I’m populating a combo-box (that appears in my main table and a few other 
forms) using the contents of another small table. There are only two fields 
in this small table; ‘ID’ (AutoNumber) and ‘Categories’ (Text).

The associated combo-box field (named ‘Category’) that appears within the 
main table (used to record support incidents) has a data type of number. 

All tables and forms work as expected up to this point. 

The Problem: In a report, I’m attempting to group incidents by their 
assigned category. Unfortunately, the categories display on the report as 
numbers; 1, 2, 3 and so on when they should display as ‘Hardware’, 
‘Software’, ‘Services’ and so on’

I’d appreciate any ideas as to what I may be doing wrong. 

DennisO

Your combo box in the report is displaying the bound column (the ID field).  

Open the report in design view and set the bound column to 0

0cm;2cm


-- 
Wayne
Manchester, England.



"Denniso6" wrote:

> I’m populating a combo-box (that appears in my main table and a few other 
> forms) using the contents of another small table. There are only two fields 
> in this small table; ‘ID’ (AutoNumber) and ‘Categories’ (Text).
> 
> The associated combo-box field (named ‘Category’) that appears within the 
> main table (used to record support incidents) has a data type of number. 
> 
> All tables and forms work as expected up to this point. 
> 
> The Problem: In a report, I’m attempting to group incidents by their 
> assigned category. Unfortunately, the categories display on the report as 
> numbers; 1, 2, 3 and so on when they should display as ‘Hardware’, 
> ‘Software’, ‘Services’ and so on’
> 
> I’d appreciate any ideas as to what I may be doing wrong. 
> 
> DennisO
>

What you are seeing are the true values of the foreign key column in your 
main (referencing) table.  What you are seeing in your main table in 
datasheet view are the values looked up from the (referenced) categories 
table.  You've either used the 'look up wizard' when designing the table or 
have manually set the display control to a combo box.

To show the category values in your report join the main table to the 
categories table on the ID columns in a query, and make the query the 
RecordSource property of the report.  Return all the columns from your main 
table, apart from the foreign key column,  and include the categories column 
from the categories table in the query.  Then change the ControlSource 
property of the relevant text box in the report to the categories column.  
You'll also need to change the GroupLevel to that column in the report's 
Sorting and Grouping dialogue.

BTW its generally considered by experienced Access developers that the look 
up wizard is best avoided.  It serves no real purpose and you can use a combo 
box in a form or join tables in a query to see the referenced value.  Seeing 
the true value in raw datasheet view of a table is no loss as data should 
only be viewed and/or edited via forms and reports, not via a raw datasheet.  
See the following link for the gory details:


http://www.mvps.org/access/lookupfields.htm



Ken Sheridan
Stafford, England 

"Denniso6" wrote:

> I’m populating a combo-box (that appears in my main table and a few other 
> forms) using the contents of another small table. There are only two fields 
> in this small table; ‘ID’ (AutoNumber) and ‘Categories’ (Text).
> 
> The associated combo-box field (named ‘Category’) that appears within the 
> main table (used to record support incidents) has a data type of number. 
> 
> All tables and forms work as expected up to this point. 
> 
> The Problem: In a report, I’m attempting to group incidents by their 
> assigned category. Unfortunately, the categories display on the report as 
> numbers; 1, 2, 3 and so on when they should display as ‘Hardware’, 
> ‘Software’, ‘Services’ and so on’
> 
> I’d appreciate any ideas as to what I may be doing wrong. 
> 
> DennisO
>

I doubt it, Wayne.  Its much more likely that a text box control is bound to 
the Category column from the referencing table and is showing the true value 
of the foreign key.

Using a combo box in a report is unusual, but there is one circumstance 
where it is necessary; where the Filter property of a form which has been 
filtered  'by form' or 'by selection' is passed to report to restrict its 
results to that of the filtered form.  Because of the way the Filter property 
is built when a combo box is used in a form to display values from a 
referenced table, the Filter property would not be applicable to a report 
which joins the referencing and referenced tables as is usual for a report's 
RecordSource.

