Is a special filter form a reasonable idea?

Hello!

I have a library application. It has a form which is used to enter/edit book
information. This form uses a tab control and three subforms: one each for
author, subject and series. Now, I've begun to realize that I have a
problem. On this main form, I can do filters/sorts/finds, and that is great!
However, of course, I can't filter the main form based on author, title or
series. So, to solve this problem, I've created another form, based on a
query which returns *all* of the necessary fields. This query isn't
updateable. This form allows for filters/sorts/finds in all fields, author,
subject, series included... On this form, there is a command button ("Edit
this record") which opens the main form at that particular record for
editing...

Questions:

1. I *am* right that I can't filter/sort the main form based on subforms,
right?
2. Does the approach I am trying seem reasonable, or is there a better way?

Thanks for taking the time to consider this!

Fred Boer (table structures, query structures below...)


Tables...

Tbl_Library

Book_ID
Title
Dewey
etc...

Tbl_Author Tbl_Subject Tbl_Series etc.....

Author_ID Subject_ID Series_ID
AuthorLastName Subject SeriesName
etc.... etc... etc..

Tbl_BookAuthor Tbl_BookSubject Tbl_BookSeries etc...

Author_ID Subject_ID Series_ID
Book_ID Book_ID Book_ID

Queries for filter form:

Qry_AllLibrary

SELECT Tbl_Library.*, Tbl_Author.AuthorFirstName,
Tbl_Author.AuthorMiddleName, Tbl_Author.AuthorLastName,
Tbl_Location.Location, Tbl_Status.Status, Tbl_PubPlace.PubPlace,
Tbl_Binding.Binding, Tbl_MediaFormat.MediaFormat, Tbl_Publisher.Publisher,
Tbl_Series.Series, [Tbl_Author].[AuthorLastName] & (",
"+[Tbl_Author].[AuthorFirstName]) & " " & [Tbl_Author].[AuthorMiddleName] AS
Author
FROM Tbl_Status INNER JOIN (Tbl_PubPlace INNER JOIN (Tbl_Publisher INNER
JOIN (Tbl_MediaFormat INNER JOIN (Tbl_Location INNER JOIN (((Tbl_Binding
INNER JOIN Tbl_Library ON Tbl_Binding.Binding_ID = Tbl_Library.Binding_ID)
LEFT JOIN (Tbl_Author RIGHT JOIN Tbl_BookAuthor ON Tbl_Author.Author_ID =
Tbl_BookAuthor.Author_ID) ON Tbl_Library.Book_ID = Tbl_BookAuthor.Book_ID)
LEFT JOIN (Tbl_BookSeries LEFT JOIN Tbl_Series ON Tbl_BookSeries.Series_ID =
Tbl_Series.Series_ID) ON Tbl_Library.Book_ID = Tbl_BookSeries.Book_ID) ON
Tbl_Location.Location_ID = Tbl_Library.Location_ID) ON
Tbl_MediaFormat.MediaFormat_ID = Tbl_Library.MediaFormat_ID) ON
Tbl_Publisher.Publisher_ID = Tbl_Library.Publisher_ID) ON
Tbl_PubPlace.PubPlace_ID = Tbl_Library.PubPlace_ID) ON Tbl_Status.Status_ID
= Tbl_Library.Status_ID
ORDER BY Tbl_Library.Book_ID;

Qry_AllLibrarySubject


SELECT Qry_AllLibrary.*, Tbl_Subject.Subject
FROM Tbl_Subject RIGHT JOIN (Qry_AllLibrary LEFT JOIN Tbl_BookSubject ON
Qry_AllLibrary.Book_ID = Tbl_BookSubject.Book_ID) ON Tbl_Subject.Subject_ID
= Tbl_BookSubject.Subject_ID;