Access Cookbook - Ken Getz [2]
What You Need to Use This Book
To use this book, you'll need a computer capable of running Windows 98 (or later), Windows Me, Windows NT 4.0 SP5 (or later), Windows 2000, or Windows XP, and Microsoft Access 2003 or Microsoft Access 2002 (part of Office XP). You'll find, however, that most of the solutions work just as effectively with prior versions of Access, in case you are supporting mixed-user environments. (We've provided all the solutions for the first 14 chapters in Access 2000 format, so that you can open them in Access 2000, Access 2002, or Access 2003. Some of the code will only run in Access 2002 or later).
The final four chapters include features new to Access 2003, and the samples there are guaranteed not to run in Access 2000, although some may work in Access 2002. To demonstrate the topics in Chapter 12, Automation, you'll need to have copies of Microsoft Excel, Word, PowerPoint, and Outlook. These applications aren't strictly necessary, but having them installed on your system will allow you to try out the example databases. Chapter 14 uses tools that are part of SQL Server, which you may also want to have accessible, along with the Northwind and Pubs sample databases that ship with SQL Server. Some of the solutions in Chapter 15 require you to own a copy of FrontPage and have access to a SharePoint Web server. You'll need a copy of Visual Basic 6.0 to complete the custom smart tag DLL sample shown in Chapter 16. The solutions in Chapter 17 require the Microsoft .NET Framework 1.1 and Visual Studio .NET 2003. .NET Framework 1.1 is available as a free download through the Microsoft Developer Network (MSDN) (See http://msdn.microsoft.com/netframework/technologyinfo/howtoget/). A 60-day Trial Edition of Visual Studio .NET 2003 that includes a copy of SQL Server Developer Edition (MSDE) is also available (See http://msdn.microsoft.com/vstudio/productinfo/trial/default.aspx).
How This Book Is Organized
This book is organized into 18 chapters, each of which focuses on a particular Access programming topic.
Chapter 1
This chapter covers the many types of queries and the power you have over the Access environment through the use of queries. From simple select queries through parameter, crosstab, totals, and Data Definition Language (DDL) queries, this chapter will show many different ways to use queries in your applications. Queries are the real heart of Access, and learning to use them intelligently will make your work in Access go much more smoothly.
Chapter 2
Most database applications require some sort of user interface, and in Access, that user interface is almost always centered around forms. This chapter demonstrates some useful ways to make forms do your bidding, whether in terms of controlling data or making forms do things you didn't think were possible. We demonstrate how to create multipaged forms and how to create an incremental search list box. We also show how to create your own pop-up forms, with a technique you can use in many situations. Forms can do much more than you might have imagined, and this chapter is a good place to look for some new ideas.
Chapter 3
It seems as though reports ought to be simple: just place some data on the design surface and "let her rip!" That's true for simple reports, but Access's report writer is incredibly flexible and allows a great deal of customization. In addition, the report writer is quite subtle in its use of properties and events. The topics in this chapter will advance your understanding of Access's report writer, from creating snaking column reports to printing alternating gray bars. Some of the solutions in the chapter will require programming,