Managing col. headings in tab-style forms (2000, XP)

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I often use the forms wizard to create tab-style forms that are planned as subforms. The fieldID’s are used as the column headings. I often prefer a different caption. Where is the proper place to change this? Access doesn’t “hold” changes if I edit the label in the form . Adding a caption to the properties box doesn’t do it either. Seems as if I have found it, but now I cannot remember where.
Thanks

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I’m not quite sure what you’re asking. Each field in a table has a caption property. Have you tried setting that? When you say the FieldIDs are used as the column headings, you lose me. Are you talking about the labels on tab pages or something else?

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I did say it badly on several counts. It is evidently the datasheet view I’m having trouble with. The column headings are the field labels. Can I use a caption? When I look at a datasheet-style form in design view, it LOOKS like a the kind of form the wizard makes if you choose Tabular. In the design view, I can edit the column heading directly or in the properties box, I can add a caption for the label or change the label name. And Access continues to display the field name. I can change the style to continuous and get what I want, but I’d like to know if it is possible to modify the column heading in datasheet view.
Thanks.

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If you set the labels in the design view of the datasheet, those are the columh headings you will see in form view.

Here is a design view of a subform that shows the label captions for the fields. Note that they are not the same as the Field names.

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If you set the labels in the design view of the datasheet, those are the columh headings you will see in form view.

Here is a design view of a subform that shows the label captions for the fields. Note that they are not the same as the Field names.

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And here is what the above delivers in datasheet view:

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And here is what the above delivers in datasheet view:

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If you are using a Datasheet form, the Column Headings will reflect the textbox labels ONLY if the label is “attached” to the “parent” textbox (or other control used to display data). If the label is “detached”, its caption will NOT be reflected in the Datasheet column headings; instead, the name of the control (not the underlying field), will be reflected. Recommend double-check form in design view and ensure the labels are “attached” to parent control. You can determine if label is attached by selecting textbox only in design view. If label is attached, you’ll see a handle in the upper left corner when parent control is selected. See attached pic (Northwind Orders Subform1) – there are two OrderID textboxes, the first one has an attached label, while the second one has detached label. To attach an “orphaned” label, select label, Cut, select textbox, Paste. The label will now be “attached” to textbox and its caption will be reflected in column headings. The bottom image shows form when opened, the first column reflects attached label caption, while 2nd column reflects the name of duplicate OrderID textbox (Text8).

HTH

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Mark, you answered a question I have had for a long time – and it’s not one I knew applied to this situation. However, I still have a problem. When I look at my datasheet form in design view, I do not see what you and Charlotte see. Yours are arranged in the “columnar” format. Mine is in the “tabular” format. If I “attach” as you suggest, the label joins the field in the detail area and I cannot drag the newly attached label to the form header area. The only way to get it up there is to break that attachment.

How can I change the design view arrangment to the “columnar” layout? (I have a Word attachment with screen captures I’m not being able to send through, so I hope the description is good enough.)

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I’m not sure what exactly type of form you’re using, but if you use the “Form Wizard” to create a so-called “Tabular” form, what it creates is a form designed to run in “Continuous Forms” view. What I illustrated in previous reply was not “Continuous Forms” view, but “Datasheet” view. You can set the default view for a form in form Design View, Form Properties, “Format” tab, “Default View” property setting. See attached pic, top setting is for so-called “Tabular” (continuous view) form, while bottom setting is for Datasheet view. The business about the label caption governing what appears in the column headings only applies to a form open in Datasheet view. When the labels are detached (in the form header), as in “Tabular” form created by wizard, then the label itself is displayed when form opened.

HTH

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Dear members of this board,
is their actually an answer to this question of sanora, above?
[indent]

---

If I “attach” as you suggest, the label joins the field in the detail area and I cannot drag the newly attached label to the form header area. The only way to get it up there is to break that attachment.

---

[/indent]
It’s no matter of big importance as in a datasheet form, the arrangement of controls in design view isn’t reflected in form view, but it would be nice to know & might come in handy in certain situations…
Can you move an attached label from the detail section to the header section? Or can you create an attached label directly in the header section? Or is the only solution recreating the form through the form wizard all over again?

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If you are asking, can an control be located in one section (eg, Detail) and an attached label in another (eg, Form Header) the answer is NO, the control and attached label must reside in same section of the form. If you cut attached label from control and paste in header section, the label is no longer attached to control.

HTH

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If you are asking, can an control be located in one section (eg, Detail) and an attached label in another (eg, Form Header) the answer is NO, the control and attached label must reside in same section of the form. If you cut attached label from control and paste in header section, the label is no longer attached to control.

HTH

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Labels in one section cannot be attached to controls in another section.

The Form Wizard creates controls with attached labels in the detal section if you select “Datasheet”, and with detached labels in the header if you select “Tabular” (i.e. a continuous form). If you have created a tabular form with the wizard, and would prefer a datasheet form, you must either cut the labels one by one from the header, select the corresponding control in the detail section and paste (this will re-attach the label to the control), or re-create the form from scratch.

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I could’ve guessed this … too bad this sounds very reasonable… Thanks for your replies !

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I’m curious why you would want a label in a header attached to a control in the detail section (or any section other than the header)? The only advantage to having a label attached to the control is that you can move the two together. But you certainly wouldn’t want to do that when the control and the label are in different sections, would you?

