Access 2000 / Windows 2000 - Beginner's questions

[ladyck3]

I apologize for the wordyness...but I have so many questions, not sure where/how to start.

I prefer using Access 2000 / Windows 2000
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Ok, so here's what I have, and below is what I want to achieve... my problem is, other than "do this in Access", and the fact that I've created these tables and forms.... I am not certain how to make this the project I want it to be.

Please understand that this is being done for educational and entertainment purposes only so the subject matter should be taken with a grain of salt. I'm interested in Numerology but do not live by it... I love numbers. I thought, what better way to learn about Excel and Access than to incorporate something that interests me and then figure out how to make it work.

What I have:

1. I have a working model of the calculations in Excel, however, what results I want is to have a report populated from the calculations to incorporate the meanings behind the results.

2. I have a separate table for each entity, each being a 2 column table. The first column is the value, which has also been set as the Primary Key, the second column is the TEXT INFO related to that value.

3. I have created a form for each table which is a combo box drop down. When I open the form, I have removed the navigation buttons on the bottom as there is no need to add additional records and no need to scroll through the data.

The drop down comes up blank, instead of showing, for instance, the number 1... and when I drop down the menu - select a number, the corresponding explanation will propogate the list box below the combo box drop down.

I have one for each table as follows:

Letter Value - A record for each letter of the alphabet in column 1, corresponding number value in column 2
Birth Date - listing of the 'dates' of the month in column 1, with corresponding text info in column 2
Birth Date Number - Column 1 is the total of the birth date (for instance the 29th would be 2 + 9 = 11 = 1 + 1 = 2) so one can select "The Twos"
NOTE:
The Birth Date Number (the Ones, Twos, Threes..etc) set up as the main form with a sub form to select the specific DATE, both are combo/list boxes

That is the only form with subform, there are many more a total of about 22 tables, just to give you an idea.


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What I want
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Starting here... first step is I want a place for a user to enter their birth name (first middle lastname) and have the database calculate the values of each letter (see Letter Value Table) add them together and reduce the resulting answer to a single digit. This is the start.

Question:
How do I do this... meaning, do I first create a query? Do I create a form for a name field and then somehow link the Letter Values ..what is the mechanism or vehicle or process I need to do, just to accomplish this first step...

If I can at least get started, I might then be able to figure out more on my own. I would need to enter a calculation in there somewhere to do the figuring...where is this done?

Do I need to use VB? If so, OH MY GAWD... have NO idea how to do this.... no clue.

Is anyone willing to hop on my train and ride part of the way? Or play Conductor... or just hand me a ticket with directions for the first leg of the journey??

Thanks in advance.. if this is the wrong forum, please lead me to the right one. If you feel I am totally out of my league, I accept that and will just (after about 20+ years of attempting to figure out what tools to actually use) say I give up.

I have the calculations working in an excel spreadsheet but have no knowledge how to link that to the appropriate text files once it calculates. I even have the huge project saved as a webpage and it calculates accurately (with a LOT of help from my knowledgeable Excel buddies).... but I'm told to link it all together its best to create a database...

So here I am....

Thanks in advance...
Laurie
ladyck3@earthlink.net

 

[goodfela26]

This sounds like an intriguing project. It sounds to me that you would probably want to use VB to handle the calculations. That's what I use and it works like a charm. The problem is that you don't know how to program in vb, but all in all, it's not really that difficult. I don't know how much interest, if any, you have in learning a language such as vb, but I can tell you it is one of the easier languages to learn.

There may be other ways to handle this project, and if there are, I don't know them. I hope someone else here can point you in a different direction if learning vb isn't an option for you.

Good Luck! ---------------------------------------

In my limited experience, 80-90% of all problems brought to my attention can be attributed to PEBCAK...the other 10-20% can be attributed to MS!

 

[ladyck3]

I am willing to learn... am concerned about my 'ability' to learn... I tend to concentrate too much sometimes and needlessly confuse myself.

I currently have a table added called INPUT where a user can input

First Name
Middle Name
Last Name
Date of Birth

I then created a query using the wizard and added in the LETTER VALUE table... this shows the info a=1, b=2, c=3, etc.... (it repeats 1 through 9 so when you get to J, it =1 again, K=2, etc)

Now I know you can do mathematics in query somewhere but DUH... I don't know where... I'm telling you this IS intriguing and a real learning experience.

