How to set a limit the number of times a message box in Access will display

Question

I have added a login form to an Access Database. I am trying to figure out a way to limit the number of times a user can enter an incorrect password. In the VBA code shown below, when the user inputs a password that is incorrect, the following message box triggers, "MsgBox "Incorrect password", vbOKOnly + vbExclamation".

I would like the user to get three failed attempts before a different message box appears. Something like, "Please contact administrator"...

Thanks in advance for the help.

Private Sub OkBTN_Click()

        'Check that User is selected
    If IsNull(Me.cboUser) Then
        MsgBox "You forgot to select your name from the drop down menu!", vbCritical
        Me.cboUser.SetFocus
    Else
        
    'Check for correct password
    If Me.txtPassword = Me.cboUser.Column(2) Then
        
    'Check if password needs to be reset
    If Me.cboUser.Column(4) Then
        DoCmd.OpenForm "frmPasswordChange", , , "[UserID] = " & Me.cboUser
    End If

        Me.Visible = False
        Else
        MsgBox "Incorrect password", vbOKOnly + vbExclamation
        
        Me.txtPassword = Null
        Me.txtPassword.SetFocus
        End If
    End If

End Sub

Answer 1

In this situation I think I'd declare a Static counter variable. The value of a static variable is preserved between procedure calls. Other alternatives would be to store the count in a a global variable, use a TempVar, or write them to a table.

Private Sub OkBTN_Click()

    Static intIncorrectCount As Integer ' The value of a static variable is preserved between procedure calls.

    'Check that User is selected
    If IsNull(Me.cboUser) Then
        MsgBox "You forgot to select your name from the drop down menu!", vbCritical
        Me.cboUser.SetFocus
    Else

        'Check for correct password
        If Me.txtPassword = Me.cboUser.Column(2) Then

            'Check if password needs to be reset
            If Me.cboUser.Column(4) Then
                DoCmd.OpenForm "frmPasswordChange", , , "[UserID] = " & Me.cboUser
            End If
            Me.Visible = False
            intIncorrectCount = 0
            
        ElseIf intIncorrectCount > 2 Then
            MsgBox "Too many incorrect attempts.  Closing Access.", vbOKOnly + vbExclamation
            'DoCmd.Quit ' ### Save your code before enabling this line.  ###
            
        Else
            MsgBox "Incorrect password", vbOKOnly + vbExclamation

            Me.txtPassword = Null
            Me.txtPassword.SetFocus
            intIncorrectCount = intIncorrectCount + 1
        End If
    End If

End Sub

Answer 2

Okay thank you Ben . I have made some changes and am now getting error, "Compile error: Else without if". I think I got things out of order, but am having a tough time getting it back.

Private Sub OkBTN_Click()
Static intIncorrectCount As Integer
Dim AuthorityNumber As Integer
'Dim rs As Recordset

'Column definitions
'UserID = 0
'FullName = 1
'Password = 2
'PWReset = 3
'AccessLevelID = 4

'Set rs = CurrentDb.OpenRecordset("UserNameQuery", dbOpenSnapshot)

'N = Nz(DLookup("Fullname", "UserNameQuery", "Fullname=""" & Me.cboUser & """"), " ")


If IsNull(Me.cboUser) Then 'Check that User is selected
    MsgBox "You forgot to select your name from the drop down menu!", vbCritical
    Me.cboUser.SetFocus
Else
    
If Me.txtPassword = Me.cboUser.Column(2) Then 'Check for correct password
If Me.cboUser.Column(3) Then 'Check if password needs to be reset
    DoCmd.OpenForm "frmPasswordChange", , , "[UserID] = " & Me.cboUser
End If

If Me.cboUser.Column(4) Then
    DoCmd.OpenForm "SRL1MainMenu"
    Forms!SRL1MainMenu!FullNameLoggedIn = Forms!frmLogin!cboUser.Column(1)
Else
    DoCmd.OpenForm "L2MainMenu2"
    Forms!L2MainMenu2!FullNameLoggedIn = Forms!frmLogin!cboUser.Column(1)
    
ElseIf intIncorrectCount > 1 Then
    MsgBox "Too many failed login attempts. Click OK to set new password", vbOK + vbExclamation
    DoCmd.OpenForm "frmPasswordChange", , , "[UserID] = " & Me.cboUser
    'DoCmd.Close acForm, "frmLogin"
    Else
    MsgBox "Incorrect password", vbOKOnly + vbExclamation
    
    Me.Visible = False
    intIncorrectCount = 0

    Me.txtPassword = Null
    Me.txtPassword.SetFocus
    intIncorrectCount = intIncorrectCount + 1
    End If
End If
    TempVars("Username") = Me.cboUser.Value
End If

End If
End Sub