Newbie Questions

Re: data validation for entry in multiple column table

mseitz — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 17:53:15 GMT

OK - thanks for all of your help.

Re: data validation for entry in multiple column table

Hilary Stoupa — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 17:35:27 GMT

That is correct. I basically took the sample form I'd posted in the downloads earlier in this thread and changed Field2 to a drop down. Then I added a connection to a document library on SharePoint and used it for the data source in my list. I didn't modify anything else.....

Re: data validation for entry in multiple column table

mseitz — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 17:17:23 GMT

Your drop-down is not a required entry, and there is no default, correct ?

Re: data validation for entry in multiple column table

Hilary Stoupa — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 16:48:17 GMT

I just tried this using a SharePoint Doc Library as a data source for my drop down, and for me, the data validation is still working. The condition of "is blank" is met with the default value.....

Re: data validation for entry in multiple column table

mseitz — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 18:55:40 GMT

Yes, it defaults to an empty selection.

I've got a rule conditioned on "is blank" or "is not blank", and it seems that neither condition is met until I choose another entry from the drop-down. I've been unable to find a condition for "is NULL". Do you know how I might accomplish that, or where I can find more information on the conditions ? (I've also already tried "is not present")

Re: data validation for entry in multiple column table

Hilary Stoupa — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 18:38:44 GMT

When you open the form, what do the drop downs look like? Is there just a blank area and the drop down arrow? The trick here is going to be finding out what that default value is and setting the data validation appropriately. One thing I do to try to figure things like that out is to put an expression box on my form, and have the value be something like Field2 = "" (with blank quotes). That way, if the field is blank, I get true, if not false....and I modify the expression until I see that I have it right.

Re: data validation for entry in multiple column table

mseitz — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 18:24:12 GMT

My drop-down list entries are lookups from an external data source (Sharepoint list). Don't think I can specify a blank default. Am I stuck ?

Re: data validation for entry in multiple column table

Hilary Stoupa — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 18:06:17 GMT

Okay, I tried it ... and it was fine with a dropdown. I had three fields, two text, one dropdown. When I entered text in field one, the dropdown (field 2) and the other text box (field 3) highlighted with the red asterisk as required. On your dropdown -- is the default item of a blank value? If not, that will be the culprit.

Re: data validation for entry in multiple column table

Hilary Stoupa — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 18:03:42 GMT

I'll try that. Here is the sample I used -- I went ahead and posted it to the downloads.

Re: data validation for entry in multiple column table

mseitz — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 17:59:07 GMT

Yep. What are the data types you are using ? Try a text box in one column, and a drop-down list box in another column. Enter something in the text box, and do not touch the drop-down. I'm guessing it will not satisfy the conditions you have established...

Re: data validation for entry in multiple column table

Hilary Stoupa — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 17:51:07 GMT

Interesting. I don't understand why it is working on my sample form and not on yours.

Do you have the data validation set on each field?

Re: data validation for entry in multiple column table

mseitz — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 17:23:41 GMT

Thanks for the response! That makes perfect sense to me. In fact, I've already tried that and it didn't work. At first, I was thinking it wasn't recognizing "is blank", but as I mentioned above, I'm now thinking there is something that prevents the condition from being checked when (it thinks) nothing has changed.

Re: data validation for entry in multiple column table

Hilary Stoupa — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 15:20:24 GMT

Hi:

This can be done with Data Validation.

You'll need to set Data Validation on each of your three fields. Each field will require 4 conditions. For example, for Field1:

If Field1 is blank and Field2 is not blank or Field1 is blank and Field3 is not blank

For Field2:

If Field2 is blank and Field1 is not blank or Field2 is blank and Field3 is not blank

And for Field3

If Field3 is blank and Field2 is not blank or Field3 is blank and Field1 is not blank

A little repetitive, but it should do the trick....

Re: data validation for entry in multiple column table

mseitz — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 22:04:38 GMT

I also found that if I selected the same value from the drop-down twice in a row, the dialog box did not appear. Must be something that overrides the condition if it thinks nothing has changed...

Re: data validation for entry in multiple column table

mseitz — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 21:38:49 GMT

I actually experimented with the same conditions on a RULE I created to show a dialog box expression for the drop-down column. I conditioned the rule based on "is blank" or "is not blank" (to always show me the value), and found that until I selected a non-blank entry from the drop-down, the dialog box did not appear. But then, it always appeared, whether or not the entry I selected was blank. Any ideas ? Can I assume the date-picker is equally as quirky ?