Microsoft KB Archive/170700

= ACC97: Unable to Use FindFirst to Retrieve Value with Apostrophe =

Article ID: 170700

Article Last Modified on 1/20/2007

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APPLIES TO


 * Microsoft Access 97 Standard Edition

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This article was previously published under Q170700



Moderate: Requires basic macro, coding, and interoperability skills.



SYMPTOMS
When you use the FindFirst method, you receive a No match or a run-time error message.

This behavior occurs when you search for a value that contains an apostrophe. For example:

  rst.FindFirst "[CompanyName] = 'B's Beverages'"

This behavior also occurs if you use the FindFirst argument in the AfterUpdate event procedure of a combo box, and you search for a value that contains an apostrophe. For example:

  Me.RecordsetClone.FindFirst "[CompanyName] = "&Me![ComboboxNN]



CAUSE
Searches for text strings that contain quotation marks (") or apostrophes (') require special syntax because both characters are used as delimiters in Visual Basic for Applications.



Workaround for Using a Text String
If you are typing in your search argument, use double quotation marks in your search string to find values that contain single quotation marks and use single quotation marks in your search string to find values that contain quotation marks. For example, to search for a CompanyName that includes an apostrophe, replace the single quotation marks around the CompanyName value with two sets of double quotation marks, as in the following example:

  rst.FindFirst "[CompanyName] = ""B's Beverages"""

Workaround for Using a Combo Box
If you are using a combo box to find values that contain quotation marks or apostrophes, add the primary key to the combo box and make it the bound column. Hide the bound column. Then change your criteria so that it searches in the field that corresponds to the bound column in the combo box.

For more information about changing the bound column in a combo box, search the Help Index for "BoundColumn property," and then "Bind a column from a list box or combo box."



STATUS
This behavior is by design.



MORE INFORMATION
This section assumes that you are familiar with Visual Basic for Applications and with creating Microsoft Access applications using the programming tools provided with Microsoft Access. For more information about Visual Basic for Applications, please refer to the "Building Applications with Microsoft Access 97" manual.

Steps to Reproduce Behavior
 Open the sample database Northwind.mdb. Create a new form based on the Customers table by using the AutoForm: Columnar Wizard. Open the form in Design view and add a command button to the form.</li> Change the Name property for the command button to FindFirst.</li>  Place the following code in the OnClick event procedure of the command button:

Private Sub FindFirst_Click

Dim rst As Recordset Dim strCriteria As String

Set rst = Me.RecordsetClone rst.FindFirst "[CompanyName] = 'B''s Beverages'"

If rst.NoMatch Then MsgBox "No match was found."

Else

Me.Bookmark = rst.Bookmark

End If        rst.Close

End Sub </li> Switch the form to Form view, and click the command button. Note that you receive a message box containing the "No match was found." message.</li>  Change the FindFirst syntax in the code example to the following:

<pre class="fixed_text">     rst.FindFirst "[CompanyName] = ""B's Beverages""" </li> Switch the form to Form view, and click the command button. Note that the record is found this time.</li></ol>

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