ACC2000: How to Ensure That Data Is Saved and Displayed in Uppercase

Microsoft Access does not have a simple setting to force entries in a field or control to be saved and displayed in uppercase letters; however, you can use other means to ensure that only uppercase letters are used.

Use a Validation Rule

The following sample validation rule requires that entries in a field or control called Last Name be entered in uppercase letters: In Microsoft Access 2000, you have two additional alternatives: an input mask, or an event procedure triggered by the KeyPress event.

Use an Input Mask

The following input mask accepts either letters or numbers and makes the first letter uppercase and the following three lowercase:

Use the On Key Press Event Procedure

CAUTION: If you follow the steps in this example, you modify the sample database Northwind.mdb. You may want to back up the Northwind.mdb file and follow these steps on a copy of the database.

To change letters to uppercase as you type them in a control, follow these steps:

1. Start Microsoft Access and open the sample database Northwind.mdb.
2. In the Database window, click Forms under Objects, click Suppliers, and then click Design.
3. In the form's Detail section, click the Company Name text box.
4. If the property sheet is not visible, click Properties on the View menu.
5. On the form's property sheet, click the Event tab, and then click On Key Press.
6. Select Event Procedure, and then click the Build Button.
7. Type the following as the control's On Key Press event procedure:

   Private Sub CompanyName_KeyPress(KeyAscii As Integer)
           
       KeyAscii = Asc(UCase(Chr(KeyAscii)))
           
   End Sub
   					

8. Save and close the module; save the Suppliers form, and then open it in Form view.
9. Edit the data in the Company Name text box and notice that all characters are converted to uppercase.

For more information about input masks, click Microsoft Access Help on the Help menu, type inputmask property in the Office Assistant or the Answer Wizard, and then click Search to view the topic.

For more information about validation rules, click Microsoft Access Help on the Help menu, type validationrule, validationtext properties in the Office Assistant or the Answer Wizard, and then click Search to view the topic.

For more information about the On Key Press event, in the Visual Basic Editor, click Microsoft Visual Basic Help on the Help menu, type keypress event in the Office Assistant or the Answer Wizard, and then click Search to view the topic.