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Comments for Access Beginner 8

Age	Subject	From
5 years	Combo Box Change	Basil Pritchett
5 years	Clear ComboBox Entry	Dave Ingram
5 years	Combo Box Wizard Overflow	Larry Fisackerly
5 years	Dynamic DropDowns	Matthew Mach
10 years	Other ComboBox	Kevin Gill
10 years	Tab or Enter to next Field	Virginia Mergl
10 years	Combo Box Wizard Search Option Not Found	Elizabeth R
10 years	combo	cristy stout
10 years	ComboBox requery	Joe Beniacar
11 years	Wizard	Andrew Hite
11 years	Missing Combobox	Guixiang Fan
11 years	Combo Wizard Missing option	Linda Kalis
11 years	Combo Wizard Missing option	Linda Kalis
11 years	Combo Wizard Missing option	Linda Kalis
11 years	ComboBox requery	Joe Beniacar
11 years	Combo Box	Joe Beniacar
11 years	LimitToList	Joe Beniacar
11 years	Listbox	Richard Lanoue
11 years	Filter Records	Joe Beniacar
11 years	Company Combo	michael spencer
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Intro

In lesson 8 of my Microsoft Access Beginner series, we will focus on using combo boxes and list boxes to make your databases more interactive and user-friendly. You'll learn how to create value list combo boxes, set up table-based combo boxes, build multi-column combo boxes, and use combo boxes for searching records. We will also cover how to create and use list boxes, plus how to adjust the tab order in your forms. These topics are demonstrated using Microsoft Access 2010, but most of the material will also work in Access 2007.

Transcript

Welcome to Microsoft Access Beginner Level 8, brought to you by AccessLearningZone.com. I am your instructor, Richard Rost. Today's class is going to focus primarily on combo boxes.

Combo boxes go by many different names. Some people call them drop-down boxes. Some people call them pick lists. Whatever you call them, they allow the user to select from a list of values.

We'll start off by learning about value list combo boxes. This is where you type in a list of values right into the combo box that the user can pick from. Then we'll learn about table-based combo boxes, where we actually create a separate table to store our values. Table-based combo boxes let us use the same set of data in multiple forms.

We'll learn how to create a multi-column combo box where you can see two or more columns of data when you open the box up. You'll also learn how to create a combo box to search for a record based on a field.

Then we'll learn how to create list boxes, which are basically always open combo boxes. Finally, we'll learn how to adjust the tab order on your forms.

This class follows Access 2010 Beginner Level 7. In Level 7, we learned how to create navigation forms, a main menu form, our customer list form, and lots more. I strongly recommend that you take levels 1 through 7 before taking this class, Level 8. For more information on these classes, visit AccessLearningZone.com and go to the Access 2010 section.

Today's class will be using Access 2010. Most of what I am going to show you in today's class works fine in 2010 and 2007. If you have 2003 and earlier, you might have trouble following along because a lot of stuff involving combo boxes has changed between 2003 and 2007. But everything today will be fine whether you're using 2007 or 2010.

You are strongly encouraged to build the database that I build in class. However, if you want to download a copy of the database, you can find it at accesslearningzone.com/databases. Again, you'll get much more out of this class if you build the database yourself from scratch, starting with lesson 1.

My courses are broken up into four groups: beginner, expert, advanced, and developer. My beginner courses are for novice users who have little or no experience with Microsoft Access. They are designed to give you an overview of the basic features of Access and cover just what you need to know to be productive.

The expert classes are designed for more experienced users who are already comfortable with Access. The expert classes go into a lot more depth about each topic than the beginner classes and will cover more functions, features, tips, and techniques for power users.

Once you've mastered the expert classes, move up to the advanced lessons. You'll learn how to work with macros, automation, and many more advanced features that really add enhanced functionality and professionalism to your databases.

Finally, my developer-level courses are designed to teach you how to program in Visual Basic for Microsoft Access. This will allow you to create the most advanced databases possible and unlock the true potential of Microsoft Access.

Each series is broken down into different numbered levels starting with level 1. Each subsequent level teaches you new and different topics in Microsoft Access, building on the lessons learned in the previous classes. Once you've finished all the beginner classes, move up to the expert series, then the advanced, and finally, the developer lessons.

In addition to my normal Access classes, I also have seminars designed to teach specific topics. Some of my seminars include building web-based databases, creating forms and reports that look like calendars, securing your database, working with images and attachments, writing work orders, tracking accounts payable, learning the SQL programming language, and lots more. You can find complete details on all these seminars and more on my website at accesslearningzone.com.

