ANNOUNCING: The new and very official MS_Access sub-topics TA list
Hello all,
The EE team has asked me at the end of last year to devise sub-topics for the MS-Access TA. The need for them has been obvious for at least a year, and several threads have been devoted to this project over the last two years. However, it was felt that it was impossible to arrive at a consensual list, so that a single expert was designated instead.
One major reason is that the maximum number of Geniuses (15) has been reached, so that less and less experts are motivated enough to answer at all...
Therefore, and without further delays, here is the list of the sub-topics that will be available starting today, 4/1/2006, 12:00 GMT.
• MS_Access/FAQ
This is the long-awaited FAQ. Users will be required to ask all those questions that come up often in this topic area. This TA will potentially attract new experts as well, as the answers will be easy to find by reading the TA for a week or two.
• MS_Access/FAQ/Combo Boxes
Yes, we will have sub-sub TAs for the VFAQs. This first sub-topic is meant as a teaser, many more will follow as the need arises.
• MS_Access/Database Design
This TA will attract all those questions about tables, table design, relationships, normalization, etc. Experts are kindly requested to limit their answers to these topics only, and to forward all subsequent questions to one of the other TAs (see below)
• MS_Access/SQL & QBE
The name "queries" was rejected, because it doesn't sound technical enough. Once the need of a query has been identified in any other TA, this will be the place to develop it. As a special mesure of exeption, queries created as strings in VB can be covered here as well.
• MS_Access/Forms & Reports
The basic place for questions about controls, sub-forms, interface design, neat tricks, etc. A study of over 5000 recent messages shows that 43% of the questions will start their lives here. So expect a heavy load. However, about 78% of those will quickly move to other more appropriate TAs.
• MS_Access/Excel = Excel/MS_Access
This TA will also be the first sub-topic of the Excel TA, as an alias TA. This excellent suggestion from an Excel Genius, currently raising fast in the Access TA, will serve as a bridge between the two communities.
• MS_Access/VB
This TA is the only one where code fragments, full functions, and often entire modules can be posted. Any VB fragment outside of this TA will be considered a violation of the new "misposting rules", which will be finalized in the comming month. A special exeption has been made for queries in strings. Lines like: strSQL="SELECT..." will be tolerated in the SQL TA.
• MS_Access/VB/SendKeys
To shield innocent readers of the TA hierarchy, any question containing the word "SendKeys" -- either in the body or in one of the answers -- will be moved here automatically. The first time this TA is opened, a warning will be displayed: "Read at your own risk, and do not use. Ever."
• MS_Access/DAO-ADO-ODBC
If you don't know what these mean, you don't want to post here. Simple.
• MS_Access/Stupid Questions
This TA will hopefully shield the experts from those questions they do not want to answer. Tired of stupid questions? Don't subscribe!
Now you have it. I'm certain that we will all quickly adjust to this new environment. I expect a new race for points, as the same expert categories will exist. How will be the featured expert of Combo Boxes for April?
Additional technical tools.
¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯
During the first month or two, we naturally expect some amount of mispostings. Therefore, community support has been staffed in order to handle all the "please move this question to..." requests, both from users and from experts. As a matter of fact, these requests will become part of the natural life of a question. You could start with a question about forms, and realise later that you need a query as record source. The question can then be moved to the correct TA, until it becomes apparent that the table design could be improved. A new request, and voilà, the question will be, for a while, available to all those database design experts for further input.
Also watch out for the upcoming "misposting rules". The basic enforcement tool will be the points system, with fines going from 20 (first warning) to 100000 points (maximum, Genius experts) for any single misposting. This applies naturally to the questions BUT ALSO TO THE COMMENTS. Experts, if you want to suggest a VB function to solve some problem, you are requested as per these rules to post a "please move to VB" request, wait for the move to complete, and then only offer the code fragment. Fines hurt. However, if you get fined for mispostings, you will be able to regain 1/2 of your lost points by volonteer work as "TA moving delegated expert". More information in the mail after your first mispost!
