How do I reference adjacent cells in an Apex tabular form? - oracle10g

Friends,
I'm converting an Oracle Form to Apex and have run into problem(s?) which I hope you can help with. Put simply the problem is how do I reference adjacent cells in an Apex tabular form? Is it possible?
The reason for asking is that I need to create a tabular form with 3 dependent select lists, lets call them:
Divisions
Cost Centres
Accounting codes
What should happen is, if the user chooses "Cost Centres" I need to check both Divisions and Accounting codes to restrict what is shown in the "Cost Centres" select list.
None of the fields are mandatory and the user can enter them in any order, e.g. On a new record the three selects lists have no values, the user selects "Accounting Codes" for which they see all the accounting codes after which if they select "Cost Centres" then they see a list of "Cost Centres" restricted by the "Accounting Code"
My first attempt was to put this in a single entry form where implementing this was a lot easier however this is not a viable solution.
The only example that comes close to what I need to implement is this from Denes Kubicek which blends a lot of technologies to achieve the result. Is this the only solution to this problem?
In case of need I am using Apex 4.0
Thanks for any help you maybe able to provide!

I haven't gone through Denes's example in detail, but yes I'm afraid that even with Apex 4.0 implementing cascading LOVs in a tabular form is going to be a complex task involving Javascript and AJAX. Apex 4.0 doesn't support dynamic actions on tabular forms, and it doesn't have the declarative "parent LOV items" attribute for tabular forms as it does for regular forms. In short, I don't think anything that has been added in Apex 4.0 simplifies this task - except that you can now use jQuery code to manipulate the DOM.

Related

MS Access 2007 Form Logic

This is my first post on Stack. I've been reading for a while and learned a lot. Thanks to all those who share on this site.
My office runs still runs MS Access 2007 and I was tasked with creating a database even though I had no experience doing so. I read "The Missing Manual for Access 2007", another book that I can't remember the name of, multiple posts on this site and Microsoft's and can't find the solution to what I need to do.
Issue: I want to have two fields on a form referring to the same table, each with look ups but want the second field's options to be dependent on the first. For example, I want the first field for "Region" to list options to select 1 2 3 or 4. If someone chooses 1, I want the second field only listed offices that are in Region 1. This doesn't seem like it should wildly complicated but I cannot figure out how to do it.
I have tried using the expression builder to create nested IIf functions, filtering queries, macros and a few other things but don't have the depth of knowledge to make any of them accomplish what I'm looking to do.
Is there a way to accomplish this easily without VBA? Or if VBA is the only way, can someone point me to a good code that I hopefully figure out and edit for this purpose?
Thank you for any help and advice. Please let me know if I left out any useful information
Steve
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Is it possible to change the way a form loads with different data fields and values (Acces 2010)

I have Access 2010. I was wondering if there is a way to get the form to load different for every selection.
Example
Item A has 10 Rows and 6 columns of filled in data
Item B has 3 Rows and 2 Columns of filled in data
Both are from the same table.
Is there a way when a certain item is selected from a drop down menu to load, without having multiple forms, only the filled in data? Output would resemble Excel format.
Thank you in advance for any help.
Quick Answer (TL;DR)
Creating dynamically-generated form structure in MSFT Access can be done with sub-forms.
Detailed Answer
Context
MSFT Access
Creating forms
Problem
Scenario: Developer wishes to create context-specific form structure that depends on the query output.
Solution
Create one or more sub-form with attached VBA that changes dependent on the query ouput.
Connect the subform(s) to the primary form and load as needed depending on the context.
See also
https://stackoverflow.com/questions/tagged/ms-access+forms+vba
https://duckduckgo.com/?q=msft+access+dynamic+subform
How to dynamically load, access and unload subforms in microsoft access