If you have questions about the topics covered in today's lessons, please feel free to post them in my student forums. If you're watching this course using my custom video player software or the online theater on my website, you should see the student forum for each lesson appear in a small window next to the class videos as long as you have an active internet connection.

Here you will see all of the questions that other students have asked as well as my responses to them and comments that other students may have made. I encourage you to read through these questions and answers as you start each lesson and feel free to post your own questions and comments as well.

If you're not watching the lessons online, you can still visit the student forums later by visiting accesslearningzone.com/forums.

To get the most out of this course, I recommend that you sit back, relax, and watch each lesson completely through once without trying to do anything on your computer. Then, replay the lesson from the beginning and follow along with my examples. Actually create the same database that I make in the video, step by step.

Don't try to apply what you're learning right now to other projects until you've mastered the sample database from this class. If you get stuck or do not understand something, watch the video again from the beginning or tell me what's wrong in the student forum.

Most importantly, keep an open mind. Access might seem intimidating at first, but once you get the hang of it, you'll see that it's really easy to use.

Now let's take a closer look at exactly what's covered in today's class.

In lesson one, we're going to learn how to create a combo box based on a list of values.

In lesson two, we're going to learn a better way to build combo boxes by getting the list of values from a table and creating our own form to edit that list.

In lesson three, we're going to learn how to build a multi-column combo box so we can see a list of our state abbreviations and the full state names.

In lesson four, we're going to learn how to control a form's tab order.

In lesson five, we're going to learn how to set up list boxes.

In lesson six, we're going to learn how to search for a record using a combo box.

Quiz

Q1. What is the primary focus of Microsoft Access Beginner Level 8?
A. Creating reports in Access
B. Working with combo boxes
C. Managing relationships between tables
D. Writing SQL code

Q2. Which of the following is another name for a combo box?
A. Toggle button
B. Navigation box
C. Drop-down box
D. Main menu

Q3. What is a value list combo box?
A. A combo box that displays pictures
B. A combo box where values are entered directly into the box for the user to select
C. A combo box using calculated fields
D. A combo box joined to an Excel sheet

Q4. Why might you create a table-based combo box instead of a value list combo box?
A. To enter fewer values
B. To use the same set of data in multiple forms
C. To increase database security
D. To avoid using tables

Q5. What is a multi-column combo box?
A. A combo box with multiple drop-down arrows
B. A combo box that displays two or more columns of data for selection
C. A combo box inside another form
D. A combo box showing numbers only

Q6. What is covered in lesson four of this class?
A. Creating reports
B. Formatting controls
C. Controlling a form's tab order
D. Designing queries

Q7. What is the main difference between a combo box and a list box as discussed in this video?
A. Combo boxes cannot display data
B. List boxes are always open, displaying all available options
C. Combo boxes require code
D. List boxes are used only for numbers

Q8. According to the instructor, what should you do to get the most out of this course?
A. Watch the lessons once and never revisit them
B. Apply concepts to other projects immediately
C. Watch each lesson completely, then follow along by recreating the sample database step by step
D. Focus only on quizzes

Q9. What is recommended if you encounter a problem or do not understand something during the lessons?
A. Ignore the issue and move on
B. Immediately email technical support
C. Watch the lesson again or ask questions in the student forum
D. Restart your computer

Q10. What is the first lesson in this class about?
A. Advanced reports
B. Searching for records using combo boxes
C. Creating a combo box based on a list of values
D. Using Visual Basic in Access

Q11. Who are the beginner courses designed for?
A. People with advanced Access experience
B. Novice users with little or no experience with Microsoft Access
C. Database administrators only
D. Programmers familiar with SQL

Q12. What is the purpose of the student forums mentioned in the video?
A. To share software updates
B. To provide a place for students to ask questions and see answers related to the lessons
C. To download course materials
D. To purchase access to more classes

Q13. Which versions of Access are most compatible with the techniques taught in this level?
A. Access 2000 and earlier
B. Access 2010 and 2007
C. Access 97 only
D. Access XP only

Q14. What should students do before beginning Level 8?
A. Complete levels 1 through 7
B. Buy a new computer
C. Skip beginner classes
D. Read only the course outline

Q15. What should you do after mastering the beginner and expert classes, according to the instructor?
A. Stop taking courses
B. Move on to advanced and developer-level lessons
C. Start programming in Excel
D. Learn about PowerPoint

Answers: 1-B; 2-C; 3-B; 4-B; 5-B; 6-C; 7-B; 8-C; 9-C; 10-C; 11-B; 12-B; 13-B; 14-A; 15-B

DISCLAIMER: Quiz questions are AI generated. If you find any that are wrong, don't make sense, or aren't related to the video topic at hand, then please post a comment and let me know. Thanks.

