General Question: improving look and feel of database

[Gary]

I can't seem to get away from the fact that all my mdb's look like
databases, not applications.

I have built a custom menu and managed to changed the mdi background
thanks to a97changemdibackgroundver8 but my forms still look dull and
dated.

is there any advice for how to make the forms and menu's look more
slick, maybe even have nice rounded boxed elements on forms that look
graphically appealing?

any graphical advice at all?

thanks,

Gary.

 

[Danny J. Lesandrini]

I'm sold on AccessUI. Use it for all my new clients. Did a product
review of it for DBJ and you can read it here ...

http://www.databasejournal.com/features/msaccess/article.php/3519961

Tell Kevin you were refered from me and he'll give you a discount.

 

[Gary]

Hi Danny thanks very much for your post,

IT looks very good, the problem i have is i'm writing this for my
present company. And I can't justify any extra costs until i've
finished the database. At that point when people see what they think of
it, i will ask for licences to roll the runtime out and could build in
some extra there, but for now - i can't be buying third party programs.

i may well purchase that eventually - but for now does anyone have any
ideas that don't require me outlaying hundreds of dollars?

thanks,

Gary.

 

[John Gray]

Hi,

I'm not clear what you mean by "my mdb's look like databases, not applications".
Do you mean all your forms look like tables, or...?

You are to some extent confined by the MS Access interface. But within the boundaries
of that, it is possible to get quite creative (even in a negative way -- I've seen some
amazingly ugly forms

Are you sure you've fully explored all possibilities of the visual properties of the
components on your forms? If you mostly display information in table format, are there
situations where it might be appropriate to show one record at a time? The one-record
display is more open to visual dressup. Keep in mind that how you shape a form
(interface) should *enhance* accessibility to the information, not interfere with it.

There are books on interface design (such as "Developing User Interfaces for Windows" by
Everett McKay, Microsoft Press). And there are websites as well (eg: "Interface Hall
of Shame" -- http://homepage.mac.com/bradster/iarchitect/shame.htm).

There are other programming systems that can connect to Access (and other databases as
well) -- VB, Delphi, C++, Alpha, and so on. Perhaps one of these would give you the
flexibility you desire.

On a philosphical note, it sounds like your ready for a change... In which case a
"journey of exploration" is in order. The Web is a great place to go exploring for
something like this. And Google is your friend

hth,
John

 

[Fred Boer]

Hello:

There are books on interface design (such as "Developing User Interfaces
for Windows" by
Everett McKay, Microsoft Press). And there are websites as well (eg:
"Interface Hall
of Shame" -- http://homepage.mac.com/bradster/iarchitect/shame.htm).

I've often wished there was a "Hall of Fame" for Access form interface
design... you know, some place where you could browse through screen shots
of professional quality forms. A Louvre for the Access oriented... Something
like http://www.csszengarden.com/ does for Cascading Style sheets. A place
to be impressed by the possible. A place for my forms to be seen by the
multitud.. ok, ok... maybe not...

Still it would be nice... Maybe someday there might be a new wing added to
the Access Web for examples of good interface design....

And Google is your friend

So why do I never get invited to the birthday parties?

Cheers
Fred boer

 

[Albert D.Kallal]

Much of what you do in ms-access is MATTER OF YOUR taste.

Take a look at the following screen shots of mine:

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

The above screens are 100% standard ms-access.

And, for custom menus, again read the following and note the screen shots:

http://www.members.shaw.ca/AlbertKallal/Articles/UseAbility/UserFriendly.htm

To make applications look more "windows" like, you simply need to design
your applications as such. So, to get a "windows" look and fell, simply
remove the zillion buttons you got on the bottom of a form, and move them up
to a nice menu bar. The closer you layout tings to office, or other major
programs, then the "MORE WINDOWS" like your applications will be.

Here is some more screen shots:

http://www.members.shaw.ca/AlbertKallal/ridesrpt/ridesrpt.html

and some more

http://www.members.shaw.ca/AlbertKallal/Search/index.html

Most of my customers don't even know that the product is ms-access, and I
not even using any 3rd party options...

 

[Gary]

Very interesting,

your screenshots are nice Albert thank's for sharing them, it inspires
me a little to know that it's possible to get away from access look and
feel =)

thank's

Gary.

 

[Rick Brandt]

Very interesting,

your screenshots are nice Albert thank's for sharing them, it inspires
me a little to know that it's possible to get away from access look
and feel =)

What exactly are you describing as "Access look and feel"? What the wizards
produce? There is nothing non-Access on Albert's forms.