Format of SSN Field on Form

I have a table with an pkEmpID (auto number) and txtSSN, txtLName, etc. fields.
I have a form with a combo box used to query this table. The combo box
retrieves the pkEmpID and txtSSN when the user types in the SSN. (The pkEmpID
is bound to a field in another table.)
When I type in the SSN, I want the combo box to display it as @@@-@@-@@@@.
If I set the field format to @@@-@@-@@@@ in the table, the SSN displays the
data okay on the form. But you have to type in the dashes as part of the
entry. I prefer not to have to do that.
I took the formatting off the table field and tried to set the format for
the combo box on the form to @@@-@@-@@@@, but that did not work.
Does this have something to do with the fact that the combo box is bound to
the auto-number and therefore the formatting doesn't take or is there
something else I am missing?
TIA.

--
Ken Hudson

Try formatting the SSN in a query and binding the combo box to the query.
--
Arvin Meyer, MCP, MVP
http://www.datastrat.com
http://www.mvps.org/access
http://www.accessmvp.com


"Ken Hudson" wrote in message
...
I have a table with an pkEmpID (auto number) and txtSSN, txtLName, etc.
fields.
I have a form with a combo box used to query this table. The combo box
retrieves the pkEmpID and txtSSN when the user types in the SSN. (The
pkEmpID
is bound to a field in another table.)
When I type in the SSN, I want the combo box to display it as @@@-@@-@@@@.
If I set the field format to @@@-@@-@@@@ in the table, the SSN displays
the
data okay on the form. But you have to type in the dashes as part of the
entry. I prefer not to have to do that.
I took the formatting off the table field and tried to set the format for
the combo box on the form to @@@-@@-@@@@, but that did not work.
Does this have something to do with the fact that the combo box is bound
to
the auto-number and therefore the formatting doesn't take or is there
something else I am missing?
TIA.

--
Ken Hudson

Hi Arvin,
Thanks for the response.
I tried that but with the Auto Expand property set to Yes, I still have to
enter the hyphens in the SSN to get a match.
Perhaps it will only work that way?

--
Ken Hudson


"Arvin Meyer [MVP]" wrote:

Try formatting the SSN in a query and binding the combo box to the query.
--
Arvin Meyer, MCP, MVP
http://www.datastrat.com
http://www.mvps.org/access
http://www.accessmvp.com


"Ken Hudson" wrote in message
...
I have a table with an pkEmpID (auto number) and txtSSN, txtLName, etc.
fields.
I have a form with a combo box used to query this table. The combo box
retrieves the pkEmpID and txtSSN when the user types in the SSN. (The
pkEmpID
is bound to a field in another table.)
When I type in the SSN, I want the combo box to display it as @@@-@@-@@@@.
If I set the field format to @@@-@@-@@@@ in the table, the SSN displays
the
data okay on the form. But you have to type in the dashes as part of the
entry. I prefer not to have to do that.
I took the formatting off the table field and tried to set the format for
the combo box on the form to @@@-@@-@@@@, but that did not work.
Does this have something to do with the fact that the combo box is bound
to
the auto-number and therefore the formatting doesn't take or is there
something else I am missing?
TIA.

--
Ken Hudson


.