Writing a code generator for Micrsoft Access

I just looked ... I actually still have a form that you enter all the info in .. select from existing module, add new module, add procedure, scope, function or sub, description etc. I had *template* modules / procedures I copied so I could get the header / error handling written automagically. Let me know which parts I should brush up on.

Steve

First of all, what kind of code do you want to generate? what is it for? is it for forms?
I dont think u can say just create a code generator until you have planned what kind of code u want to generate it for. From this, you can start to work on what u want. Creating a form with controls and modules can be done, thats not the issue though. Its how/what u want doing.

Do note, that a lot of wizards already exist that generate code, so perhaps u can base your ideas on that
e.g. ensure toolbar wizard is pressed (2nd button) then when u add a button, a wizard turns up


Here is a simple (and I mean simple) example of creating a form on a fly

Assume u had a driver form, contains one listbox which lists control types (lstControls), one textbox where u enter the new form name (txtFormName) and one button which does the creating (cmdCreate)

'Here we define our Value List of controls
Private Sub Form_Load()
    lstControls.RowSource = acTextBox & ";Textbox;" & acCommandButton & ";Cmd Btn;" & acListBox & ";List Box"
End Sub

Private Sub cmdCreate_Click()

    Dim frm As Form
    Dim iStartX As Integer
    Dim iStartY As Integer
    Dim i As Integer
    Dim sName as String    
   
    'Set initial coorddinates
    iStartX = 100
    iStartY = 100
   
    'Create new form
    Set frm = CreateForm(, Me.txtFormName)
    sName = frm.Name

    'Open form in design mode
    DoCmd.OpenForm sName, acDesign
   
    'create selected controls
    For i = 0 To lstControls.ListCount - 1
        If lstControls.Selected(i) = True Then
            CreateControl sName, lstControls.Column(0, i), , , , iStartX, iStartY
            iStartX = iStartX + 250
        End If
    Next i
   
    'Close form, saving it
    DoCmd.Close acForm, sName, acSaveYes
    if sName <> Me.txtFormName then DoCmd.Rename Me.txtFormName, acForm, sName

End Sub


This is just to give u an idea

If u want to create forms on the fly, u will have to do things like prompt for captions etc
You could also prompt for recordsource, then list the fields from that recordsource
U can get the users to assign fields to controls

Also, say for buttons, u can specify what kind of action and create the code for that button

I don't want to generate any forms.

I only want to be able to paste in entire functions for database connectivity.

Say within a procedure always the following:

On Error Resume Next

Dim sSelect As String
Dim rstData As DAO.Recordset

I'm thinking just create a toolbar and a macro that will paste the entire set of lines wherever I may be - correct?

<On Error Resume Next>

please don't put this in your code generator ... you are certainly sure to regret it ... put in your standard error handler.


I use to use code / forms to create modules / procedures but I found that I didn't like the extra code / form required so after I was ready to push to production I would then spend time stripping them out which never helped during maintenance mode. Then I use to keep 1 module that had my base templates for new module header, and function / sub skeleton and manually copy / paste. Now I have a couple of very short functions in my standard template that I can easily copy/paste manually and strip the body from anytime I need. Funny how over time you find what really suits you best.


All that being said, did my samples help any?

Steve

Hey Steve,

please forgive me - I won't have a chance to try out your samples till this weekend.

Sorry.

no worries ... I had it laying about :-)

Hey stevbe,

What reference do you have this tied to?

I get a user-defined type not allowed on Dim vbcNew As VBIDE.VBComponent.

the name in the references dialog is:
    Microsoft Visual Basic for Applications Extensibility 5.3

which points to the file:
    C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\VBA\VBA6\VBE6EXT.OLB
   
resulting in a library name of:
   VBIDE

Steve

OK - sorry about the stupid question...

I've got a a form with a button when clicked does:

Private Sub cmdPaste_Click()
 
  CreateProcedure ("modDefault")
 
End Sub

I already have a modDefault module already but I still get a Run-time error '9' on subscript out of range on the following line-item:  Set vbcBase = VBE.VBProjects(1).VBComponents("basProcedure").CodeModule

Not sure what "basProcedure" is supposed to be?

basProcedure was a module I was using as a tmeplate, you can use any string source in the String argument of InsetLines. Of course you will need to change around all the formatting I was doing ... I know I would :-)

Steve

No comment has been added to this question in more than 21 days, so it is now classified as abandoned.

I will leave the following recommendation for this question in the Cleanup topic area:
    Split: stevbe {http:#17235944} & rockiroads {http:#17245393}

Any objections should be posted here in the next 4 days. After that time, the question will be closed.

jjafferr
EE Cleanup Volunteer