Create a new macro or copy & change an existing one-which is bette

[Guest]

Here's a doozy....

I have a form (Banner Evaluation Comments) from which I need to pull and
print comments from another form (Banner Data Entry Evaluations). Both forms
have individual command buttons. There is a table, query, report and form
for both as well.

Would it be better for me to create a new maco to pull this info or copy and
change an existing macro? I have another form (HRP Evaluation Comments) from
which I already pull and print comments from HRP Data Entry Evaluations.
Should I copy this micro and change it? If so, how would I do it?

Or would it be better for me to build an event? If so, how do I do that?

Much thanks as I'm having to teach Access 2002.

 

[Steve Schapel]

Anita,

Yep, that is certainly a doozy.

I confess that I am in two minds myself on this one. It may be better
to create a new macro. On the other hand, it may be better to copy an
existing one. I guess, to a degree, it depends on what the macro does.
What are the details of the actions and relevant arguments in the
existing macro? Hey, it might even turn out that you could use the same
macro for both.

Over and above this, it may eveen be the case that your form design
could be revised. What is the difference between the 'Banner' forms and
the 'HRP' forms? Sounds possible that they are similar to each other in
structure and purpose, but just display different sets of data. If so,
it would probably work out better to just have one form, and adjust the
data returned "on the fly" as required.

And in any case, "print comments from another form" is possibly giving
the wrong impression. I assume you are printing a report. A report
gets its data from a table or query. Forms don't really have data in
the strict sense of the word.

Best wishes with your teaching. Who will your students be? There are a
lot of good resources available, for example
http://home.bendbroadband.com/conradsystems/accessjunkie/resources.html
might be a good launching pad to find appropriate material to include in
your classes.

 

[Guest]

Steve,

See my answers below....

Thank you from the bottom of my heart for taking the time to help me. I
really appreciate it.
--
Anita :-D

Anita,

Yep, that is certainly a doozy.

I confess that I am in two minds myself on this one. It may be better to create a new >macro. On the other hand, it may be better to copy an existing one. I guess, to a >degree, it depends on what the macro does. What are the details of the actions and >relevant arguments in the existing macro? Hey, it might even turn out that you could >use the same macro for both.

**Where would I go to find the details of the actions and relevant arguments
in the existing macro? I went to the macro and clicked on 'Design view'. I
know zilch about macros.

Over and above this, it may eveen be the case that your form design could be revised. >What is the difference between the 'Banner' forms and the 'HRP' forms? Sounds >possible that they are similar to each other in structure and purpose, but just display >different sets of data. If so, it would probably work out better to just have one form, >and adjust the data returned "on the fly" as required.

**The only difference is the name of the queries, tables, forms, etc. One
references Banner and the other references HRP.

And in any case, "print comments from another form" is possibly giving the wrong >impression. I assume you are printing a report. A report gets its data from a table or >query. Forms don't really have data in the strict sense of the word.

**Yes, I am printing a report. Sorry for using the wrong verbiage. (Told
ya I was a newbie! :-D) Both Banner and HRP pull the info for their reports
from two separate tables.

Best wishes with your teaching. Who will your students be? There are a lot of good >resources available, for example >http://home.bendbroadband.com/conradsystems/accessjunkie/resources.html
might be a good launching pad to find appropriate material to include in your classes.

**Our students are just the people required to take these training classes.

 

[Steve Schapel]

Anita,

Did you build this database, or is it something that someone else did,
and you are being asked to modify?

If you know zilch about macros, and you are using macros, then you will
need to learn about them. Looks like a bit of studying required. Do
you have a good book about Access? If not, I recommend that you get
one. I have found "Access 2003 Inside Out" by John Viescas is
excellent, and has a good section on macros.

If you don't mind me saying so, it also really sounds like the database
is not well designed, and I would strongly recommend the first step
should be a review of this. Separate tables and forms etc for Banner
and HRP makes me suspect the "tables as data trap" has caught you. You
need to learn about normalisation - there are some links to good
information on this topic on the site I referred you to before.

Most people find that developing skills in Access is a somewhat steep
learning curve at first, but well worth the effort if you persevere.
Plus, you will need to learn it before you can teach it, am I right?

 

[Guest]

Steve,

I think I confused you....

Someone else created this database and I'm being asked to modify it. I do
need to get a good Access book, so I thank you for the recommendation and
I'll go out and get it.

I'm not teaching an Access class. I work for a training department and we
use Access to keep track of class evaluations. We have a form where I log
info from the evaluations and that's linked (if that's the correct wording)
to a report that gives me, in percentages, how many people thought 'Topic A'
was excellent, good, fair or poor, 'Topic B' was excellent, etc. That same
form is also linked to another report that just gives me the comments that
people make about the class.

HRP and Banner are the same forms and reports visually, but my boss wanted
them to be two separate forms and reports (i.e., HRP info pulls from the HRP
query, table, etc. and Banner info pulls from the Banner query, table, etc.).

That's why I was thinking it would be easier to copy the micro, but I didn't
know how to change the info in the copy of the micro so that it pulls from
Banner instead of HRP.

Does any of this make sense????

 

[Steve Schapel]

Anita,

Thanks for the further information.

Part of my point before was that Having an HRP table and a Banner table,
etc, is incorrect database design. But anyway, let's not get sidetracked.

If you go to the Design view of the macro, which you mentioned earlier
you can do this, you will see a column in the design window with heading
'Action'. This lists the Actions that are performed by the macro. When
you click in each of the actions, you will see the Arguments for that
action shown in the panel at the bottom of the window. (You will also,
by the way, see a brief explanation of what the selected action does).
The arguments will vary from one action to another. So, if you can post
back with what you see there, it will help me to know what you are
trying to do.

 

[Guest]

Steve,

The Action is 'OpenReport' and the Argument is 'Report Name -
rptRespondentQ2' and 'View - Print Preview'. There is nothing else under
Argument.

--
Anita

Anita,

Thanks for the further information.

Part of my point before was that Having an HRP table and a Banner table, etc, is incorrect database design. But anyway, let's not get sidetracked.

If you go to the Design view of the macro, which you mentioned earlier you can do this, you will see a column in the design window with heading 'Action'. This lists the Actions that are performed by the macro. When you click in each of the actions, you will see the Arguments for that action shown in the panel at the bottom of the window. (You will also, by the way, see a brief explanation of what the selected action does). The arguments will vary from one action to another. So, if you can post

back with what you see there, it will help me to know what you are trying to
do.

 

[Steve Schapel]

Anita,

Well, if you need to preview another report, you could make another
macro, similar to this one, except put the name of the other report
instead of the 'rptRespondentQ2' in the Report Name argument. Hope that
makes sense.

 

[Guest]

That did it!!!! :-DDDD

THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!!!! YOU are a Microsoft Access God!!!