Microsoft Access 2010 Bible

Part I: Access Building Blocks

298

Entering data in the Date field

The SaleDate field in the frmSales_Layout form shown in Figure 8.5 is a Date/Time data

type. This field is formatted to accept and show date values. When you click in this text box, a

Date Picker icon automatically appears next to it, as shown in Figure 8.6. Click the Date Picker to

display a calendar from which you can choose a date.

FIGURE 8.6

Using the Date Picker control

Date picker control

Calendar

If the Date Picker doesn’t appear, switch to Design view and change the control’s Show Date

Picker property to For dates. Set the Show Date Picker property to Never if you don’t

want to use the Date Picker.

Using option groups

Option groups let you choose from a number of option buttons (sometimes called radio buttons).

Option buttons let you select one value while deselecting all the other values. Option groups work

best when you have a small number of mutually exclusive choices to select from. Figure 8.7 shows

an option group next to the Follow-Up Date text box. Option groups also work with toggle but-

tons and check boxes.

The easiest and most efficient way to create option groups is with the Option Group Wizard. You

can use it to create option groups with multiple option buttons, toggle buttons, or check boxes.

When you’re through, all your control’s property settings are correctly set. To create an option

group, switch to Design view and select the Option Group button from the Design tab’s Controls

group. Make sure the Use Control Wizards command is selected.