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Hi, Wendell,
it’s just a minor issue and might be a sign of rather bad development habits, so I’m a bit ashamed to have brought it up here (isn’t there any shyish-staring-at-my-feet smily?) but I don’t want to let your question unanswered, so…
It happens that I start building my forms before it’s sure what the overall design will be. Then it would be handsome & save some work at times
– if one would be able at any stage to switch between datasheet & continuous/tabular form type without having to worry about those captions-labels;
– if, when one has to rearrange the columns-fields’ order in a continuous/tabular form as fields get added & deleted,… one could move both textbox/combo & attached label simultaneously in one click & drag (instead of click-select, move mouse, ctrl+click-select again, drag… when they’re not attached).
Greetings,
Hasse

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Hi, Wendell,
it’s just a minor issue and might be a sign of rather bad development habits, so I’m a bit ashamed to have brought it up here (isn’t there any shyish-staring-at-my-feet smily?) but I don’t want to let your question unanswered, so…
It happens that I start building my forms before it’s sure what the overall design will be. Then it would be handsome & save some work at times
– if one would be able at any stage to switch between datasheet & continuous/tabular form type without having to worry about those captions-labels;
– if, when one has to rearrange the columns-fields’ order in a continuous/tabular form as fields get added & deleted,… one could move both textbox/combo & attached label simultaneously in one click & drag (instead of click-select, move mouse, ctrl+click-select again, drag… when they’re not attached).
Greetings,
Hasse

Reply | Quote

I’m curious why you would want a label in a header attached to a control in the detail section (or any section other than the header)? The only advantage to having a label attached to the control is that you can move the two together. But you certainly wouldn’t want to do that when the control and the label are in different sections, would you?

Reply | Quote

I could’ve guessed this … too bad this sounds very reasonable… Thanks for your replies !

Reply | Quote

Labels in one section cannot be attached to controls in another section.

The Form Wizard creates controls with attached labels in the detal section if you select “Datasheet”, and with detached labels in the header if you select “Tabular” (i.e. a continuous form). If you have created a tabular form with the wizard, and would prefer a datasheet form, you must either cut the labels one by one from the header, select the corresponding control in the detail section and paste (this will re-attach the label to the control), or re-create the form from scratch.

Reply | Quote

Dear members of this board,
is their actually an answer to this question of sanora, above?
[indent]

---

If I “attach” as you suggest, the label joins the field in the detail area and I cannot drag the newly attached label to the form header area. The only way to get it up there is to break that attachment.

---

[/indent]
It’s no matter of big importance as in a datasheet form, the arrangement of controls in design view isn’t reflected in form view, but it would be nice to know & might come in handy in certain situations…
Can you move an attached label from the detail section to the header section? Or can you create an attached label directly in the header section? Or is the only solution recreating the form through the form wizard all over again?

Reply | Quote

I’m not sure what exactly type of form you’re using, but if you use the “Form Wizard” to create a so-called “Tabular” form, what it creates is a form designed to run in “Continuous Forms” view. What I illustrated in previous reply was not “Continuous Forms” view, but “Datasheet” view. You can set the default view for a form in form Design View, Form Properties, “Format” tab, “Default View” property setting. See attached pic, top setting is for so-called “Tabular” (continuous view) form, while bottom setting is for Datasheet view. The business about the label caption governing what appears in the column headings only applies to a form open in Datasheet view. When the labels are detached (in the form header), as in “Tabular” form created by wizard, then the label itself is displayed when form opened.

HTH

Reply | Quote

Mark, you answered a question I have had for a long time – and it’s not one I knew applied to this situation. However, I still have a problem. When I look at my datasheet form in design view, I do not see what you and Charlotte see. Yours are arranged in the “columnar” format. Mine is in the “tabular” format. If I “attach” as you suggest, the label joins the field in the detail area and I cannot drag the newly attached label to the form header area. The only way to get it up there is to break that attachment.

How can I change the design view arrangment to the “columnar” layout? (I have a Word attachment with screen captures I’m not being able to send through, so I hope the description is good enough.)

Reply | Quote

If you are using a Datasheet form, the Column Headings will reflect the textbox labels ONLY if the label is “attached” to the “parent” textbox (or other control used to display data). If the label is “detached”, its caption will NOT be reflected in the Datasheet column headings; instead, the name of the control (not the underlying field), will be reflected. Recommend double-check form in design view and ensure the labels are “attached” to parent control. You can determine if label is attached by selecting textbox only in design view. If label is attached, you’ll see a handle in the upper left corner when parent control is selected. See attached pic (Northwind Orders Subform1) – there are two OrderID textboxes, the first one has an attached label, while the second one has detached label. To attach an “orphaned” label, select label, Cut, select textbox, Paste. The label will now be “attached” to textbox and its caption will be reflected in column headings. The bottom image shows form when opened, the first column reflects attached label caption, while 2nd column reflects the name of duplicate OrderID textbox (Text8).

HTH

Reply | Quote

I did say it badly on several counts. It is evidently the datasheet view I’m having trouble with. The column headings are the field labels. Can I use a caption? When I look at a datasheet-style form in design view, it LOOKS like a the kind of form the wizard makes if you choose Tabular. In the design view, I can edit the column heading directly or in the properties box, I can add a caption for the label or change the label name. And Access continues to display the field name. I can change the style to continuous and get what I want, but I’d like to know if it is possible to modify the column heading in datasheet view.
Thanks.

Reply | Quote

I’m not quite sure what you’re asking. Each field in a table has a caption property. Have you tried setting that? When you say the FieldIDs are used as the column headings, you lose me. Are you talking about the labels on tab pages or something else?

Reply | Quote