This document provides guidance on designing effective forms in Access. It discusses best practices such as using logical field organization and familiar labels. It also covers topics like bound versus unbound forms, using subforms, command buttons, and ensuring proper tab order. Tips are provided for changing queries dynamically and using aggregate functions. The document concludes with an overview of common programming objects and concepts in VBA.
2. Provide meaningful title
Organize fields logically
Use appealing form layout
Include familiar field labels
Be consistent with terminology and
abbreviations
3. Allow for convenient cursor movement
Prevent and correct errors
Include explanatory messages for fields
4. Bound form has a Record Source
Displays data from fields in record source
Unbound forms
Do not have record source
Designed to help users navigate through database
5. Subform is a form embedded in another form
Primary form (called main form)
Usually has one-to-many relationship with data in
subform
Main form and subform linked
Subform displays only records that related to
current record in main form
6. Command buttons
Users click to perform common tasks
Can contain Text, Icons, Graphics
Create
Using Command Button Wizard
By adding button to form then setting properties
Beconsistent when creating command
buttons
Location on form
Order
7. Formcreated with form tool or Form
Wizard
Places fields in order they appear in table
design
After fields are rearranged for more
logical data entry, correct tab order
Test each form!
8. Way to change query „on the fly‟
Can use prompt for user
Can get information from form controls
Forms!FormName!ControlName
9. List controls: set rowsource
Listbox
Combobox
Forms: set recordsource
Reports: set recordsource
Remember to requery!
Find right event to respond to
10. Grouping: When RecordSource has all of the
data needed, and all needed records are
included
Sub-reports: When need data that‟s not part
of RecordSource OR RecordSource wouldn‟t
include all records
Use CanGrow, CanShrink
11. Limitednumber
Most deal with laying out and formatting
data
Use NoData instead of showing an empty
report
12. Also called Domain Aggregate Functions
Allows creation of summary information
without a query
DCount
DSum
DMax
13. Need a field to work with
Need to specify where the field is found
(table or query)
Can optionally add a „where‟ clause to limit
the records included
DCount(“PatientID”,”Visits”,”Total<100”)
14. Have to choose which event to respond to
Events can be generated by the user or
changes in data or objects
15. Many commands start with „DoCmd‟
Code is organized into procedures
Property Procedures
Functions
Subroutines
Procedures can use arguments to pass data
Use With … End With when referring to an object
several times
16. Two methods to reference “owned” objects
Use ! (bang) if referring to a control in a
query
In code, can use both ! (bang) and . (dot)
If referring to fields in a recordsource, use !
If referring to controls can use either
17. Scope: How long a variable lasts and where it
can be accessed
Forcing declaration: Option Explicit
Objects: Can represent more than just basic
data, can create object variables
Need to create an instance – New keyword
Use Set to make an assignment
18. Most objects are members of some group
A collection is a group of like objects
Forms collection holds all forms
A form‟s controls collection holds all controls
that belong to that form
19. Branching (what‟s next?)
If-Then
Select Case
Loops (repeating a task)
For … Next
For .. Each
Do While
Do Until
20. Optional argument for many commands
When opening a form or report, can limit the
records to be used, even if the recordsource
is a table
DoCmd.OpenForm “frmName”,,,”field=1”
21. Logic errors
Runs but doesn‟t give the right results
Syntax errors
Compiler can‟t process your code
Run-time errors
Problem happens during execution
Use On Error to respond to
22. ADO: ActiveX Data Objects
For working with data
Not hierarchical
ADOX: ADO Extensions
For working with database
For security and database
DAO: Data Access Objects
For working with data
Used in Forms, Reports by Access
Hierarchical (must know how each item fits in
relation to others)
23. Connection: „pipe‟ for moving data
Command: what data to work with
Recordset: local copy of data from a table or
query