automating database processing chapter 6. chapter introduction design and implement user-friendly...

Automating Database Processing

Chapter 6

Chapter Introduction

• Design and implement user-friendly menu– Called navigation form

• Macros– Automate repetitive tasks– Add functionality to reports and forms

Succeeding in Business with Microsoft Access 2010 2

Tools Covered in This Chapter

• Access Options• Action Catalog• AutoExec macro• AutoKeys macro• Breakpoints• Events• Macros


Tools Covered in This Chapter

• Macro groups• Macro security• Navigation Forms• Splash screen• Trust Center• Visual Basic for Applications (VBA)


Level 1 Objectives: Automating Tasks with Switchboards and Macros

• Create a well-designed navigation form to provide a user interface for a database

• Automate tasks by creating basic macros• Specify what happens when a database opens


Understanding Navigation Forms

• Navigation Form– Special kind of form – Appears when database opened– Makes database navigation similar to a website

• Main navigation form and subform control automatically built in

• Drag and drop object to form and create tab– Selecting tab allows instant view of the objects


Understanding Switchboards (continued)

• Can add buttons to main navigation form to work with– Tables– Forms– Queries– Reports

• Appear in hierarchical format


Typical Switchboard Design


Designing a Navigation Form

• Main navigation form serves as menu for users when database is opened

• Control user access to tables • Review objects, plan categories to organize

the objects on tabs• Sketch a design for the navigation form


Creating a Navigation Form

• Create lower level of the hierarchy first– Create tabs by drag and drop of object onto form

• Create main navigation form then created• Click Navigation button in forms group of Create tab

– Select tab layout– Change title and change format, if necessary– Drag forms or reports from Navigation Pane to the [Add New]

tab– Use Layout view and Form selector button to change form

location or size

• Repeat until all needed forms are on the navigation form


Creating a Navigation Form, Cont.

• Preview all forms in Form View– Test to ensure working correctly

• Create forms for reports as created for forms– Preview and test all tabs to ensure working

correctly• Create main form to provide easy navigation

through database• Last item on main form should be a button to

close the databaseSucceeding in Business with Microsoft Access 2010 11

Formatting a Main Menu

• Steps to changing the format of a main menu– Open the navigation form in design view– Change formatting elements• Color• Labels• Images• Lines

– To change size and position properties, double click Form Selector button and change entries on form’s property sheet


Understanding Basic Macros

• Macro – Action or series of actions – Save time and ensure accuracy– Automate repetitive tasks– Composed of series of actions organized in

sequence in which they should be performed• Create macro– Using Macro window


Common Macro Actions


Creating a Macro

• Create Access macro in Macro window• Select the Create tab, and then click the

Macro button in the Macro & Code group• Action catalog – Select features wanted– Actions to be performed– Click list arrow in action column– Click Add New and scroll through list to action you

wantSucceeding in Business with Microsoft Access 2010 15

Creating a Macro (continued)

• Action arguments– Provide additional information for performing

macro action– Arguments needed vary depending on selected

action chosen• Save macro with descriptive name, using mcr

prefix


Running a Macro

• Three ways to run a macro:– In Macro Tools design tab, click the Run button in

the Tools group– On database Tools Tab, click the Run Macro button

in the Macro group• Select the macron in the Run Macro dialog box,

click– In the Navigation Pane, click Macros, right-click

the macro name, and then click Run


Editing a Macro

• Use Macro Builder as in creating• Rearrange order of actions – Drag action line to new position

• Insert new action between two existing actions – Click Add new and select the action– Move or drag the new action between the two

other actions• Delete action– Click action then click the delete button


Setting Startup Options

• Startup options– Access performs when database opens

• Set options using Access options feature• Bypass Startup Options– Press and hold down shift key when opening

database


Specifying Startup Options in the Startup Dialog Box

• Options– Display form– Display navigation pane– Allow full menus


Startup Dialog Box


Creating a Splash Screen

• Splash screen– Displays when database opens– Contains• Logo• Text

• Can only display splash screen or Navigation form automatically


Creating a Splash Screen (continued)

• AutoExec– Special macro– Runs when database opens– Before Access Options dialog box options– Can use to display splash screen

• Create splash screen form


Creating an AutoExec Macro

• Create macro that contains actions Access should perform when database opened

• Save macro using name AutoExec


Level 1 Summary

• Navigation Form– Special kind of form – Appears when database opened

• Macro– Use to automate repeated actions

• Access options dialog box• Splash screen


Level 2 Objectives:Creating Advanced Macros

• Consolidate automated tasks by creating a macro group

• Specify conditions and events for macros• Troubleshoot macros


Understanding Macro Groups

• Macro group – Two or more macros placed within same macro

file– Consolidate related macros – Manage large numbers of macros– Only group name displayed as macro object in

database window


Creating a Macro Group

• Logical to organize similar macros within group• To create:

