Access Tips & Hints :
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Sort columns not next to
each other in datasheet view
If you want to sort two columns that are not next to each other, maybe like
department and last name - where last name is first (from left to right) and
department it to the right of last name - you need to move department to the
left of last name. This way you can sort by department then by last name. Yes
that is what we want.
In datasheet view - Click on the
department column it is on the right side of last name (somewhere). You want to
move it to the left of last name column. After selecting department column, press and hold your left mouse
button down and drag the column to the left of the column last name. Now select both columns and sort.
Your sort is now by department and
then by last name.
Hi folks,
Here another Access helpful hint...
Suppose you create an Access application for someone and
you'd like to assign it to a desktop shortcut. That person could press the icon and get right
into your database file - no separate startup of Access. No Access "Welcome
screen", etc. Well, there's a way to stop them. Instructions follow:
1. Create a desktop shortcut for your Access application. One
way to make one would be to right-click and
drag a copy of your current Access shortcut to a new location
on your desktop or current shortcut tool bar.
Then, open the "properties list" from the
shortcut menu and fill in the following information.
2. The "Target" for the icon should be the
Access.exe program (include the full path name with the
executable. After the program name, include the name of
your application's database. Make sure
to include the ".mdb" ending too!
3. Follow the database's name with one or more of the
following options:
/excl (runs the application in single-user mode. Otherwise,
it will run in multiuser mode)
/Nostartup (omits displaying the Access welcome screen)
/Runtime (runs your application in "runtime"
mode, meaning no one can alter your application.
Buttons are removed, many options are grayed out, and
"design" views are not allowed)
There are other options available. You can find them
under HELP, with the phrase "Access Startup"
4. Make sure you specify the full path for your
application's database in the "Start In" location.
This is where your database file is stored. Without this,
Access won't know where to find it.
Here's an example for an Access application set for single
user, runtime mode, without a startup screen
Target: C:\msoffice\access\access.exe myapplication.mdb
/excl /runtime /nostartup
Start In: C:\my documents
Hope this is useful and have fun!!!
One more thing.
Create a macro called "autoexec" in the macro's
section of your database.
Include two lines in it. The first opens the main form of
your application. The second maximizes your form to cover the entire screen. There's
actually a "maximize" command in the macro builder action list. Check it out!
Enjoy!
Fill-in last field for you
Suppose you're doing a lot of data entry and some of the
fields have their values repeated record after record, after record...Boy, it would sure
be nice to have Access remember the last value you entered. Well it can! The function to
use is called "DLAST". Here's what you do.
1. In a data entry form of your design, pick a field in
which you would like the last record's value repeated.
2. For the field's default value (see properties list), set
it to say
=DLast("[fieldname]","[table
name]","criteria")
Where the field name is the name of the current field and
the table name is the table from which the field
information comes. The criteria is optional and could be
something like "[field] = value".
The function DLAST has a partner, DFIRST. It works the same
way, showing you the first item that was entered into the table instead of the last. These
two functions are pretty powerful. You can select fields from other tables, based on some
very cool criteria. One application could be for scheduling to find the latest use of a
room or instructor. Another could be for material location to find the last whereabouts of
needed items.
One last piece of info. You can find out about DFIRST and
DLAST in Access help, but don't expect to see it in Expression Builder. It's not in the
list of common functions!!!
Enjoy! Steve
Supposing you create a query from a table or tables and you set your
sorting preferences in the QBE grid. Ya know...sort this field "ascending" and
this one "descending", etc. You run your query and once you see the result, you
decide to change your sort. Instead of returning to the query design view, you highlight
the column you wish to sort by and press the "A-Z" button. The record set
sorts...
You save your query and you're a happy pup. Later, you run the query and, to your
surprise, the QBE grid says "sort this way", but your query result has the
records sorted as per your "A-Z" button choice. How do you fix this???
The answer... switch to the query design view. Then, right mouse click in the top half of
the query view - bringing up the properties list for the entire query. At the bottom of
the short list of properties, you'll find the query sort option, filled in with your
"A-Z" button choice. Delete this baby and your query will sort as you specified
in the QBE grid.
Take this one for a spin!
This is a Word document on maintaining
Security on your database.
download
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