Thanks for the well wishes.. GOOD LUCK TO ME too

What an undertaking <whew>

 

[klmorgan]

Not sure that I understand exactly what you want but it seems that you may find VLOOKUP helpful.

If you are getting numerical values each of which has a text you can set up a table for Mood in Sheet2 ie.

A B
1 1 Sad
2 2 Happy
3 3 Thoughtful


If you then had your calculated values in Sheet1 Calculated value for mood in cell H26

You could set up in a report in sheet3

A b
1 =Sheet1!h26 =Vlookup(a1,Sheet2!a1:b3,2,False)

It would print the outcome in B1

If you look at the wizard for the Vlookup it helps you build the argument.

If I have misunderstood and this is too simple sorry!

Regards

Keith

P.S. add a further entry to your question for further help if you need it

 

[ladyck3]

Keith,
I do appreciate your reply/interest. The thing is, I have all of this working in Excel, all of the Vlookup calculations and others to do EVERYTHING that I need to calculate.

But, I want this to end up with the data, such as moods for instance,... say one calculation =4, then the corresponding text to the number 4 for that entity (our example being MOODS) would then plop into a report. Ultimately I want to create a report that says... your Birth Name (number X - figured by the calculations)Example: 3 then the meaning for the number 3 under MOODS would be placed in the report. Now this is the cart before the horse here... I need to go back the beginning.

I have the charts and query listed in the previous post.
Keith, you mention Vlookup. Where in a query do I enter the vlookup statement and how does that relate to ACCESS when this vlookup that I have is relative to the spreadsheet this was created in and has nothing to do with the Letter Value table that I've created in Access.

a=1
b=2
c3=

You know what? This may just be WAY TOO MUCH to handle in venue... I've got all of this in my head and really am not sure sometimes how to ask the questions, or what the proper questions are....

I think maybe I should just stop here and not bother folks... If you think you are interested in maybe working on this... feel free to email me privately.. I don't want to burden the group.... I mean it, this is just too much of a beginner project with Advanced results and its going to take a lot of posting and questions.

I'm kind of sorry I brought it up because it is overwhelming ... maybe too overwhelming.

I appreciate the interest, I truly do....
Laurie
ladyck3@earthlink.net

(I'm not saying &quot;UNCLE&quot; I'm just sparing everyone) <grin>

 

[klmorgan]

I was suggesting that you build the report in Excel using the VLOOKUP to populate a report page.

I used to be quiet good at DOS Databases but not so good at access as I prefer to programme rather than point and click! but programming would need to be in VB or VBA and I'm only just beginning that mostly in Excell VB

It seems to me that if you have mastered Excel enough to produce the calculations that you need why not set up the report in Excel?

VLOOKUP's give you simular functionality to related tables in access and you can build an input sheet

Regards

Keith

 

[ladyck3]

You know... the only response I have to this is...

I don't know.

Quite frankly, I'm feeling overwhelmed again (remember I've been brainstorming this for over 20 years now.. ) and when I get overwhelmed... it gets pushed back on a back burner again....

I look at this and say (in Access) Ok, I have the data here and I know calculations have to be made or relations have to be made between tables but...how do you do this?

How do I know when I need a table linked with another,
Where do the calculations need to be entered?

You see, I think I need to spend the money and take a course in Access or I'm never going to get this.... ARGH!

20 PLUS YEARS.. I mean really.... ::sigh::



Laurie

 

[Dreamboat]

Hi, Laurie.

The first alarm I felt was when I heard you have 22 tables. I cannot imagine that you need that many. Would you mind giving us table names and the fieldnames in the tables? I suspect that you may have one or two tables that you need, and then 20 others that are all virtually the same---a definite no-no in an Access database.

I'll be happy to review it for you and point you in the right directions.

Anne@TheOfficeExperts.com Anne Troy

http://www.TheOfficeExperts.com

Word and Excel Macros
Coming soon: WordX Addin!

 

[ladyck3]

Thanks Anne....

I appreciate the interest but I've decided to table the whole thing again (hope not 20 year again... not sure if I'll live that long)....

And there is a need for all of the tables as it is different sets of data in each.... but I've become discouraged once again.

Thanks to those who replied....

Sincerely,
Laurie
ladyck3@earthlink.net