I'm having trouble figuring out a conditional format on a form in my database. Anyone knowanything about this or can point me in the right direction?

I used to work with Access/MSSQL/MySQL a lot about 5yrs ago when I was doing a lot of database driven websites with back-end user interfaces, but honestly, it's been a while. I don't know if I would be of much help, but if you can post your question(s), there are a couple of database gurus at the gaming forum I'm admin at which would probably have a good answer for you.

Thanks Shifty, that would be great.

I have a Query that pulls serial numbers from the database for specific part numbers when the part number is inputted by the user.

From there I have a Form to display the serial numbers.

What I want it to do is check for any repeated (duplicate) serial numbers and highlight them or mark them in some way so that they stand out.

I was thinking a conditional format in the Form but I havent figured out how it would work.

Well, I've been reading everything I can find on the web but havent found a way to do it yet. But I did have another idea I would like to throw out to you.

would it be easier to block a duplicate entry? I know that Access will not allow a non unique input in the primary field, but this isnt quite what i need. There will be repeat serial numbers for different part numbers. I would have to figure out how to block repeated serials within a part number while still allowing a serial number to be reused if it was on a different part number.

Well. actually after typing that it sounds harder to do than I originally thought it would be.

I suppose when entering the data - compare "X" variable to "Y" field to make sure "X" is a unique value, otherwise return an error, I suppose. I don't know what method you are using to allow users to input data. This would only prevent future occurences.

One of the guys at the gaming forum sends this:


Join his main query to a "count()" query with two fields - the serial number and the count of records in the table with that number.

Then he can conditionally format the result to highlight any rows where the count is greater than one.

Oh, this is a COMPUTER question.
Just reading the thread title, I thought you wanted to know how to "ACCESS" the state of "MS" (mississippi).
I was going to suggest interstates 20 or 55.

Oh well........

Join his main query to a "count()" query with two fields - the serial number and the count of records in the table with that number.

Then he can conditionally format the result to highlight any rows where the count is greater than one.


that makes sense to me. Instead of trying to run something in VBA just create another query to "double check" the query I already have.

I'll have to figure out how to link them so that the results turn up red somehow to mark them.

I'm not sure how to do all that yet but its a start.

The serial number info is being input on another form that creates an inspection log for each job number. The data base sorts those to the tables. and I'm trying to pull the Serial numbers out of the table.

My major problems are I'm new to Access AND working witha database someone else built.

I highly recommend going to the local chain book store and picking up this book:

http://www.oreilly.com/catalog/accessdata3/

You may browse through the rest of this section to see if something else is more fitting for you:

http://www.oreilly.com/pub/topic/access

There may be something more suited to what you are doing.

O'reilly is an EXCELLENT technical info source. Their books are very easy to read for the layman. I picked up my first copy back in ... hell, 1997? On HTML, read it in a plane flight from Florida to Vancouver and back, and was writing full webpages by the time I returned, professionally. They are solely responsible for my career advancement :D

thanks for the recommendation. I have been looking for a good book but hadnt figured out which one to get.

I found a used copy of both that book and the "cookbook" for $25 total. should be here monday. thanks again for the recommendation