Using Filters To View Subsets

Filters are similar to queries in that they select records that meet specific conditions. However, filters are used primarily to view a subset of records in a form or datasheet. There are three ways to filter your records:

* Filter By Selection retrieves records that match selected data. For instance, if you want to find all your Hong Kong clients, you'd select Hong Kong in the current record (or any record if working in a datasheet) and then click the Filter By Selection button. Access will hide all records that don't contain the entry Hong Kong in the City (or appropriately named) field.
* Filter By Form displays a special filtering form. Using our previous example, you'd click the Filter By Form button and then enter Hong Kong in the appropriate field. Then, you'd click the Apply Filter button to display a recordset of all your Hong Kong customers.
* Advanced Filter/Sort offers a little more flexibility to the filtering option. You can enter multiple criteria and even specify a sort order for the resulting recordset.

So, when do you use a query, and when do you use a filter? Queries are permanent objects, and filters are saved with your table or form. You can't base forms and reports on filtered recordsets, but you can base other objects on a query.

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