Access: Forms, Subforms and Queries

According to the searching I've done over the past couple of days, what I'm trying to achieve should be fairly straightforward but nothing that I've found has solved my problems. This is my first time at using Access, or SQL at all. Apologies in advance for the length of the question.
Essentially I need to pick up a value from one table and multiply it by another in the another table, and then store the result in the second table, via forms and subforms.
The Problem:
I'm attempting to create a database of projects, part of which is a quotation tool. The database has several tables covering all the required inputs for our project managers, most of which are linked to the PKs of their parent tables.
My current attempt has a form (frmJobDetails) giving the details of the each project (linked to tblJobs). This form has two subforms:
frmJobRolesSubform details who's working on the project in what role ( and, notably, their sale rate.
frmJobProcessesSubform details the tasks, who's allocated to which task and the estimated number of hours to complete.
Both subforms link to their own tables (tblJobs_Roles and tblJobs_Processes respectively).
frmJobProcessesSubform obtains the people working on the project and their roles from frmJobRolesSubform so the manager can allocate a person to a task on frmJobProcessesSubform. This is done via a combobox: cboRole.
So far, so good.
I'm needing to obtain the sale rate of the person working on the given task so that I can calculate the cost of the task. Specifically, I'd like a field on the subform to calculate the cost of the task and then store it in tblJobs_Processes.
My Attempts
I've attempted to build a query (qryProcessCost) that calls cboRole, either as an expression in the Field cell or in the Criteria cell ([Forms]![frmJobsProcessesSubform]![cboRole]).
I'm aware this can't successfully when the form isn't active, but I'm getting Access' request for input for [Forms]![frmJobsProcessesSubform]![cboRole] when selecting from the subform. The query runs successfully when example values are hardcoded into the query. The query should, obviously, only return a single value.
I've tried setting the ControlSource of a textbox to [qryProcessCost]![dblProcessCost] (where dblProcessCost is the calculated field), but this can't then write to the table (as far as I can deduce). Also, I get a #Name? error in the cell and I can't seem to get to the bottom of that.
I've tried setting the RecordSource property of a combobox to SELECT [qryProcessCost]![dblProcessCost] FROM [qryProcessCost], and the ControlSource to the relevant field of the table. While this would be a clunky solution, it actually doesn't work anyway as it fails to pick up the value of [Forms]![frmJobsProcessesSubform]![cboRole].
I've tried using an intermediate textbox to determine what value cboRole is passing, and I'm happy with that - the primary key of the role assigned in frmJobsRolesSubform.
The Question:
I'm guessing that I'm probably going to have to resort to VBA at this point to get what I want but I'm unfamiliar with the Access VBA structures (though I've used Excel VBA a fair bit).
Anyone got any ideas, hints, suggestions or pointers?
Cheers in advance,
Aaron
In case anyone else has a similar problem, I've posted my complete solution below:
I implemented Gene's correction to my references, which provided something, but the query wouldn't update when the fields on the form were changed. As I noted in the question, I also really wanted it to be a text box rather than a combo box for usability reasons but wasn't sure how to have a Record Source and Control Source for a text box.
I ended up going round in circles, via VBA and macros and several types of error and happened upon a suggestion to use a DLookUp here. I hadn't been able to get them to work for this particular problem before, but I managed to make it work this time. Specifically, I put the DLookUp in the following macro:
SetProperty
Control Name txtBudgetCost
Property Value
Value =DLookUp("[dblCostRate]","[tblJobs_Roles]","[pkJobs_RoleID]="[cboRole])*[txtBudg‌​etHours]
This macro was used for the After Update event of the relevant fields on the subform.
Setting the value property of a field to a DLookUp meant that I could set the Control Source property of a the text box txtBudgetCost to the relevant field in the table, to obtain the desired behaviour.
Both cboRole and txtBudgetHours are fields on the same subform as the field txtBudgetCost.
The only problem with this solution is that, when the subform is viewed in the Datasheet view, a #Name? error is given for the new record row. I probably just need to enter some error handling somewhere, though I haven't given much thought for what it should be just yet.
Cheers,
Aaron

2d form for data entry in Access

I'm using Access 2010 and I would like to create a form where useres can enter data much like they can in an Excel format. The users need to enter a date when a step is complete for a specific unit.
In Excel the units run aross the top row, the steps run down the left column. In the cell where the unit and step meet, you put a date when it is done. In Access it is much harder to create a form that looks like this (at least it has been for me so far). I tried to use a crosstab query, but you cannot enter information into a crosstab query. I can do a massive form listing every combination of units and steps, but there are over 50 units and each one has 63 steps. I don't want users to have to look through a form with over 3,000 lines in it just to enter a date completed.
This definitely feels like something we should be using a database for instead of an Excel spreadsheet. I have the format for the back end tables to hold the data. My problem is how to create a form that is easy for the user to enter the dates.
I think you have three options. First, you could build the form from scratch, which you've already admitted would suck. And it would take a lot of VBA to get the data in the right place. Second, you could automate Excel - it's the same as the first method but you don't have to build the form. You would populate an Excel spreadsheet and write the changes back to the database. This is not a trivial task and I don't recommend it.
The third option is to throw away the idea that you want to do this in a grid. You've probably been doing it in Excel and to the extent that you replicate that, your users will be happy and comfortable. Moving to a database gives you benefits, but there are costs. This is one of the costs.
So create a form with a dropdown containing all of the units. When a unit is selected, populate a subform (datasheet view) listing all of the procedures and dates. The user can then select the unit, and fill in the date next to whichever procedures he wants. Then he can select another unit and do the same thing. If you set it up right, your data will flow to the tables automatically and you'll get all the benefits of data validation, input masks, relationships, and whatever else you're using at the table level.
I know that's not what you were looking for, but I think it's the best way forward.

Eclipse Birt Reports, Creating report from SQL database, (user key?)

I'm fairly new to using the Birt Report Designer and need to figure out how to generate a report from a SQLite database. I have suceeded in getting it to connect to the DB but am now unsure how to generate a report and the tutorials that I have found aren't of much help so far.
I have a template that was given to me by my employer that has a few fields, I'm wondering if these fieldnames (in the template) are supposed to match field names in the DB.
Also, when I go to Run->View Report-> As PDF I am unsure what I am supposed to enter for the field "User Key", does this correspond to a table name in the DB or something along these lines?
As of now, I have tried entering a table name but just a blank report is generated.
If anyone can point me to a good resource or help with this I would greatly appreciate it. Thanks
There are two books i could really advice:
BIRT - A Field Guide to Reporting
Integrating and Extending BIRT
and the Eclipse Help containing BIRT documentation.
I suppose the User Key could be report parameter (listed in Data Explorer window), which is passed to Data Set to select appropriate data. If I'm guessing right, check within a Data Set editor ("Parameters" tab and "Query" tab) where the User Key parameter goes in - probably to one of the table field in a WHERE clause. Parameters in a query are represented by question marks: SELECT * FROM fooTable WHERE barColumn = ?. Hope tracking this would lead to find out, what to enter to the parameter.
Additionally, ensure if your Data Set(s) is(are) connected correctly to your SQLite Data Source ("Data Source" tab in a Data Set editor).
Being as new as you are to BIRT, I would suggest building a couple of reports with the sample DB (Classic Models). There are many, many samples out there for you to use as a guide. Additionally, most tutorials will use the Classic Models data so you can follow right along. After you create a couple of practice reports (this should not take more than 30-45 minutes) the template you have been given will likely make A LOT more sense and allow you to make progress almost immediately.
If you are looking for a nice collection of tutorials and samples, be sure to check out Birt Exchange for Dev Share (samples) & tutorials.
As for the "User Key" this is almost certainly a report-level parameter used to filter the data set (as the previous answer points out).
Good Luck!