On solution startup, table open and minimize?

[StargateFanFromWork]

I've seen DBs where on startup a particular table or form, etc., can be seen
to open but then is minimized in the background before the switchboard or
other comes up and stays up. How do we do this pls? The particular screen
we need to have do this at this time is a table called "Dockets".

Lastly, the developer's switchboard is not yet finished and it's a pain to
always have to close it every time I launch the Access db. How do I make my
front end just not open it at all, pls? Once the developer finishes the
various components, I'll copy her new master front-end to my pc, but until
then, tired of closing that screen each time! <g>

Thank you very much in advance! D

 

[Albert D.Kallal]

Lastly, the developer's switchboard is not yet finished and it's a pain to

always have to close it every time I launch the Access db

The setting for the startup form is in the tools->startup. In fact, you got
to use caution, since those settings in the "startup" are the setting you
will use to deploy your application for your users (things such as hiding
the ms-access interface etc can be done from this menu). But, if you do
that, then you can't develop!!!

To disable those startup features, you need to hold down the shift key while
the application starts. In fact, I do this shift key dance all day long. I
will launch the application (holding down the shift key). I will develop,
change things. Then I exit (alt f4 is a quick way). At this point I am back
to the windows file explore, and the mdb file is likely still highlighted. I
think whack the enter key (and do NOT) hold down the shift key. This way, I
can test the application in "end user" mode, and all of the tools->startup
options will fire, and engage.

This dance of going in, and out of your application (with using the shift
key, or not using the shift key) will happen all day long. You will in fact
do this 100's of times during a day.

You can't really use, or development the mdb file if you got a whole bunch
of startup options set. If you want to see a sample application that hides
all of the ms-access interface (tables, menus etc), but ONLY uses the
startup option, then take a look at the following sample:

Try downloading and running the 3rd example at my following web site that
shows a hidden ms-access interface, and NO CODE is required to do
this....but just some settings in the start-up.

Check out:

http://www.members.shaw.ca/AlbertKallal/msaccess/DownLoad.htm

After you try the application, you can exit, and then re-load the
application, but hold down the shift key to by-pass the start-up options. If
want, you can even disable the shift key by pass (you would do this to the
"mde" that you finally distribute to your users). I have a sample mdb file
that will let you "set" the shift key bypass on any application you want.
You can get this at:

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

And, to use a mde which effectively "locks" the design, then you need to
learn about eventually splitting your database. You can read the following
that explains this concept, and "why" you would do such a thing:

http://www.members.shaw.ca/AlbertKallal/Articles/split/index.htm

As for the form "min" max thing:

docmd.OpenForm "Dockets"
docmd.Minimize

 

[StargateFan]

Thank you very much for this info! Much appreciate. I'll look at the
pages this weekend and then give these a try when I'm next at work to
look at my front end. Thanks!

 

[StargateFanFromWork]

This was so simple in the end. Once I found where the switchboard manager
was as it's not where help says it's supposed to be <lol>, I could delete
all her entries in the switchboard and put my own. Her switchboard had a
bunch of entries with "under construction" on them and the only thing that
worked was a table. Well, I rarely work directly out of tables and much
prefer a form, so this was the obvious first major change I made. (I also
added back the ability to edit the switchboard from there directly, which is
great.)

The setting for the startup form is in the tools->startup. In fact, you got
to use caution, since those settings in the "startup" are the setting you
will use to deploy your application for your users (things such as hiding
the ms-access interface etc can be done from this menu). But, if you do
that, then you can't develop!!!

No problem there, just have the switchboard come up. I have the "display
database window" ticked for now as I'm still editing my front-end but will
eventually have that not come up and have access only through the
switchboard, esp. since F11 does the trick of bringing it up manually when
we need it.

To disable those startup features, you need to hold down the shift key while
the application starts. In fact, I do this shift key dance all day long. I
will launch the application (holding down the shift key). I will develop,
change things. Then I exit (alt f4 is a quick way). At this point I am

back

[snip]

Interesting. I don't consider myself a "developer" yet by any means <g> and
I'm just a dabbler but when I get further along, this will be a neat trick
to know.

[snip]

Try downloading and running the 3rd example at my following web site that
shows a hidden ms-access interface, and NO CODE is required to do
this....but just some settings in the start-up.

Check out:

http://www.members.shaw.ca/AlbertKallal/msaccess/DownLoad.htm

Thank you, will check it out.