– Click Create tab on the ribbon, click Macro button in the Macros & Code group

– Click the Action Catalog button in the Show/Hide group on the Design tab

– Add the Submacro Action to the Macro Builder– Enter unique name in the Submacro box– Click Add New Action arrow and select an action, select or enter

the arguments– Repeat for each macro you want in group– Save the macro group using mcr prefix


Running the Macros in a Macro Group

• Clicking Run Button on the Design tab runs only the first macro in the group

• Run particular macro within group– Click the Run Macro button in the Macro group on

the Database Tools tab– Select the list arrow to choose the macro name– Click the macro name– Click OK


Assigning AutoKeys to Macros in a Macro Group

• AutoKeys macro group – Assign macro to key or key combination• Type key or key combination • Use special notation–^ for CTRL–+ for Shift

• Uses subset of SendKeys command–Built-in commands to send keystrokes to Access

databases• Save group as AutoKeys


Examples of Key Combinations for the Autokeys Macro Group


Creating the Navigation Form to run macros using Command buttons

• Add Command button to a form– Click button to run a macro– Makes database actions easier for users

• Click the Button button in the Controls group• Click in from where button is to be placed– Command button wizard starts• Select category and then action to be completed

– Repeat until all need buttons are on form– Save form


Specifying Conditions and Events for Macros

• Specify conditions for performing macro actions • Assign macro to control• Event-driven programming– Running macro when user interacts with object

• Event – State, condition, or occurrence that Access recognizes

• Event property– Specifies how object responds when event occurs


Specifying Where Conditions in a Macro

• Where condition argument• Refer to controls on form that are not

currently active– Use control’s complete name– Format• [Forms]![formName]![controlName]


Troubleshooting Macros

• Macros containing arguments– Especially error prone

• Error types– Syntax error– Logic error– Run-time error

• Troubleshooting tools– Single step through execution of macro, using debug window– Print macro code– Use Visual Basic Editor


Printing Macros

• Open Documenter dialog box – Click macros tab– Select macro by clicking its check box– Click options button to select details of macro to

print• Properties• Actions• Arguments• Permissions


Single Stepping a Macro

• Runs macro one action at time – Pausing between actions

• Make sure actions appear in correct order and with correct arguments

• Use Single Step button– Macro Single Step dialog box– Buttons• Step• Stop All Macros• Continue


Setting Breakpoints

• Breakpoint– Code inserted in macro– Signals where to stop macro

• Examine values of actions, controls, and arguments macro using

• Open macro in the Microsoft Visual Basic for Applications window– Shows macro as it appears in VBA code– Examine details of macro code in VBA window


Setting Breakpoints

• Immediate pane– Displays current value of controls and arguments– Display using ? operator


Level 2 Summary

• Macro group• Conditions for macros• Assign macro to buttons• Debug macros


Level 3 Objectives:Macro Conditions

• Assign a macro to an object event• Run a macro when a form opens or a report

prints• Use a macro to validate data


Exploring Macro Conditions

• Macro conditions – Logical expressions that result in true or false answer– Depending on outcome

• Macro can perform one set of actions or another

• Enter macro conditions – Open macro in macro builder

• Drag the program flow action to macro builder– Set condition to test

• If condition true – Access performs SetValue action


Exploring Macro Conditions

• Add Else If condition to perform actions if False– Provides alternate action to perform


Assigning a Macro to an Object Event

• Assign macro to object – By specifying macro name in event property of

object• Event categories– Report– Section


Report Events and Section Events


Using Message Boxes with Forms

• Form events can also trigger macros• Use to – Validate data – Set values – Navigate between forms– Filter, find, and print records


Form Events


Using Message Boxes with Forms

• MsgBox command– Opens message box – Displays warning or informational message– MsgBox ("message" sum of button and icon values "title")

– Returns value depending on which button clicked– Create condition that checks to see which button

users click


Using Message Boxes with Reports

• When conditions in macro references name of control from source – Source must be open when condition tested– Can hide window while macro tests condition

• MsgBox action– Opens message box and displays warning or

informational message– Similar to using MsgBox command


Using Message Boxes with Reports (continued)

• MsgBox action arguments – Message – Beep – Type– Title


Validating Data with Macros

• Validation field properties have limits• Validate data using more than one rule and more

than one validation message– Create macro

• Domain aggregate functions– Calculate statistics for set of records (recordset) or

domain, from table or query• Dcount function– Dcount(expression, table or query, condition)


Common Domain Aggregate Functions


Level 3 Summary

• Conditional expressions in macros• Assign macros to events• Message boxes– Msgbox command– Msgbox action

• Validate data with macros


Chapter Summary

• Navigation Form– Provides main menu for Access application

• Macro – Automates repetitive tasks– Can use conditional expressions– Associate with command buttons or other controls

• Debugging– Find errors in macros by stepping though each

statement


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