Search as you type with MS Access Combobox

Question

I would like to create a simple search-as-you-type combobox in Microsoft Access as shown in the image below.

NB: the above image is from a complicated implementation of what I am trying to achieve from here

My combobox is named ctlSearch. Using Visual Basic, I would like to hook on to the onChange event, detecting the user input and consequently refining the list of possible results. Is it possible to take this approach to implement the search-as-you-type combobox?

Answer 1

You can set up the combo or listbox something like this:

SELECT ID,Hotel,Location FROM Sometable t 
WHERE t.Hotel 
LIKE "*" & Forms!YourForm!txtSearch.Text & "*"
ORDER BY t.Hotel

Then in the Change event requery the combo or listbox.

Answer 2

Try using this This is much simpler than your mentioned source.

Option Compare Database
Option Explicit
'************* Code Start **************
' This code was originally written by OpenGate Software
' It is not to be altered or distributed,
' except as part of an application.
' You are free to use it in any application,
' provided the copyright notice is left unchanged.
' OpenGate Software    http://www.opengatesw.net

Function fLiveSearch(ctlSearchBox As TextBox, ctlFilter As Control, _
                      strFullSQL As String, strFilteredSQL As String, Optional ctlCountLabel As Control)
'==================================================================================
'  THIS FUNCTION ALLOWS YOU TO FILTER A COMBO BOX OR LIST BOX AS THE USER TYPES
'  ALL YOU NEED TO DO IS PASS IN THE CONTROL REFERENCE TO THE SEARCH BOX ON YOUR
'  FORM, THE LISTBOX/COMBO BOX YOU WANT TO FILTER, AND WHAT THE FULL AND FILTERED
'  SQL (ROWSOURCE) SHOULD BE.
'
'  ctlSearchBox       THE TEXTBOX THE USER TYPES IN TO SEARCH
'
'  ctlFilter          THE LISTBOX OR COMBOBOX ON THE FORM YOU WANT TO FILTER
'
'  strFullSQL         THE FULL ROWSOURCE YOU WANT TO DISPLAY AS A DEFAULT IF NO
'                     RESULTS ARE RETURNED
'
'  strFilteredSQL     THE FILTERED ROWSOURCE FOR THE LISTBOX/COMBOBOX; FOR EXAMPLE
'                     YOU WOULD WANT TO USE '...like ""*" & me.txtsearch.value & "*"""
'                     TO FILTER THE RESULTS BASED ON THE USER'S SEARCH INPUT
'
' ctlCountLabel       (OPTIONAL) THE LABEL ON YOUR FORM WHERE YOU WANT TO DISPLAY THE
'                     COUNT OF ROWS DISPLAYED IN THE LISTBOX/COMBOBOX AS THEY SEARCH
'=====================================================================================

'ADVANCED PARAMETERS - Change these constants to change the behaviour of the search
  Const iSensitivity = 1 'Set to the number of characters the user must enter before the search starts
  Const blnEmptyOnNoMatch = True 'Set to true if you want nothing to appear if nothing matches their search


10    On Error GoTo err_handle

          'restore the cursor to where they left off
20        ctlSearchBox.SetFocus
30        ctlSearchBox.SelStart = Len(ctlSearchBox.Value) + 1

40        If ctlSearchBox.Value <> "" Then
                 'Only fire if they've input more than two characters (otherwise it's wasteful)
50               If Len(ctlSearchBox.Value) > iSensitivity Then
60                   ctlFilter.RowSource = strFilteredSQL
70                   If ctlFilter.ListCount > 0 Then
80                       ctlSearchBox.SetFocus
90                       ctlSearchBox.SelStart = Len(ctlSearchBox.Value) + 1
100                   Else
110                     If blnEmptyOnNoMatch = True Then
120                      ctlFilter.RowSource = ""
130                     Else
140                      ctlFilter.RowSource = strFullSQL
150                     End If
160                   End If
170             Else
180               ctlFilter.RowSource = strFullSQL
190             End If

200        Else
210           ctlFilter.RowSource = strFullSQL
220        End If

            'if there is a count label, then update it
230         If IsMissing(ctlCountLabel) = False Then
240           ctlCountLabel.Caption = "Displaying " & Format(ctlFilter.ListCount - 1, "#,##0") & " records"
250         End If

260   Exit Function
err_handle:
270   Select Case Err.Number
    Case 91 'no ctlCountLabel
       'exit
280       Case 94 'null string
       'exit
290       Case Else
300         MsgBox "An unexpected error has occurred: " & vbCrLf & Err.Description & _
            vbCrLf & "Error " & Err.Number & vbCrLf & "Line: " & Erl
310   End Select


End Function
'   ***** Code End ******