Microsoft KB Archive/198955

= ACC2000: InputBox Error: Function Isn't Available in Expressions =

Article ID: 198955

Article Last Modified on 6/24/2004

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APPLIES TO


 * Microsoft Access 2000 Standard Edition

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This article was previously published under Q198955





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



SYMPTOMS
When you use the InputBox function in a query, you may receive the following error message:

Function isn't available in expressions



RESOLUTION
The following four methods enable you to work around this behavior.

Method 1: Use a Parameter
You can use a parameter in the query in place of the InputBox function. For example, use the parameter:   [Enter a Date] Then on the Query menu, click Parameters and type the parameter again, along with its associated data type, in the Query Parameters dialog box.

For more information about parameter queries, click Microsoft Access Help on the Help menu, type parameter query in the Office Assistant or the Answer Wizard, and then click Search to view the topic.

Method 2: Obtain the Information from a Form
If the information that you want to type in the input box can be obtained from a form, you can point the query directly to the form field containing the criteria. For example, use the following expression as a criteria in the criteria line:   Forms![Form Name]![Control Name]

Method 3: Use the Eval Function
You can wrap the InputBox function inside the Eval function. Use two sets of quotation marks (") or one set of apostrophes (') around each of the text arguments for the InputBox function. For example, use the expression:   Eval("InputBox(""Enter a Date"",""Title line"",#1/1/98#)")

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Eval("InputBox('Enter a Date','Title line',#1/1/98#)")

Method 4: Use the InputBox Function in a Custom Procedure
Create a custom procedure that contains the InputBox function, and then use the custom procedure in your query. For example, use the expression   GetDate

where GetDate is the following custom procedure in a module: Function GetDate GetDate = InputBox("Enter a Date","Title",#1/1/98#) End Function For more information about creating custom procedures, click Microsoft Access Help on the Help menu, type module, create in the Office Assistant or the Answer Wizard, and then click Search to view the topics returned.



STATUS
Microsoft has confirmed that this is a problem in the Microsoft products that are listed at the beginning of this article.



Steps to Reproduce Problem
 Start Microsoft Access and open the sample database Northwind.mdb.  Create a new query in Design view based on the Orders table:   Query: ListOrders -  Type: Select Query

Field: OrderID Table: Orders Field: CustomerID Table: Orders Field: OrderDate Table: Orders Criteria: InputBox("Enter a Date","Title",#1/1/98#) </li> On the Query menu, click Run. Note that you receive the following error message:

Click More Help in the error message box and note that you receive the second error message.

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