Also, some rare and very difficult questions could spawn across several TAs. For example: how do I create a combo box in my subform to input the product name? Sloppy users will probably just pick any likely TA and post, relying on the experts to generate the "please move" requests. Knowlegeable users, however, will quite naturally post pointer questions in all the relevant TAs, thus making the "please move" requests less necessary. Of course, should a question move nontheless, the user is requested to request corrections to the pointer questions, in order to adjust the URLs.
Under development currently, but likely to be part of the next version of the server, the new "cross-post" mechanism will render all this obsolete. And this is a good thing, because we still have some problems with misposted move requests and synchronizing those with the moves themselves. We appologize for any future inconvenience.
Final words
¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯
This list is FINAL. Please do not, under any circumstances, in whatever form, and for any reason post new suggestions for MS_Access sub-topics. Especially not with a paragraph explaining it. And of course not if they conflict in any fashion with the existing list. No MS_Access/Babes. Understood?
The 500 points of this question are the very first NEGATIVE points in EE (minus sign missing due to a temporary bug). These 500 points will be subtracted as FINE for the worst offender(s). Clear?
Happy April to all ;)
(°v°)
The EE team has asked me at the end of last year to devise sub-topics for the MS-Access TA. The need for them has been obvious for at least a year, and several threads have been devoted to this project over the last two years. However, it was felt that it was impossible to arrive at a consensual list, so that a single expert was designated instead.
One major reason is that the maximum number of Geniuses (15) has been reached, so that less and less experts are motivated enough to answer at all...
Therefore, and without further delays, here is the list of the sub-topics that will be available starting today, 4/1/2006, 12:00 GMT.
• MS_Access/FAQ
This is the long-awaited FAQ. Users will be required to ask all those questions that come up often in this topic area. This TA will potentially attract new experts as well, as the answers will be easy to find by reading the TA for a week or two.
• MS_Access/FAQ/Combo Boxes
Yes, we will have sub-sub TAs for the VFAQs. This first sub-topic is meant as a teaser, many more will follow as the need arises.
• MS_Access/Database Design
This TA will attract all those questions about tables, table design, relationships, normalization, etc. Experts are kindly requested to limit their answers to these topics only, and to forward all subsequent questions to one of the other TAs (see below)
• MS_Access/SQL & QBE
The name "queries" was rejected, because it doesn't sound technical enough. Once the need of a query has been identified in any other TA, this will be the place to develop it. As a special mesure of exeption, queries created as strings in VB can be covered here as well.
• MS_Access/Forms & Reports
The basic place for questions about controls, sub-forms, interface design, neat tricks, etc. A study of over 5000 recent messages shows that 43% of the questions will start their lives here. So expect a heavy load. However, about 78% of those will quickly move to other more appropriate TAs.
• MS_Access/Excel = Excel/MS_Access
This TA will also be the first sub-topic of the Excel TA, as an alias TA. This excellent suggestion from an Excel Genius, currently raising fast in the Access TA, will serve as a bridge between the two communities.
• MS_Access/VB
This TA is the only one where code fragments, full functions, and often entire modules can be posted. Any VB fragment outside of this TA will be considered a violation of the new "misposting rules", which will be finalized in the comming month. A special exeption has been made for queries in strings. Lines like: strSQL="SELECT..." will be tolerated in the SQL TA.
• MS_Access/VB/SendKeys
To shield innocent readers of the TA hierarchy, any question containing the word "SendKeys" -- either in the body or in one of the answers -- will be moved here automatically. The first time this TA is opened, a warning will be displayed: "Read at your own risk, and do not use. Ever."
• MS_Access/DAO-ADO-ODBC
If you don't know what these mean, you don't want to post here. Simple.
• MS_Access/Stupid Questions
This TA will hopefully shield the experts from those questions they do not want to answer. Tired of stupid questions? Don't subscribe!