Ken Sheridan
Stafford, England 

"Wayne-I-M" wrote:

> Your combo box in the report is displaying the bound column (the ID field).  
> 
> Open the report in design view and set the bound column to 0
> 
> 0cm;2cm
> 
> 
> -- 
> Wayne
> Manchester, England.
> 
> 
> 
> "Denniso6" wrote:
> 
> > I’m populating a combo-box (that appears in my main table and a few other 
> > forms) using the contents of another small table. There are only two fields 
> > in this small table; ‘ID’ (AutoNumber) and ‘Categories’ (Text).
> > 
> > The associated combo-box field (named ‘Category’) that appears within the 
> > main table (used to record support incidents) has a data type of number. 
> > 
> > All tables and forms work as expected up to this point. 
> > 
> > The Problem: In a report, I’m attempting to group incidents by their 
> > assigned category. Unfortunately, the categories display on the report as 
> > numbers; 1, 2, 3 and so on when they should display as ‘Hardware’, 
> > ‘Software’, ‘Services’ and so on’
> > 
> > I’d appreciate any ideas as to what I may be doing wrong. 
> > 
> > DennisO
> >

If he has a combo in the report design the "normal" (?) error would be to 
simply show the bound column as that is what would normally be stored (and so 
reported - if he has used the wizard to create the control).

You may be right - but better to try the most obvious reason before looking 
for other solutions :-)


-- 
Wayne
Manchester, England.



"Ken Sheridan" wrote:

> I doubt it, Wayne.  Its much more likely that a text box control is bound to 
> the Category column from the referencing table and is showing the true value 
> of the foreign key.
> 
> Using a combo box in a report is unusual, but there is one circumstance 
> where it is necessary; where the Filter property of a form which has been 
> filtered  'by form' or 'by selection' is passed to report to restrict its 
> results to that of the filtered form.  Because of the way the Filter property 
> is built when a combo box is used in a form to display values from a 
> referenced table, the Filter property would not be applicable to a report 
> which joins the referencing and referenced tables as is usual for a report's 
> RecordSource.
> 
> Ken Sheridan
> Stafford, England 
> 
> "Wayne-I-M" wrote:
> 
> > Your combo box in the report is displaying the bound column (the ID field).  
> > 
> > Open the report in design view and set the bound column to 0
> > 
> > 0cm;2cm
> > 
> > 
> > -- 
> > Wayne
> > Manchester, England.
> > 
> > 
> > 
> > "Denniso6" wrote:
> > 
> > > I’m populating a combo-box (that appears in my main table and a few other 
> > > forms) using the contents of another small table. There are only two fields 
> > > in this small table; ‘ID’ (AutoNumber) and ‘Categories’ (Text).
> > > 
> > > The associated combo-box field (named ‘Category’) that appears within the 
> > > main table (used to record support incidents) has a data type of number. 
> > > 
> > > All tables and forms work as expected up to this point. 
> > > 
> > > The Problem: In a report, I’m attempting to group incidents by their 
> > > assigned category. Unfortunately, the categories display on the report as 
> > > numbers; 1, 2, 3 and so on when they should display as ‘Hardware’, 
> > > ‘Software’, ‘Services’ and so on’
> > > 
> > > I’d appreciate any ideas as to what I may be doing wrong. 
> > > 
> > > DennisO
> > >
>

I think mine is the most obvious reason.  I'll put a fiver on it!
 
Ken Sheridan
Stafford, England 

"Wayne-I-M" wrote:

> If he has a combo in the report design the "normal" (?) error would be to 
> simply show the bound column as that is what would normally be stored (and so 
> reported - if he has used the wizard to create the control).
> 
> You may be right - but better to try the most obvious reason before looking 
> for other solutions :-)
> 
> 
> -- 
> Wayne
> Manchester, England.
> 
> 
> 
> "Ken Sheridan" wrote:
> 
> > I doubt it, Wayne.  Its much more likely that a text box control is bound to 
> > the Category column from the referencing table and is showing the true value 
> > of the foreign key.
> > 
> > Using a combo box in a report is unusual, but there is one circumstance 
> > where it is necessary; where the Filter property of a form which has been 
> > filtered  'by form' or 'by selection' is passed to report to restrict its 
> > results to that of the filtered form.  Because of the way the Filter property 
> > is built when a combo box is used in a form to display values from a 
> > referenced table, the Filter property would not be applicable to a report 
> > which joins the referencing and referenced tables as is usual for a report's 
> > RecordSource.
> > 
> > Ken Sheridan
> > Stafford, England 
> > 
> > "Wayne-I-M" wrote:
> > 
> > > Your combo box in the report is displaying the bound column (the ID field).  
> > > 
> > > Open the report in design view and set the bound column to 0
> > > 
> > > 0cm;2cm
> > > 
> > > 
> > > -- 
> > > Wayne
> > > Manchester, England.
> > > 
> > > 
> > > 
> > > "Denniso6" wrote:
> > > 
> > > > I’m populating a combo-box (that appears in my main table and a few other 
> > > > forms) using the contents of another small table. There are only two fields 
> > > > in this small table; ‘ID’ (AutoNumber) and ‘Categories’ (Text).
> > > > 
> > > > The associated combo-box field (named ‘Category’) that appears within the 
> > > > main table (used to record support incidents) has a data type of number. 
> > > > 
> > > > All tables and forms work as expected up to this point. 
> > > > 
> > > > The Problem: In a report, I’m attempting to group incidents by their 
> > > > assigned category. Unfortunately, the categories display on the report as 
> > > > numbers; 1, 2, 3 and so on when they should display as ‘Hardware’, 
> > > > ‘Software’, ‘Services’ and so on’
> > > > 
> > > > I’d appreciate any ideas as to what I may be doing wrong. 
> > > > 
> > > > DennisO
> > > >
> >

