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Use a control BeforeUpdate event to ensure that a value is unique, not a duplicate. If another record has the value already, give the user a choice of undoing changes and moving to that record, or staying to edit the value
Although a unique index may be set on a field, the error message to a user entering data isn't friendly.
The solution is to use the BeforeUpdate event of a control to either move to another existing record or stay on the current record and make changes if a value entered isn't unique.
Modify to replace code in the CUSTOMIZE section. Your procedure name (MyControlname_BeforeUpdate) will undoubtably be different
'*************** Code Start ***************************************************** ' Purpose : test for unique value using control BeforeUpdate event ' if not unique, move to other record or stay and edit ' Author : crystal (strive4peace) ' Code List: www.msaccessgurus.com/code.htm ' This code: https://msaccessgurus.com/VBA/UniqueValues.htm ' LICENSE : ' You may freely use and share this code, but not sell it. ' Keep attribution. Mark your changes. Use at your own risk. '------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Private Sub MyControlname_BeforeUpdate(Cancel As Integer) 's4p 221101 ... 11 'make sure value is unique on new or modified record ' if not string, then modify delimiter too 'lookup table design: ideally there will be a Unique Index ' on the value to lookup that isn't to be duplicated ' but not necessary for this procedure to work 'assumes Value is a string and primary key (PK) is a long integer 'written generically so MyControlname will be different for you!! 'dimension variables Dim nRecordID As Long _ ,sWhere As String _ ,sValue As String _ ,sMsg As String _ ,sFieldnameValue As String _ ,sFieldnamePK As String _ ,sTablename As String '----------------------------------------- CUSTOMIZE sFieldnameValue = "PropName" 'String, Name of Short Text field sFieldnamePK = "PropertyID" 'String, Name of Long Integer/Autonumber PK field sTablename = "dm_Property" 'String, name of table '------------------------------------------ 'get value to test With Me.ActiveControl If IsNull(.Value) Then Exit Sub sValue = Trim(.Value) End With 'get primary key for changed record ' -99 will be used if PK doesn't yet have a value nRecordID = Nz(Me(sFieldnamePK),-99) 'construct WHERE clause sWhere = "(" & sFieldnameValue & "= '" & sValue & "')" 'if not new record, add PK to WHERE clause If nRecordID <> -99 Then sWhere = sWhere _ & " AND (" & sFieldnamePK & " <> " & nRecordID & ")" End If 'get PK of other record with this value ' -99 means the value wasn't found on other record nRecordID = Nz(DLookup( _ sFieldnamePK _ ,sTablename _ ,sWhere),-99) If nRecordID <> -99 Then 'value found on another record sMsg = "'" & sValue & "' already exists" _ & vbCrLf & " OK = Move to record" _ & vbCrLf & " Cancel = Stay here and fix the value" If MsgBox(sMsg _ ,vbOKCancel _ , "Duplicate Value. Move or Stay?") = vbOK _ Then 'move to record With Me.RecordsetClone .FindFirst sFieldnamePK & "=" & nRecordID If Not .NoMatch Then Me.Undo Cancel = True Me.Bookmark = .Bookmark Else 'code to remove filter and look again -- YOU write End If End With 'RecordsetClone Else 'cancel control update Cancel = True End If End If End Sub '*************** Code End *******************************************************Code was generated with colors using the free Color Code add-in for Access.
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Even if a table has a unique index to disallow duplicate values, it is nice to take advantage of the control you can get with forms to give a friendly message so user knows what's wrong and can either fix it, or move to the record they are trying to create again
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~ crystal
the simplest way is best, but usually the hardest to see