[snip]

And, to use a mde which effectively "locks" the design, then you need to
learn about eventually splitting your database. You can read the following
that explains this concept, and "why" you would do such a thing:

http://www.members.shaw.ca/AlbertKallal/Articles/split/index.htm

Yes, I'm working on a split database now and I'm loving it. This is new for
me as I'd heard of this but had never actually worked with a split db before
now. Our supervisor did the split and what I esp. love of my front end is
that I can do what I want to it to make the whole solution easier to use.

As for the form "min" max thing:

docmd.OpenForm "Dockets"
docmd.Minimize

Now here's where I'm stumped. I have the main db window come up but don't
know where to put the above code to have it then minimize. I now see that
we have a "Module1" in the VB editor where there wasn't one before and there
are now several commands there. Would I put this code in there somehow?
Also, since it's the main database window, wondering what the code would be
as the above is for the _form_ called "Dockets".

One other thing, is it possible to have more items open on startup? We've
found that if the main _table_ called "Dockets" isn't open while we use this
db, the table as opposed to the form by this name, it takes a very long
time to pull up records when we're doing even just simple searches. It
would be nice to have this table come up then be minimized behind the
switchboard. But in the TOOLS > STARTUP, there doesn't seem to be room for
more than one option under "DISPLAY FORM/PAGE". Understandable. I imagine
we can get around that with VB code but was wondering how we do this?

Thanks for all the help.

Albert D. Kallal (Access MVP)
Edmonton, Alberta Canada

Hey, I'm in Ottawa! Kewl!

 

[StargateFanFromWork]

I'm using the startup option of opening a form (under TOOLS > STARTUP), but
I also need a table to be opened and then minimized first.There seems to be
a box only for one item in the startup options. I was given the following
code I'm guessing just needs to be modified (?):

docmd.OpenForm "Dockets"
docmd.Minimize

If it's straightforward to just change form to table above, then the code
would open the table with the same name of "Dockets" by this:

docmd.OpenTable "Dockets"
docmd.Minimize

So say I have that right, I haven't been able to figure out where this code
actually goes. I've studied in depth 2 of the example templates that do
what I need (except in the Asset Tracking and Contact Mgt, they're both
opening/minimizing the main database window). Where does one put the above
code, pls?

p.s., again, it's not a form that I'm opening but a table and it's called
"Dockets" also. I'm guessing that once I know where the code goes, that I
just use "docmd.OpenTable "Dockets" instead, as noted above?

Thanks!

 

[Albert D.Kallal]

There is two general approaches to running startup...

simply put the code in one of the forms that "does" load at startup. You
could also then have this form call other code in standard modules.

You could even have a "startup" form that runs a bunch of stuff, and then
closes.

So, put the code in the startup's form "on-load" event.

I'm guessing just needs to be modified (?):

docmd.OpenForm "Dockets"
docmd.Minimize

Sure, just put the above in your startup code (right now, in the forms
on-load).

If it's straightforward to just change form to table above, then the code
would open the table with the same name of "Dockets" by this:

docmd.OpenTable "Dockets"
docmd.Minimize

So say I have that right, I haven't been able to figure out where this
code
actually goes.

Looks ok to me...

You can also NOT use the tools->startup, and create a macro named
"autoexec", and it can use the "runcode" macro option to run a "public
function" you define in a standard module. so, you don't necessary have to
use a startup form to "run" code, but since you likely got at least one form
running at the start, then might as well have that form do the setup, and
run your startup code you need....

 

[Albert D.Kallal]

There is two general approaches to running startup...

simply put the code in one of the forms that "does" load at startup. You
could also then have this form call other code in standard modules.

You could even have a "startup" form that runs a bunch of stuff, and then
closes.

So, put the code in the startup's form "on-load" event.

I'm guessing just needs to be modified (?):

docmd.OpenForm "Dockets"
docmd.Minimize

Sure, just put the above in your startup code (right now, in the forms
on-load).

If it's straightforward to just change form to table above, then the code
would open the table with the same name of "Dockets" by this:

docmd.OpenTable "Dockets"
docmd.Minimize

So say I have that right, I haven't been able to figure out where this
code
actually goes.

Looks ok to me...

You can also NOT use the tools->startup, and create a macro named
"autoexec", and it can use the "runcode" macro option to run a "public
function" you define in a standard module. so, you don't necessary have to
use a startup form to "run" code, but since you likely got at least one form
running at the start, then might as well have that form do the setup, and
run your startup code you need....