Columns in MIcrosoft Access 2007 QBE grid
Dumb question? Is there any way of controlling the number of columns Access 2007 displays when you open up the Query Design grid? It seems to be quite arbitrary, especially for queries created previously. If I have the shutter bar open (which I do almost all the time, to view and select database objects), the QBE grid often extends beyond the right-hand side of my screen, with numerous empty columns. It is infuriating to have to scroll to resize it and/or delete unused columns. Why can't it just resize to available screen width and adjust this according to whether the shutter bar is open or closed?
I agree - why do you feel the need to delete unused columns?
ASKER
I suppose it's not a problem: just a pesky annoyance! I like to see and use the mouse on the Max/Min/Close buttons on the grid window-pane and the right-hand scroll arrow. As it is, they are often hidden off-screen to the right. And the Access behaviour seems arbitrary. What's the convenience of having a seemingly random number of unused columns as against the inconvenience of not having the usual window controls?
ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION
membership
This solution is only available to members.
To access this solution, you must be a member of Experts Exchange.
ASKER
Thanks, Peter, you are right. My database was originally created in Access 2003 and contains a large number of queries. It is the original ones which seem to open with the excess columns in the QBE grid (although I can't think that they had that number of columns when originally created). Once I have opened and resized or modified them in A2007, they open thereafter at the width when last saved.
The empty columns are there just for your convenience, so you can add fields without first adding columns. I don't believe there is any way to change the number of empty columns that show up initially.
I don't really see what the problem is. The empty columns are not really part of your query, and there is no need to scroll across to look at them. If there are empty columns there, you can be sure there is nothing to the right of them (unless you have just inserted some empty ones).
I'm not sure what you mean by the "shutter bar". Do you mean the navigation pane (NavPane) on the left-hand side?
--
Graham