Access 2007 option group on report

Question

Hello, I'm new to Access so please consider this when forming your response. This has been driving me crazy and I've looked high and low on the 'net for a solution. I look forward to your response.

I have a form with an option group. I've wish to have this display on my report. Take for instance this "test" scenario:

Options a, b, c

I've created a field in my table to accept the data from the form. In my table, I see 1, 2, 3 when I save a record. Good enough. Now, in my report, I have checkboxes representing options a, b, and c. I wish to have a checkmark within the box corresponding to the option selected on the form.

Thank you for your time and expertise!

Answer 1

An option group is a user interface object, and UI objects don't belong on reports.

Your data field stores digits, but each of those digits has a meaning. On a report, you want the meaningful data displayed. That means that you need a data table that maps 1, 2 and 3 to something, and then join that table to the field you're storing the option group value in.

Another approach would be to use Switch(), but that means that you'd have to edit the report any time you add another option. A data table makes that a lot easier, as you just add a new record to add a new value.

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David W. Fenton
David Fenton Associates

Answer 2

There's no technical limitation preventing you from displaying output on a report using an Option Group and check boxes.

In the design view of the report, add an option group control from the controls toolbox.

Add 3 checkbox controls to the option group control. When you select the check box control and hover the pointer over the option group, it will change color to indicate that the check box will become a part of the group when placed.

I added three check boxes to an option group on a report and they defaulted to values of 1, 2, and 3, so this should go pretty easily for what you're trying to do.

In the Property Sheet with the option group selected, make sure the Control Source property is set to the column with the 1, 2, 3 value in the underlying data source.

You might want to set the border style to hide the box around the checkboxes and also delete the label control that is automatically generated for the option group. I'm not sure what kind of look you're going for, but I'm sure you can handle the formatting details.