Help with dispatching program for available units?

[esu4edp]

I'm building a Public Safety dispatching database. On a form (called "Call Entry&quot I have basic information like address, type of complaint date and time, etc. I also have a unit dispatched combo box field. I want it to be able to choose from a list of available units to send on that call, but here is the catch. In the combo box itself it will only bring up units that are on duty (this was done by making on officer table and one of the fields in that table is "Active" and is set to "Yes or No." What I need to have happen is if 5 units are on duty and there is a call that two of the officers are on, and another call comes in, how do I get it to only bring up the officers that are active and available for the call (not the officers who are active and not-available for the call.)

Thanks so much,

Craig

 

[DaveSH]

If I understand correctly,

I think you want 2 yes / no fields in the officers table.

"Active" and "Available".

In the query builder for the row source of the combo box set the criteria for both of these to True. This will limit the list to only those officers that are on duty and are active.

Im assuming you will want to use an update query or some code in the after update property of the combo box to change the officers "Active" and "Available" values to false. Additionally you will want to do something like have a command button somewhere to end a call to reset the officers status using an update query or some code.

Another option would be instead of yes no fields, have one field with status and use "Dispatched" "Avaialable" "Off Duty".

Dave
gallagherd@earthlink.net