Q139970: BUG:Text & Value Properties of DBGrid Column Show Empty String

Article: Q139970
Product(s): Microsoft Visual Basic for Windows
Version(s): 4.00
Operating System(s): 
Keyword(s): kbbuglist
Last Modified: 11-JAN-2001

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The information in this article applies to:

- Microsoft Visual Basic Standard Edition, 32-bit, for Windows, version 4.0 
- Microsoft Visual Basic Professional Edition, 16-bit, for Windows, version 4.0 
- Microsoft Visual Basic Professional Edition, 32-bit, for Windows, version 4.0 
- Microsoft Visual Basic Enterprise Edition, 16-bit, for Windows, version 4.0 
- Microsoft Visual Basic Enterprise Edition, 32-bit, for Windows, version 4.0 
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SYMPTOMS
========

When using the DBGrid control, attempting to access the Text or Value properties
of columns that are not visible on the screen returns an empty string regardless
of the actual data in the column.

WORKAROUND
==========

To work around this problem, reference the data directly from the data control
instead of from the grid control. For example, instead of using

     Print DBGrid1.Columns("Telephone").Text

to print out the contents of the current record's Telephone field, use

     Print Data1.Recordset("Telephone")

This code prints the Telephone field regardless of whether or not the Telephone
column is visible on the screen.

STATUS
======

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a bug in the Microsoft products listed at the
beginning of this article. We are researching this problem and will post new
information here in the Microsoft Knowledge Base as it becomes available.

MORE INFORMATION
================

Steps to reproduce problem
--------------------------

1. Start Visual Basic, or if it is already running, click New Project on the
  File menu.

2. In the toolbox, click DBGrid, and drag a new data-bound grid onto Form1. Make
  the grid approximately 3-4 inches wide.

3. Double-click the data control button in the toolbox to add a data control
  named Data1 to the form.

4. Set the following properties of the data control:

  Control name   Property         Value
  =============================================
  Data1      DatabaseName      biblio.mdb
  Data1      RecordSource      Publishers

5. Set the DataSource property of DBGrid1 to Data1 to bind the grid to the data
  control.

6. On the Run menu, click Start or press the F5 key to run the program. The
  application will start and the grid will be filled with data from the
  Publishers table in the biblio database.

7. Press CTRL+BREAK. On the Run menu, click Break, or click Pause on the toolbar
  to pause execution of the program.

8. In the debug window type:

  Print DBGrid1.Columns("Telephone").Text

  The contents of the Telephone field in the database should be printed, however
  because this field is not visible, an empty string is printed.

9. In the debug window type:

  Print Data1.Recordset("Telephone")

  The contents of the Telephone field in the database is printed.

10. Continue the program (F5) and scroll so the Telephone column becomes
  visible.

11. Press CTRL+BREAK. On the Run menu, click Break, or click Pause on the
  toolbar to pause execution of the program.

12. In the debug window type:

  Print DBGrid1.Columns("Telephone").Text

  The DBGrid control returns the correct value of "212-869-7440". The correct
  value is returned because the column is now visible.

Additional query words: 4.00 vb4win vb4all buglist4.00

======================================================================
Keywords          :  kbbuglist
Technology        : kbVBSearch kbAudDeveloper kbVB400Search kbVB400 kbVB16bitSearch
Version           : 4.00
Issue type        : kbbug

=============================================================================

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