Disabling multi-line fields in MS Access

Question

Is there a way to disable entering multi-line entries in a Text Box (i.e., I'd like to stop my users from doing ctrl-enter to get a newline)?

Answer 1

not entirely sure about that one, you should be able to remove the line breaks when you render the content though, or even run a vbscript to clear it out, you just need to check for chr(13) or vbCrLf.

Answer 2

The way I did it before (and the last time I worked in Access was around '97 so my memory is not so hot) was raising a key-up event and executing a VBA function. It's a similar method to what you do with an AJAX suggest text box in a modern webform application, but as I recall it could get tripped up if your Access form has other events which tend to occur frequently such a onMouseMove over the entire form object.

Answer 3

I was able to do it on using KeyPress event. Here's the code example:

Private Sub SingleLineTextBox_ KeyPress(ByRef KeyAscii As Integer)
    If KeyAscii = 10 _
        or KeyAscii = 13 Then
            '10 -> Ctrl-Enter. AKA ^J or ctrl-j
            '13 -> Enter.      AKA ^M or ctrl-m
        KeyAscii = 0  'clear the the KeyPress
    End If
End Sub

Answer 4

If you don't want an event interfering, you can set up the Validation Rule property for the textbox to be

NOT LIKE "*"+Chr(10)+"*" OR "*"+Chr(13)+"*"

You will probably also want to set the Validation Text to explain specifically why Access is throwing up an error box.

Answer 5

Using the KeyPress event means that your code will fire every time the user types. This can lead to screen flickering and other problems (the OnChange event would be the same).

It seems to me that you should use a single event to strip out the CrLf's, and the correct event would be AfterUpdate. You'd simply do this:

  If InStr(Me!MyMemoControl, vbCrLf) Then
     Me!MyMemoControl = Replace(Me!MyMemoControl, vbCrLf, vbNullString)
  End If

Note the use of the Access global constants, vbCrLf (for Chr(10) & Chr(13)) and vbNullString (for zero-length string).

Using a validation rule means that you're going to pop up an ugly error message to your user, but provide them with little in the way of tools to correct the problem. The AfterUpdate approach is much cleaner and easier for the users, seems to me.

Answer 6

I am having problems with jpeg files exported from Lightroom 2.2 http://www.ebook-search-queen.com/ebook/ligh/lightroom-2.2.all.html . I dont think ImageGetExifMetadata working properly for LR images. I can see the all exif information with a different programs. One of the errors:"Element Focal Plane Y Resolution is undefined in a CFML structure referenced as part of an expression. ". "Element Focal Plane Y Resolution" is there but CF can't read it. I have tried all sorts with no luck.On the other hand it works for non LR jpg images. Any ideas?