ACC2000: MultiSelect Property Works Differently Than Expected

When you set the MultiSelect property of a list box to Simple or Extended, the selection behavior may work differently than you expect. For example, if the MultiSelect property is set to Simple, the SHIFT and CTRL keys have no effect when you click individual items. Or, if the MultiSelect property is set to Extended, you can use the SHIFT key and a mouse click to select a contiguous group of items, but you lose the group when you release the SHIFT key and then click an individual item.

Also, if the MultiSelect property of the list box is set to Simple or Extended, the selections that you make in the list box are deselected when you switch to Print Preview or you print the form.

When the MultiSelect property is set to Simple, you can select multiple items by clicking each item individually. The SHIFT and CTRL keys cannot help you in selecting a group of items. When the MultiSelect property is set to Extended, you can use SHIFT and a mouse click to select a group of contiguous items. Or, you can use CTRL and a mouse click to select a group of non-contiguous items. After you select a group using SHIFT and a mouse click, you can retain the contiguous group and select additional non-contiguous items using CTRL and a mouse click. If you use only a mouse click after SHIFT and a mouse click or CTRL and a mouse click, you lose the group selection.

Steps to Reproduce Behavior

1. Start Microsoft Access and open the sample database Northwind.mdb.
2. Make a copy of the Sales Reports Dialog form and call it Test List Box.
3. Open the Test List Box form in Design view.
4. Change the MultiSelect property of the SelectCategory list box to Simple.
5. View the Test List Box form in Form view.
6. Click the Sales By Category button to enable the list box.
7. Select and clear multiple items in the list by clicking the items individually. Note that this is the correct behavior when the MultiSelect property is set to Simple.
8. View the Test List Box form in Design view.
9. Change the MultiSelect property of the SelectCategory list box to Extended.
10. View the Test List Box form in Form view.
11. Click the Sales By Category button to enable the list box.
12. Select multiple items in the list by using the following techniques:
    
    - Use the SHIFT key and a mouse click to select a contiguous group of items.
    
    - Use the CTRL key and a mouse click to select multiple non-contiguous items.

For more information about the MultiSelect property of a list box, click Microsoft Access Help on the Help menu, type multiselect property in the Office Assistant or the Answer Wizard, and then click Search to view the topic.