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AllowZeroLength property

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Applies to: Access 2013 | Access 2016

Use the AllowZeroLength property to specify whether a zero-length string (" ") is a valid entry in a table field.

Note

The AllowZeroLength property applies only to Text, Memo, and Hyperlink table fields.

Setting

The AllowZeroLength property uses the following settings.

Setting Visual Basic Description
Yes True A zero-length string is a valid entry. This is the default value when creating a field in the Access user interface.
No False A zero-length string is an invalid entry. This is the default value when creating a field programmatically.

Note

To access a field's AllowZeroLength property by using Visual Basic, use the DAO AllowZeroLength property or the ADO Column.Properties ("Set OLEDB:Allow Zero Length") property.

Remarks

If you want Microsoft Access to store a zero-length string instead of a Null value when you leave a field blank, set both the AllowZeroLength and Required properties to Yes.

The following table shows the results of combining the settings of the AllowZeroLength and Required properties.

AllowZeroLength Required User's Action Value Stored
No No Presses ENTER
Presses SPACEBAR
Enters a zero-length string		 Null
Null
(not allowed)
Yes No Presses ENTER
Presses SPACEBAR
Enters a zero-length string		 Null
Null
Zero-length string
No Yes Presses ENTER
Presses SPACEBAR
Enters a zero-length string		 (not allowed)
(not allowed)
(not allowed)
Yes Yes Presses ENTER
Presses SPACEBAR
Enters a zero-length string		 (not allowed)
Zero-length string
Zero-length string

Note

Use the Format property to distinguish between the display of a Null value and a zero-length string. For example, the string "None" can be displayed when a zero-length string is entered.

The AllowZeroLength property works independently of the Required property. The Required property determines only whether a Null value is valid for the field. If the AllowZeroLength property is set to Yes, a zero-length string will be a valid value for the field regardless of the setting of the Required property.

See also

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