Now you have it. I'm certain that we will all quickly adjust to this new environment. I expect a new race for points, as the same expert categories will exist. How will be the featured expert of Combo Boxes for April?
Additional technical tools.
¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯
During the first month or two, we naturally expect some amount of mispostings. Therefore, community support has been staffed in order to handle all the "please move this question to..." requests, both from users and from experts. As a matter of fact, these requests will become part of the natural life of a question. You could start with a question about forms, and realise later that you need a query as record source. The question can then be moved to the correct TA, until it becomes apparent that the table design could be improved. A new request, and voilà, the question will be, for a while, available to all those database design experts for further input.
Also watch out for the upcoming "misposting rules". The basic enforcement tool will be the points system, with fines going from 20 (first warning) to 100000 points (maximum, Genius experts) for any single misposting. This applies naturally to the questions BUT ALSO TO THE COMMENTS. Experts, if you want to suggest a VB function to solve some problem, you are requested as per these rules to post a "please move to VB" request, wait for the move to complete, and then only offer the code fragment. Fines hurt. However, if you get fined for mispostings, you will be able to regain 1/2 of your lost points by volonteer work as "TA moving delegated expert". More information in the mail after your first mispost!
Also, some rare and very difficult questions could spawn across several TAs. For example: how do I create a combo box in my subform to input the product name? Sloppy users will probably just pick any likely TA and post, relying on the experts to generate the "please move" requests. Knowlegeable users, however, will quite naturally post pointer questions in all the relevant TAs, thus making the "please move" requests less necessary. Of course, should a question move nontheless, the user is requested to request corrections to the pointer questions, in order to adjust the URLs.
Under development currently, but likely to be part of the next version of the server, the new "cross-post" mechanism will render all this obsolete. And this is a good thing, because we still have some problems with misposted move requests and synchronizing those with the moves themselves. We appologize for any future inconvenience.
Final words
¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯
This list is FINAL. Please do not, under any circumstances, in whatever form, and for any reason post new suggestions for MS_Access sub-topics. Especially not with a paragraph explaining it. And of course not if they conflict in any fashion with the existing list. No MS_Access/Babes. Understood?
The 500 points of this question are the very first NEGATIVE points in EE (minus sign missing due to a temporary bug). These 500 points will be subtracted as FINE for the worst offender(s). Clear?
Happy April to all ;)
(°v°)
Why hasn't this been implemented already!? ;-)
Well I'm Really upset about this!.
I spent over an hour answering that damned questionnaire you sent out out Markus and you haven't included a SINGLE idea that I put forward.
I can't understand how you can leave out my proposals for MS_Access/Punctuation and MS_Access/PhoneText Questions when I see some of the appalling subtopics you've left in the list.
I'm taking this to the management.
Pete
I spent over an hour answering that damned questionnaire you sent out out Markus and you haven't included a SINGLE idea that I put forward.
I can't understand how you can leave out my proposals for MS_Access/Punctuation and MS_Access/PhoneText Questions when I see some of the appalling subtopics you've left in the list.
I'm taking this to the management.
Pete
I'm more appaulled that there is a veto on "MS_Access/Babes"
:-(
:-(
Guess this has something to do with the date 1-4-2006
April fools day <LOL> :-)
Nic;o)
April fools day <LOL> :-)
Nic;o)
And the award for Most Obvious Statement in an Access Thread goes to.....
:-)
:-)
Into effect on 4/1/2006?
This has been going on since 4th January? And I never noticed.
*What* the hell have I been thinking !?
Ohhh it's a _silly_ date format. Ahhh. I get it. Very good!
I must say though - it was particularly slave driver like of the EE team to really push this forward on Christmas Day when the top 15 filled up!
*Man* they're a cruel lot.
That said... They can keep "MS_Access/Babes" away from us (dammit).