I've never seen that much money in one place


-- 
Wayne
Manchester, England.



"Ken Sheridan" wrote:

> I think mine is the most obvious reason.  I'll put a fiver on it!
>  
> Ken Sheridan
> Stafford, England 
> 
> "Wayne-I-M" wrote:
> 
> > If he has a combo in the report design the "normal" (?) error would be to 
> > simply show the bound column as that is what would normally be stored (and so 
> > reported - if he has used the wizard to create the control).
> > 
> > You may be right - but better to try the most obvious reason before looking 
> > for other solutions :-)
> > 
> > 
> > -- 
> > Wayne
> > Manchester, England.
> > 
> > 
> > 
> > "Ken Sheridan" wrote:
> > 
> > > I doubt it, Wayne.  Its much more likely that a text box control is bound to 
> > > the Category column from the referencing table and is showing the true value 
> > > of the foreign key.
> > > 
> > > Using a combo box in a report is unusual, but there is one circumstance 
> > > where it is necessary; where the Filter property of a form which has been 
> > > filtered  'by form' or 'by selection' is passed to report to restrict its 
> > > results to that of the filtered form.  Because of the way the Filter property 
> > > is built when a combo box is used in a form to display values from a 
> > > referenced table, the Filter property would not be applicable to a report 
> > > which joins the referencing and referenced tables as is usual for a report's 
> > > RecordSource.
> > > 
> > > Ken Sheridan
> > > Stafford, England 
> > > 
> > > "Wayne-I-M" wrote:
> > > 
> > > > Your combo box in the report is displaying the bound column (the ID field).  
> > > > 
> > > > Open the report in design view and set the bound column to 0
> > > > 
> > > > 0cm;2cm
> > > > 
> > > > 
> > > > -- 
> > > > Wayne
> > > > Manchester, England.
> > > > 
> > > > 
> > > > 
> > > > "Denniso6" wrote:
> > > > 
> > > > > I’m populating a combo-box (that appears in my main table and a few other 
> > > > > forms) using the contents of another small table. There are only two fields 
> > > > > in this small table; ‘ID’ (AutoNumber) and ‘Categories’ (Text).
> > > > > 
> > > > > The associated combo-box field (named ‘Category’) that appears within the 
> > > > > main table (used to record support incidents) has a data type of number. 
> > > > > 
> > > > > All tables and forms work as expected up to this point. 
> > > > > 
> > > > > The Problem: In a report, I’m attempting to group incidents by their 
> > > > > assigned category. Unfortunately, the categories display on the report as 
> > > > > numbers; 1, 2, 3 and so on when they should display as ‘Hardware’, 
> > > > > ‘Software’, ‘Services’ and so on’
> > > > > 
> > > > > I’d appreciate any ideas as to what I may be doing wrong. 
> > > > > 
> > > > > DennisO
> > > > >
> > >
>

Well I'll have to put the missus out on the streets if you win!

