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DoCmd.SearchForRecord method (Access)

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Use the SearchForRecord method to search for a specific record in a table, query, form, or report.

Syntax

expression.SearchForRecord (ObjectType, ObjectName, Record, WhereCondition)

expression A variable that represents a DoCmd object.

Parameters

Name Required/Optional Data type Description
ObjectType Optional AcDataObjectType An AcDataObjectType constant that specifies the type of database object in which you are searching. The default value is acActiveDataObject.
ObjectName Optional Variant The name of the database object that contains the record to search for.
Record Optional AcRecord An AcRecord constant that specifies the starting point and direction of the search. The default value is acFirst.
WhereCondition Optional Variant A string used to locate the record. It's like the WHERE clause in an SQL statement, but without the word WHERE.

Remarks

In cases where more than one record matches the criteria in the WhereCondition argument, the following factors determine which record is found:

  • The Record argument setting.

  • The sort order of the records. For example, if the Record argument is set to acFirst, changing the sort order of the records might change which record is found.

The object specified in the ObjectName argument must be open before this action is run. Otherwise, an error occurs.

If the criteria in the WhereCondition argument are not met, no error occurs and the focus remains on the current record.

When searching for the previous or next record, the search does not "wrap" when it reaches the end of the data. If there are no further records that match the criteria, no error occurs and the focus remains on the current record. To confirm that a match was found, you can enter a condition for the next action, and make the condition the same as the criteria in the WhereCondition argument.

The SearchForRecord method is similar to the FindRecord method, but SearchForRecord has more powerful search features. The FindRecord method is primarily used for finding strings, and it duplicates the functionality of the Find dialog box. The SearchForRecord method uses criteria that are more like those of a filter or an SQL query.

The following list demonstrates some things that you can do with the SearchForRecord method:

  • Use complex criteria in the WhereCondition argument, such as Description = "Beverages" and CategoryID = 11.

  • Refer to fields that are in the record source of a form or report but are not displayed on the form or report. In the preceding example, neither Description nor CategoryID must be displayed on the form or report for the criteria to work.

  • Use logical operators, such as <, >, AND, OR, and BETWEEN. The FindRecord method only matches strings that equal, start with, or contain the string being searched for.

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