ACC2000: "Undefined Function" Error Message Referencing Column Property

ID: Q209496

The information in this article applies to:
Novice: Requires knowledge of the user interface on single-user computers.

This article applies only to a Microsoft Access database (.mdb).


SYMPTOMS

When you try to run macro actions that contain a WHERE clause (ApplyFilter, OpenForm, OpenReport, and FindRecord), and queries that reference the Column property of a combo box or list box on a form, you may receive the following error message:

Undefined Function '[Forms]![Formname]![Controlname].column' in Expression.


CAUSE

Microsoft Access interprets any text followed by opening and closing parentheses as a user-defined function.


RESOLUTION

If you wrap the expression inside the Eval() function as a text string, Access will consider the entire reference as a whole, and will not try parsing it. For example:

Eval("[Forms]![Formname]![Controlname].column(2)")


STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in the Microsoft products listed at the beginning of this article.


MORE INFORMATION

CAUTION: Following the steps in this example will modify the sample database Northwind.mdb. You may want to back up the Northwind.mdb file and perform these steps on a copy of the database.

Steps to Reproduce Problem

  1. Open the sample database Northwind.mdb and create a new form based on the Orders table.


  2. Add a combo box control with the following properties:


    3. 
   Form: PromptForm
   -------------------------
   ControlSource: Orders

   Combo box
   ------------------------------
   Name: TheCombo
   ControlSource: Selection Field
   ColumnCount: 4
   BoundColumn: 1
  3. Save the form as PromptForm, and then close it.


  4. Create the following query based on the Employees table:


    5. 
   Query: ReferenceCombo
   ---------------------------------------------------
   Type: Select Query

   Field: EmployeeID 
   Table: Employees
   Criteria: =[Forms]![PromptForm]![TheCombo].column(2)

   Field: LastName 
   Table: Employees

   Field: FirstName 
   Table: Employees
  5. Open the PromptForm form in Form view, and select an item from the combo box.


  6. Open the ReferenceCombo query in Datasheet view. Note that you receive the following error message:


    7. Undefined Function '[Forms]![PromptForm]![TheCombo].column' in Expression.


REFERENCES

For more information about using the Column property in an expression, click Microsoft Access Help on the Help menu, type "Refer to a column in a list in an expression" in the Office Assistant or the Answer Wizard, and then click Search to view the topics returned.

Additional query words: pra 


Keywords          : kberrmsg kbdta QryParm 
Version           : WINDOWS:2000
Platform          : WINDOWS 
Issue type        : kbbug

Last Reviewed: May 18, 1999