How to: Display text field entries in uppercase.
Solution:
In the 'Field Properties' section of the Table Design view, select the 'InputMask' property box for the desired text field, click 'Build', and follow the instructions for the 'Input Mask Wizard'.
1) If the Database window is not active, activate the Database window.
2) Open the table in the Table Design view.
3) Select the desired text field.
4) Move to the 'Field Properties' section.
Field Properties section
5) Click the 'General' tab.
6) Click in the 'Input Mask' property box. (The Build button, with '...' on it, appears next to the property box.)
7) Click 'Build'. (The Input Mask Wizard dialog box appears.)
Build button
8) If the 'UpperCase' input mask is not in the 'Input Mask' list box, create it:
a) Click 'Edit List' (The Customize Input Mask Wizard dialog box appears.)
b) Click the '>*' (new record) button. (A blank record appears.)
New Record button
c) Type 'UpperCase Text' or some other brief description of the input mask in the 'Description' box.
d) Type the following in the 'Input Mask' box:
>L??????????????
NOTE: Type the L to make the first letter required. Then type as many question marks as needed to reach the field size limit set in the 'Field Size' property box in the 'Field Properties' section.
Field Size property box
e) Type the desired character in the 'Placeholder' box, or use the character Access provides.
NOTE: The default is '_' (underscore).
f) Type a sample in the 'Sample Data' box, making sure to follow the input mask rules.
g) Make sure 'Text/Unbound' is selected from the 'Mask Type' drop-down list box.
h) Click 'Close'. (The Input Mask Wizard reappears, and the new input mask appears in the Input Mask list box.)
9) Select the 'UpperCase Text' input mask from the 'Input Mask' list box.
NOTE: The 'Input Mask' list displays the names of the possible input masks to choose from, and the 'Data Look' list shows how each causes data to look.
Input Mask
10) (Optional) To test how the input mask works:
a) Click in the beginning of the 'Try It' box. (The selected mask appears.)
b) Type the desired text. (The letters are automatically capitalized.)
11) Click 'Next'.
12) (Optional) To further alter the input mask, make the desired changes in the 'Input Mask' box.
Input Mask box
13) (Optional) Select a different placeholder from the 'Placeholder character' box.
Placeholder
NOTE: A placeholder character is the character that appears BEFORE data is typed.
EXAMPLES: In the input mask '(___)___-____, the '_' (underscore) is the placeholder. In the input mask '(###)###-####', the '#' is the placeholder.
14) (Optional) To test how the altered input mask works:
a) Click in the beginning of the 'Try It' box. (The mask appears.)
b) Type the desired text.
15) Click 'Next'.
16) Select the radio button for how to store the data.
How to store data
17) Click 'Next'.
18) Click 'Finish'. (The UpperCase Text input mask appears in the Input Mask property box of the Field Properties section in the Table Design view. From now on, when any text is typed, the letters are automatically capitalized.)
