how to open existing mdb and work?

[SRussell]

I have an MDB and when I open it in Access it runs. I press F11 and I can
see the parts of the app.

How do I open the app in design mode so I can drop controls on a new form?

TIA

 

[Rick Brandt]

I have an MDB and when I open it in Access it runs. I press F11 and I can see
the parts of the app.

How do I open the app in design mode so I can drop controls on a new form?

An Access *file* does not have a "design mode". Each object in the file (forms,
reports, queries, etc.), has a "design view".

If you click on a table or query and then press the design button, then you will
see the design view of that table or query. If that same design button is
grayed out when you click on a form, report, or module, then what you have is an
MDE file (these can still be given an MDB file extension), which does not allow
design view or design changes of those kinds of objects.

 

[SRussell]

An Access *file* does not have a "design mode". Each object in the file
(forms, reports, queries, etc.), has a "design view".

If you click on a table or query and then press the design button, then
you will see the design view of that table or query. If that same design
button is grayed out when you click on a form, report, or module, then
what you have is an MDE file (these can still be given an MDB file
extension), which does not allow design view or design changes of those
kinds of objects.

Thanks, I'll try to describe my problem differently.

I open Access, I open a friends .mdb file. It opens into his application,
well after you say YES a few times. I can press F11 to display design part
of the app. I can see the forms. Unfortunately I cannot reset the menu. I
open the form but the tools pane or toolbar is NOT VISIBLE.

How do I get that toolbox visible so I can drop some controls on a new empty
form?

TIA

 

[Rick Brandt]

Thanks, I'll try to describe my problem differently.

I open Access, I open a friends .mdb file. It opens into his application,
well after you say YES a few times. I can press F11 to display design part of
the app. I can see the forms. Unfortunately I cannot reset the menu. I open
the form but the tools pane or toolbar is NOT VISIBLE.

How do I get that toolbox visible so I can drop some controls on a new empty
form?

Hold the shift key while opening the file.

 

[SRussell]

Hold the shift key while opening the file.

Well after a BSOD, it worked!

Thanks!