Summary

Today's video from Access Learning Zone focuses on Microsoft Access Beginner Level 8, where the main subject is working with combo boxes. I am your instructor, Richard Rost, and in this class we'll be exploring the different ways to use combo boxes in Microsoft Access to enhance user experience and data entry efficiency.

Combo boxes, sometimes referred to as drop-down boxes or pick lists, provide users with a simple interface to choose from a set of values. We'll begin by discussing value list combo boxes, which involve entering a set list of choices directly into the combo box for users to select from. Next, I will introduce table-based combo boxes, where the list of choices is drawn from a separate table. This approach is advantageous if you need to use the same set of options across multiple forms because it centralizes where your data comes from.

You'll also learn how to create combo boxes that show multiple columns of data at once, which helps when you want to display related fields side by side, such as showing both state abbreviations and full state names. Additionally, I'll show you how to use a combo box to search for a specific record based on a particular field. Later in the class, we will cover list boxes, which act much like combo boxes but display all available choices in a constant open view. Finally, I'll explain how to adjust the tab order on your forms, which ensures that users enter data efficiently without having to move their hands from the keyboard unnecessarily.

This course continues from Access 2010 Beginner Level 7, where we covered creating navigation forms, a main menu form, and a customer list form, among other topics. I highly recommend completing Beginner Levels 1 through 7 before starting this class so you have a solid foundation. You can find more details about these courses on my website in the Access 2010 section.

Today's content is designed for Access 2010, but most of the material will also work in Access 2007. However, if you're using Access 2003 or an earlier version, you might find that many of the methods for working with combo boxes have changed, so please keep that in mind.

I strongly encourage you to build the sample database along with me throughout the lessons. However, if you prefer, you can download a copy of the database from my website. Even so, you'll benefit much more from the class if you create the database yourself, starting from the very first lesson.

Let me take a moment to explain how my Access courses are structured. There are four series: beginner, expert, advanced, and developer. The beginner courses are aimed at users who are new to Access and want to become productive quickly by learning the essential features. Expert courses are for those who are already comfortable with Access and want to explore topics in greater detail, including more tools and advanced techniques. After mastering expert-level topics, the advanced series will introduce you to macros and automation, adding further control and polish to your databases. The developer-level classes focus on Visual Basic for Applications (VBA), enabling you to build powerful, highly-customized Access solutions.

Each of these series is broken down into numbered levels, with each new level building on the previous one. Once you've finished all of the beginner lessons, continue with the expert series, then move on to the advanced and finally the developer courses.

In addition to my standard classes, I also offer seminars covering specific skills, such as creating web-based databases, designing calendar-style forms and reports, securing databases, working with images and attachments, managing accounts payable, and learning SQL. Comprehensive details about these seminars are available on my website.

If you have questions about any of the topics in this class, I encourage you to join the student forums on my website. If you're watching using my video player or the online theater, you will see a forum window next to the class video as long as you're online. Here you can find discussions from other students, my answers to their questions, and additional comments. Reading through these can be very helpful, and you are always welcome to ask your own questions.

If you're not viewing the course online, you can still access the forums later by visiting the website directly.

For the best learning experience, I suggest that you first watch each lesson all the way through without pausing to try anything on your computer. Then, go back to the start and follow along as you work through the examples, creating the sample database step by step. Be sure to focus on mastering this sample before trying to adapt these techniques to other projects. If you find yourself stuck, review the lesson again or let me know about your issue in the forums.

Above all, remember to keep an open mind. Access might seem complex at first, but with practice, you will find it very approachable and effective for managing data.

Here's a summary of what we'll cover today:

Lesson one demonstrates how to create a combo box using a list of entered values.
Lesson two shows a more advanced technique, building combo boxes based on a separate table and creating a form to edit that list.
Lesson three explains how to design a combo box that displays multiple columns, like state abbreviations alongside state names.
Lesson four teaches you how to manage the tab order in your forms.
Lesson five introduces you to list boxes.
Lesson six covers the process of searching for a record using a combo box.

For a complete, step-by-step video tutorial covering everything in this lesson, visit my website at the link below. Live long and prosper, my friends.

Topic List

Creating a value list combo box

Building a table-based combo box

Creating a form to edit combo box list values

Designing a multi-column combo box

Displaying state abbreviations and names in a combo box

Controlling a form's tab order

Setting up list boxes

Searching for a record using a combo box