Ken Sheridan
Stafford, England

"Wayne-I-M" wrote:

> I've never seen that much money in one place
> 
> 
> -- 
> Wayne
> Manchester, England.
> 
> 
> 
> "Ken Sheridan" wrote:
> 
> > I think mine is the most obvious reason.  I'll put a fiver on it!
> >  
> > Ken Sheridan
> > Stafford, England 
> > 
> > "Wayne-I-M" wrote:
> > 
> > > If he has a combo in the report design the "normal" (?) error would be to 
> > > simply show the bound column as that is what would normally be stored (and so 
> > > reported - if he has used the wizard to create the control).
> > > 
> > > You may be right - but better to try the most obvious reason before looking 
> > > for other solutions :-)
> > > 
> > > 
> > > -- 
> > > Wayne
> > > Manchester, England.
> > > 
> > > 
> > > 
> > > "Ken Sheridan" wrote:
> > > 
> > > > I doubt it, Wayne.  Its much more likely that a text box control is bound to 
> > > > the Category column from the referencing table and is showing the true value 
> > > > of the foreign key.
> > > > 
> > > > Using a combo box in a report is unusual, but there is one circumstance 
> > > > where it is necessary; where the Filter property of a form which has been 
> > > > filtered  'by form' or 'by selection' is passed to report to restrict its 
> > > > results to that of the filtered form.  Because of the way the Filter property 
> > > > is built when a combo box is used in a form to display values from a 
> > > > referenced table, the Filter property would not be applicable to a report 
> > > > which joins the referencing and referenced tables as is usual for a report's 
> > > > RecordSource.
> > > > 
> > > > Ken Sheridan
> > > > Stafford, England 
> > > > 
> > > > "Wayne-I-M" wrote:
> > > > 
> > > > > Your combo box in the report is displaying the bound column (the ID field).  
> > > > > 
> > > > > Open the report in design view and set the bound column to 0
> > > > > 
> > > > > 0cm;2cm
> > > > > 
> > > > > 
> > > > > -- 
> > > > > Wayne
> > > > > Manchester, England.
> > > > > 
> > > > > 
> > > > > 
> > > > > "Denniso6" wrote:
> > > > > 
> > > > > > I’m populating a combo-box (that appears in my main table and a few other 
> > > > > > forms) using the contents of another small table. There are only two fields 
> > > > > > in this small table; ‘ID’ (AutoNumber) and ‘Categories’ (Text).
> > > > > > 
> > > > > > The associated combo-box field (named ‘Category’) that appears within the 
> > > > > > main table (used to record support incidents) has a data type of number. 
> > > > > > 
> > > > > > All tables and forms work as expected up to this point. 
> > > > > > 
> > > > > > The Problem: In a report, I’m attempting to group incidents by their 
> > > > > > assigned category. Unfortunately, the categories display on the report as 
> > > > > > numbers; 1, 2, 3 and so on when they should display as ‘Hardware’, 
> > > > > > ‘Software’, ‘Services’ and so on’
> > > > > > 
> > > > > > I’d appreciate any ideas as to what I may be doing wrong. 
> > > > > > 
> > > > > > DennisO
> > > > > >
> > > >
> >

Thanks so much Wayne but this didn't seem to work. 

The result was that numbers still appear in place of the Categores but the 
sequence seems to be off-set upward by 2; that is instead of the sequence 
1,2,3..., what is displayed is 3,4,5...

I'll keep working on it. 

Thanks again for your assistance. 

DennisO
---------------
"Wayne-I-M" wrote:

> Your combo box in the report is displaying the bound column (the ID field).  
> 
> Open the report in design view and set the bound column to 0
> 
> 0cm;2cm
> 
> 
> -- 
> Wayne
> Manchester, England.
> 
> 
> 
> "Denniso6" wrote:
> 
> > I’m populating a combo-box (that appears in my main table and a few other 
> > forms) using the contents of another small table. There are only two fields 
> > in this small table; ‘ID’ (AutoNumber) and ‘Categories’ (Text).
> > 
> > The associated combo-box field (named ‘Category’) that appears within the 
> > main table (used to record support incidents) has a data type of number. 
> > 
> > All tables and forms work as expected up to this point. 
> > 
> > The Problem: In a report, I’m attempting to group incidents by their 
> > assigned category. Unfortunately, the categories display on the report as 
> > numbers; 1, 2, 3 and so on when they should display as ‘Hardware’, 
> > ‘Software’, ‘Services’ and so on’
> > 
> > I’d appreciate any ideas as to what I may be doing wrong. 
> > 
> > DennisO
> >

Can you post the source of the combo you are using in your report

Open the report in design view and right click the combo in the data column 
there should be a source.  Can you cut and paste it here so we can see.