Just give us the avoidable "MS_Access/Stupid Questions" :-)
This has been going on since 4th January? And I never noticed.
*What* the hell have I been thinking !?
Ohhh it's a _silly_ date format. Ahhh. I get it. Very good!
I must say though - it was particularly slave driver like of the EE team to really push this forward on Christmas Day when the top 15 filled up!
*Man* they're a cruel lot.
That said... They can keep "MS_Access/Babes" away from us (dammit).
Just give us the avoidable "MS_Access/Stupid Questions" :-)
SOLUTION
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Let us consider the (non existant) MS_Access/Babes
A typical question:
"How do I loop through all the records in a table and update only those matching a criteria."
Easy enough - probably shouldn't even be done in code but with an update statement...
May or may not even be worth bothering looking at it? Right?
A new world question:
"How do I loop through all the records in a table and update only those matching a criteria. P.S. I'm a babe!"
The takeup rate would very likely increase - based on 18 more ASCII characters that may or may not be true.
Perhaps we are better shielded from that.
(Unless there was to be some kind of proof ;-)
A typical question:
"How do I loop through all the records in a table and update only those matching a criteria."
Easy enough - probably shouldn't even be done in code but with an update statement...
May or may not even be worth bothering looking at it? Right?
A new world question:
"How do I loop through all the records in a table and update only those matching a criteria. P.S. I'm a babe!"
The takeup rate would very likely increase - based on 18 more ASCII characters that may or may not be true.
Perhaps we are better shielded from that.
(Unless there was to be some kind of proof ;-)
We could have a universal symbol...
"How do I loop through all the records in a table and update only those matching a criteria. (_|_)"
Less chracters - nice compromise
"How do I loop through all the records in a table and update only those matching a criteria. (_|_)"
Less chracters - nice compromise
SOLUTION
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Markus,
> No MS_Access/Babes.
What have you got against Miriam?
:)
Patrick
> No MS_Access/Babes.
What have you got against Miriam?
:)
Patrick
SOLUTION
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SOLUTION
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ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION
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Wow, all of this is happening while I was asleep, No wonder I haven't been getting enough points lately :o)
jaffer
jaffer
ASKER
Bad news!
I just spent a few hours testing the new system on the test server. The "move questions" mechanism isn't reliable, some of the TA were missing, while others, which I specifically disaproved, crept in there:
• MS_Access/97
• MS_Access/2000
• MS_Access/2000/SP1
• MS_Access/2000/SP2
etc... Can you believe that?
I guess it's back on the shelves for a while. Too bad.
Anyway, at least I get to try out the NEGATIVE POINTS!!!
So here are the very first 100 pt fines:
• Pete: "MS_Access/I'mNotGoingToGi
• Danny: "MS_Access/ConnectionStrin
• Leigh: "MS_Access/Studly Hunks"
• Miriam: "My feelings were starting to get hurt."
• Patrick: "MS_Access/Enough_with_Row
Have fun!
Markus
I just spent a few hours testing the new system on the test server. The "move questions" mechanism isn't reliable, some of the TA were missing, while others, which I specifically disaproved, crept in there:
• MS_Access/97
• MS_Access/2000
• MS_Access/2000/SP1
• MS_Access/2000/SP2
etc... Can you believe that?
I guess it's back on the shelves for a while. Too bad.
Anyway, at least I get to try out the NEGATIVE POINTS!!!
So here are the very first 100 pt fines:
• Pete: "MS_Access/I'mNotGoingToGi
• Danny: "MS_Access/ConnectionStrin
• Leigh: "MS_Access/Studly Hunks"
• Miriam: "My feelings were starting to get hurt."
• Patrick: "MS_Access/Enough_with_Row
Have fun!
Markus
Can any of you experts help me with this? Especially to remove the characters in the middle which can't be seen because of the only page. Please don't tell me I didn't normalize enough because I didn't do that and nothing is normal, anyway.