would allow you to pre-populate the person’s name when opening the AddPerson form.