If the source is a query can you post the sql of the query


-- 
Wayne
Manchester, England.



"Denniso6" wrote:

> Thanks so much Wayne but this didn't seem to work. 
> 
> The result was that numbers still appear in place of the Categores but the 
> sequence seems to be off-set upward by 2; that is instead of the sequence 
> 1,2,3..., what is displayed is 3,4,5...
> 
> I'll keep working on it. 
> 
> Thanks again for your assistance. 
> 
> DennisO
> ---------------
> "Wayne-I-M" wrote:
> 
> > Your combo box in the report is displaying the bound column (the ID field).  
> > 
> > Open the report in design view and set the bound column to 0
> > 
> > 0cm;2cm
> > 
> > 
> > -- 
> > Wayne
> > Manchester, England.
> > 
> > 
> > 
> > "Denniso6" wrote:
> > 
> > > I’m populating a combo-box (that appears in my main table and a few other 
> > > forms) using the contents of another small table. There are only two fields 
> > > in this small table; ‘ID’ (AutoNumber) and ‘Categories’ (Text).
> > > 
> > > The associated combo-box field (named ‘Category’) that appears within the 
> > > main table (used to record support incidents) has a data type of number. 
> > > 
> > > All tables and forms work as expected up to this point. 
> > > 
> > > The Problem: In a report, I’m attempting to group incidents by their 
> > > assigned category. Unfortunately, the categories display on the report as 
> > > numbers; 1, 2, 3 and so on when they should display as ‘Hardware’, 
> > > ‘Software’, ‘Services’ and so on’
> > > 
> > > I’d appreciate any ideas as to what I may be doing wrong. 
> > > 
> > > DennisO
> > >

Don't use a combo box in the report, join the tables in the report's 
underlying query and bind a combo box to the Categories text column from the 
referenced table.  There is no point in using a combo box solely for display 
purposes, but only where the user needs the ability to select values form a 
list to assign a value, i.e. in a form.  In a report a combo box merely 
serves to inhibit performance.  I know the Access wizardry does use a combo 
box if the underlying table has been set up with the evil look up field 
facility, but that's only compounding the acknowledged stupidity of this 
feature.  Do it the right way not the Microserfs' way!

Grouping the report on the text column will also order the groups 
alphabetically rather than by the arbitrary numeric values of an autonumber 
column, which is usually what's wanted, but if you want to impose an order 
independent of the text values then a separate CategoryOrder column can be 
included in the categories table with values 100, 200, 300 etc in the order 
you want the categories listed.  Numbering like this allows for any new 
categories which might be added to the table to be given a number within the 
sequence without having to update the values of the rest, which would be the 
case if values 1,2,3 etc were used.  You can then group the report on 
CategoryOrder.

Ken Sheridan
Stafford, England

"Denniso6" wrote:

> Thanks so much Wayne but this didn't seem to work. 
> 
> The result was that numbers still appear in place of the Categores but the 
> sequence seems to be off-set upward by 2; that is instead of the sequence 
> 1,2,3..., what is displayed is 3,4,5...
> 
> I'll keep working on it. 
> 
> Thanks again for your assistance. 
> 
> DennisO
> ---------------
> "Wayne-I-M" wrote:
> 
> > Your combo box in the report is displaying the bound column (the ID field).  
> > 
> > Open the report in design view and set the bound column to 0
> > 
> > 0cm;2cm
> > 
> > 
> > -- 
> > Wayne
> > Manchester, England.
> > 
> > 
> > 
> > "Denniso6" wrote:
> > 
> > > I’m populating a combo-box (that appears in my main table and a few other 
> > > forms) using the contents of another small table. There are only two fields 
> > > in this small table; ‘ID’ (AutoNumber) and ‘Categories’ (Text).
> > > 
> > > The associated combo-box field (named ‘Category’) that appears within the 
> > > main table (used to record support incidents) has a data type of number. 
> > > 
> > > All tables and forms work as expected up to this point. 
> > > 
> > > The Problem: In a report, I’m attempting to group incidents by their 
> > > assigned category. Unfortunately, the categories display on the report as 
> > > numbers; 1, 2, 3 and so on when they should display as ‘Hardware’, 
> > > ‘Software’, ‘Services’ and so on’
> > > 
> > > I’d appreciate any ideas as to what I may be doing wrong. 
> > > 
> > > DennisO
> > >