form design basics

[mark kubicki]

admittedly, I'm totally new to ACCESS (previously XL/VBA), so I'm hitting
some "DUH" obstacles...

one of the forms that has been set up by our office has some blatant typos;
they are driving me crazy...

if I open the form, then choose design view, the form looks similar, but not
at all like the one I need to edit... can't figure out how to get to it...

any suggestions, directions...

-mark

 

[Guest]

Mark - You need to indicate what is exactly you are trying to edit i.e.
drop-down box, check box, text box etc. Also, please elaborate what do you
mean by, "if I open the form, then choose design view, the form looks
similar, but not
at all like the one I need to edit"

Mike

 

[mark kubicki]

- open acces
- open file TDA_MasterData.mdb
- opening window show a form withthe title "Main Switchboard" <--- this form
is one of those that is full of typos .., (the form contains several
cvommand buttons... leading to additional forms (?) w/ combo boxes for data
entry
- select view
- select design view

that's as far as i get...

 

[Albert D.Kallal]

It is possible that the form is correct, but is what we call a continuous
form.

Take a look at the following screen shots:

http://www.members.shaw.ca/AlbertKallal/Articles/Grid.htm

I would take a look at the form, flip to design mode..and then flip back to
view mode...and see if in fact it is the same form.

A continues form is a regular form..but the controls "repeat". So, if I
place the firstName, and lastname on a form like



FirstName : [ ] LastName: [ ]

If I then re-size the form to just "one line" in size, and then set the form
to continues mode...you will get a repeating grid of data.

So, often, the form can look quite different in design mode.

If you can flip back and forth between design mode, and view mode...and the
form looks different..then you still have the right form!!

In addtion, there is what we call sub-forms...and depending on what version
of ms-access, they may, or may not display...

 

[Guest]

Maybe what you are looking for is a report in preview.

 

[Albert D.Kallal]

That is the built in "switch board" form that is filled with data from a
database. The buttons then use the data from the table to launch other
forms.

So, this form is a static form, but one that allows you to modify what the
form does by modifying the DATA table.....NOT the form.

To change the switchboard option, you don't modify the form..but in fact
launch the switchboard manager.

tools->database utilities->switchboard manager (this is for a2003..)

So, given the above...my other post was a wrong...very wrong guess as to
what your problem was....

 

[mark kubicki]

THIS IS JUST WHERE I NEEDED TO BE - thanks

new question on same area:

a CR (line space) has been (inconsistently) added, between command button
lines, on this and its sub-switchboards (?) (sometimes it's a 1 line space,
sometimes 2, ...)
Where do I go to fix this formatting?

 

[Albert D.Kallal]

I have not used the switch board in a long time.

In fact, most explained developers dump that quite fast (people ONLY use it
because it is there..and is quick and dirty).

Having said the above..I *think* the double spacing is built in...and if you
only have a "few" entries...it double spaces to look better...but if you add
a bunch of extra entries...then it single spaces (hum...wait...that was my
own switch board I wrote years ago for a different system). (gee, I don't
remember if the switchboard does....it just been so long).

Hum...it is possible that the person entering in the "text" for the
switchboard put in the extra line of data themselves. I would consider
opening up the table direct, and looking at the actual "text" in the table
for the switch board. (try opening up a table called "Switchboard Items".
Size the rows to at least two lines high...that should help....

(you do realize that text boxes can contain multiple lines of text...and if
you hit ctrl-enter while in a field..you actually go "down" one line..and if
you use the arrow keys to edit the data...you will see all of the data...one
line at a time if the text box is small..