Close Access Report using the timer

I have some users who have a problem leaving a report opened in Preview mode overnight. Trying to tell them not to do that is like talking to a brick wall sometimes. So what I want to do is have the report close the preview window after a specific amount of time. Can this be done when a report is opened in preview mode? This is how I open the report from my form. This form does stay open but in hidden mode until the user actually closes the report. Then the form is unhidden and they can then close the form also. I want to put a timer on the report so it closes after 5 minutes. So how can I set this up on my report?

Here is the code that opens the report from a command button on my form:

    Dim stDocName As String

    TempVars.Add "strBOForm", Me.Name
    stDocName = Me.cboReport
    DoCmd.OpenReport stDocName, acPreview
    DoCmd.RunCommand acCmdFitToWindow
    Me.Visible = False

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And here is the code that unhides the form once the user closes the report preview:

Private Sub Report_Close()
    Forms(TempVars!strBOForm).Visible = True
End Sub

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LVL 12

Anders Ebro (Microsoft MVP)Microsoft DeveloperCommented: 2016-08-24

Well the report has a timer event. IF you set the timer interval equal to 5*60*1000 (5 minutes) and code in the timer event:

Private Sub Report_Timer()
   DoCmd.Close acReport, Me.Name
End Sub

The effect will be that the report closes after 5 minutes. This will work in Preview mode, and also in layout and report mode.

EDIT: And note that your close event will still fire, resetting the visibility of the form, regardless of how the report is closed.

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LVL 60

Jim Dettman (Microsoft MVP/ EE MVE)President / OwnerCommented: 2016-08-24

You might also be interested in this MSKB article:

ACC: How to Detect User Idle Time or Inactivity
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/128814

It's a more generic approach to doing this. When Idle time occurs, most developers add a routine that closes down the app, usually by using the forms and reports collection to close each object that is open.

Jim.

LVL 1

Lawrence SalvucciInformation Technology ManagerAuthor Commented: 2016-08-24

Thank you Anders. That's exactly what I was looking for but I also wasn't sure if the code in the Report Close event would still fire or not.

@ Jim - I actually use that article to close down the DB after a certain amount of time. But I wanted this particular report to close after 5 minutes. The inactivity is set for an hour before it closes the DB all together.

Thank you both for your prompt responses. I appreciate your help!

LVL 52

Dale FyeOwner, Developing Solutions LLCCommented: 2016-08-24

lawrence,

if the app is set to automatically close at 1 hour, how can the users keep the report open over night?

Just asking.

Dale

Some of my "power" users don't have the inactivity timer set for their login. But they're the ones that leave this report open overnight. I don't want to put the inactivity timer on their logins for other reasons. Probably should have explained that in my last post.

Close Access Report using the timer

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