WineGeek
asked on
Need help with designing and buildig an Access database quickly
I'd rather be developing this in ASP.Net but the client won' wait - they want it now nd they want it in Access. I'm building a simple database to manage several entities inluding badges, units, people, etc. I'm comortable developin in ASP.NEt but I'm not an Access guru so I need tips, tricks, or pointers please.
I'm looking for someone to tell me how to design my forms to use with a switchboard, or without, and end up with a simple little database that the end users can use as if it was a regular application with a user interface. I want it to be idiot-proof.
Specific example of what I mean:
I want to create forms that allow users to add,edit, and delete entities in any of about 12 tables. Instead of using a default form that Access generates, I obviously need to make some sort of custom form with only very specific capabilities and do things like hide the menu bar, etc. In other words, for example, I want a form that is used to add new people into the tblPeople table. But I want this form to do nothing else - make it a painfully simple form.
This is my question: How do I build these custom forms and are there "form templates" I can download to get this databse created even faster?
I hope this is enough to convey my question appropriately. Let me know if you need more detail and thank you for your help.
I'm looking for someone to tell me how to design my forms to use with a switchboard, or without, and end up with a simple little database that the end users can use as if it was a regular application with a user interface. I want it to be idiot-proof.
Specific example of what I mean:
I want to create forms that allow users to add,edit, and delete entities in any of about 12 tables. Instead of using a default form that Access generates, I obviously need to make some sort of custom form with only very specific capabilities and do things like hide the menu bar, etc. In other words, for example, I want a form that is used to add new people into the tblPeople table. But I want this form to do nothing else - make it a painfully simple form.
This is my question: How do I build these custom forms and are there "form templates" I can download to get this databse created even faster?
I hope this is enough to convey my question appropriately. Let me know if you need more detail and thank you for your help.
ASKER
Thanks Steve, that's pretty much what I've learned so far. I'm also discovering other capabilities as I go through this. I think Access has improved quite a bit from the last time I used it years ago. Yes, I'm making a quick and dirty menu and sub-menu system with switchboards. It's ugly but it works.
Another question: Is there a calendar control I can use on an Access form for entering date data? Thanks.
Another question: Is there a calendar control I can use on an Access form for entering date data? Thanks.
Yup
click the last icon on the toolbox toollbar.... there are LOADS of controls
Posh
click the last icon on the toolbox toollbar.... there are LOADS of controls
Posh
You can use DTPicker instead of date text boxes. Add the component, Microsoft Common Control 2, (comct2.ocx) to access it from toolbox.
ASKER
Very cool!! Thanks. I'm now trying to modify the location of some of the controls on my forms. I'm trying to grab just the text box and not its label. But I can't seem to move one without the other. How do you separate the two?
Also, I'd like to check out this Date Picker. Where do I get this comct2.ocx file so I can install it? Thanks.
Also, I'd like to check out this Date Picker. Where do I get this comct2.ocx file so I can install it? Thanks.
ASKER
I figured out how to move form components individually. But I still can't find anything on this comctl2.ocx. Any help in finding that would be great. Thanks everyone.
should be in system32 folder
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ASKER
Hey, I really like that single form with sub-forms idea. I've never created a sub-form. Any serious tricks to watch out for when doing sub-forms? I'd like to keep this database as simple as possible. The requirement to have controls registered on user's computers worries me a little. Although only 3 or 4 users will be using this particular database, I'd still like to learn the best ways to do this, as if 1,000 users were going to be using it. Thanks for this awesome input.
By the way, the Calendar control that PoshDog pointed out to me is not going to work - it's too big and not what I was looking for. I'm looking for a simple, small calendar that they can use to click on a date. I'm still looking for that comctl2.ocx file. I can't even find it on the Internet.... so far. Thanks everyone.
By the way, the Calendar control that PoshDog pointed out to me is not going to work - it's too big and not what I was looking for. I'm looking for a simple, small calendar that they can use to click on a date. I'm still looking for that comctl2.ocx file. I can't even find it on the Internet.... so far. Thanks everyone.
comctl2.ocx --> comctl32.ocx?
My only tip with sub forms is to set the underlying query to match the master-child field links set in the master form. This can speed up the form a bunch.
My only tip with sub forms is to set the underlying query to match the master-child field links set in the master form. This can speed up the form a bunch.
ASKER
The references I'm seeing to comctl32.ocx are all related to Windows 95 & NT. This doesn't sound like a file I'd need to be using now days??? Does anyone have this file I can download? Thanks.
Thanks for the points, I don't feel like I contributed much in return!
Feel free to email me with questions if you have them. I certainly can't hold a candle to many of the folks who contribute to this site, but I have completed a lot of operational databases.
Howard
hgj@got-help.biz
Feel free to email me with questions if you have them. I certainly can't hold a candle to many of the folks who contribute to this site, but I have completed a lot of operational databases.
Howard
hgj@got-help.biz
ASKER
No problem Howard. Your input is very valuable to me right now. I still can't find this calendar input control. The calendar on the toolbox toolbar is way too big for what I want to use. Do you know what I'm talking about? Just like on a web site when you fill-in some date, it'a a fairly small control that you use. That's the sort of small calendar control I want to use on my Access forms. Thanks for any help!
Right click on calendar, then select 'calendar object', then 'properties', this brings up a special properties sheet.
Make all three font sizes 6, then resize the calendar. I got it down to 2" wide by 1.35" high.
H
Make all three font sizes 6, then resize the calendar. I got it down to 2" wide by 1.35" high.
H
ASKER
cool, I'll try that tomorrow. Thanks.
You can use the Switchbord wizard to crate a quick and dirty menuing system.
Steve