Accessing records

Accessing records

Now that we have opened a table (referred to as RecordSet from now on) we want to access the records in it. The RecordSet object allows us to move in it by using the methods MoveFirst, MoveNext, MovePrevious, MoveLast (among others). I will use some of these to fill up a list box with the records of our RecordSet.

To get this example to work, make a database (with Access) called "MyDatabase.mdb" with the table "MyTable" in it. This table should have the fields "ID" of type "Counter" that you set to be the primary key, the field "Name" of type Text and a field "P hone" of type Text. Add some records to it. Put a list box on a form and call it "lstRecords".

Dim dbMyDB As Database
Dim rsMyRS As RecordSet

Private Sub Form_Load()

Set dbMyDB = OpenDatabase("MyDatabase.mdb")
Set rsMyRS = dbMyDB.OpenRecordSet("MyTable", dbOpenDynaset)

If Not rsMyRS.EOF Then rsMyRS.MoveFirst
Do While Not rsMyRS.EOF
lstRecords.AddItem rsMyRS!Name
lstRecords.ItemData(lstRecords.NewIndex) = rsMyRS!ID
rsMyRS.MoveNext
Loop

End Sub

This will make the list box fill up with your records when the form loads. I have introduced some new concepts with this example. We have all ready covered the first part where we open the table. The line that says If Not rsMyRS.EOF Then rsMyRS.M oveFirst tells the program to move to the first record in case there are any records at all. The EOF is a Boolean property that is true if the current record is the last. It is also true if there are no records in the RecordSet.

Then we make the program add the "Name" field of all records to the list box by adding the current records field "Name" and moving to the next record. You ask for a field of a RecordSet by putting a ! between the name of the RecordSet object and the na me of the field. The while loop checks to see if there are more records to add.