[AccessD] CBO Not In List

I have implemented a similar scheme based on a callback combo source.  When 
the form initially loads, it opens with a narrow set of values and as items 
are  not found in the list, the combo is repopulated with a progressively 
wider range of possible values.  The logic behind the method was that users 
spent over 95% of their time working on active records but occasionally 
needed to look up records that might become active, records that have been 
closed and records that have been archived all from a single lookup.  It the 
item ulimately was 'not in list', the procedure allowed for adding the item. 
  The approach allowed for checking a single record 'current' flag for each 
globally available list source meaning that the data was all cached locally 
and only refreshed when a single record time stamp indicated the necessity 
resulting in a drastic reduction in overall LAN congestion.

I disagree with your statement that the combo should beep when a not in list 
is discovered.  One of the parameters for the not in list is the contents of 
the combo when the list fires and I always use this parameter to populate 
fields in the new record.  It would be very annoying to users accustomed to 
entering new records in a combo to have it beep 30 or 50 times at them as 
they add new records.  I believe that the purpose of the implementation of 
the event is to allow users to enter new records directly into the combo 
rather than notify them to get out, yet still use the combo as a record 
locator.

The counter argument to allowing such easy entry of new items is that 
miskeyed or misspelled text strings are easily accidentally entered as 
duplicate records but it is possible to use the same, 'as you type' record 
checking routine to search for likely matches and for the ultimate not in 
list event to first pop a list of soundex matches from which to choose 
before permitting the addition of the record.  None of my data entry forms 
have a 'new record' button as I make them search/add new records via combo 
boxes exclusively.  I also find it peculiar that those who argue that 
misspellings and the ease of adding new records in this fashion makes for 
the liklihood of accidental duplicate records, it is just as easy for a 
person to punch the new record button on a data entry form and never see 
whether the record had been previously entered.  Also, the use of a single 
record table flag to indicate that records have been edited or added ensures 
that if the possiblity exists of multiple users getting the same data 
concurrently and each adding the same record since there combo was last 
filled is greatly reduced.

The behaviour you propose would be more beneficial for combos that are 
limited to list, enabling users to get early warning that their entry is 
invalid or miskeyed.

Hen

>From: "John Colby" <jcolby at colbyconsulting.com>
>Reply-To: Access Developers discussion and problem 
>solving<accessd at databaseadvisors.com>
>To: "AccessD" <AccessD at databaseadvisors.com>
>Subject: [AccessD] CBO Not In List
>Date: Thu, 2 Oct 2003 09:29:40 -0400
>
>I want to use the NotInList to open an initial data entry form if the 
>person
>searched for isn't in the database, else open a tabbed form if they are.  I
>have this working using NotInList to open the IDE form and the after update
>to open the tabbed form to the record of the person found in the combo.
>
>However, what I want to do now is to have the combo start beeping as the
>person types if the item is not in the list.  IOW, NotInList only fires as
>the user EXITS the combo and the item is not in the list.  However if the
>user is typing in a person's name - JOHN COLBY, and by the time she types
>the O in COLBY the combo is not finding the name, the combo should start
>beeping so that the user is notified to stop typing and tab out to trigger
>NotInList and open the data entry form - or even programatically tab out 
>and
>trigger the NotInList.
>
>It seems like it could be accomplished by checking the insertion point and
>the length of the data in the combo.  If the data exists, the insertion
>point is in the middle of the data that the combo is following, whereas as
>soon as the data is not found, the insertion point is at the end of the
>data.  IOW, if the insertion point is at the end of the data TWICE, then we
>are at a true "not found" and trigger NotInList.  In fact it seems like the
>combo should have been built this way to begin with.
>
>Has anyone ever done this?
>
>John W. Colby
>www.colbyconsulting.com

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