scroll bars in forms

[Guest]

I have designed a form to view the records of a database. Some of the fields
contain large amounts of text so in the text boxes that show them I have
included VERTICAL SCROLL BARS (for reasons of space, the entire contents of
the field can not be shown in the text boxes). The scroll bars become visible
as the users clics on the box.
HOWEVER, once I save and close the form, the next time I open it, the
vertical scroll bars ARE NOT THERE. I have deleted the text boxes, re-design
them again with the scroll bars, save them, close the form etc but the
problem persists: when I re-open the form, the scroll bars are not there
(ALTHOUGH THE "PROPERTIES" FOR THE TEXT BOX INDICATES "VERTICAL" SCROLL BARS
IN IT).
Can anybody help on this ??
How can I get the bars to stay as designed ???

Incidentally, I am new to Access (but certainly not new to databases and
other Office aps.) and my experience so far is that this is one of the MOST
USER HOSTILE APPLICATIONS I HAVE COME ACROSS. I'm using it only because I
must.
Thought I'll toss that in there to be absolutely honest about this.
Thanks,
M.S.
How do I get the scroll bars

 

[Rick Brandt]

I have designed a form to view the records of a database. Some of the
fields contain large amounts of text so in the text boxes that show
them I have included VERTICAL SCROLL BARS (for reasons of space, the
entire contents of the field can not be shown in the text boxes). The
scroll bars become visible as the users clics on the box.
HOWEVER, once I save and close the form, the next time I open it, the
vertical scroll bars ARE NOT THERE. I have deleted the text boxes,
re-design them again with the scroll bars, save them, close the form
etc but the problem persists: when I re-open the form, the scroll
bars are not there (ALTHOUGH THE "PROPERTIES" FOR THE TEXT BOX
INDICATES "VERTICAL" SCROLL BARS IN IT).
Can anybody help on this ??
How can I get the bars to stay as designed ???

Incidentally, I am new to Access (but certainly not new to databases
and other Office aps.) and my experience so far is that this is one
of the MOST USER HOSTILE APPLICATIONS I HAVE COME ACROSS. I'm using
it only because I must.
Thought I'll toss that in there to be absolutely honest about this.
Thanks,
M.S.
How do I get the scroll bars

Do you mean that after you close and open the form the scrollbars are not there
even when you click on the TextBox? Access TextBoxes do not show scrollbars
unless they have the focus.

 

[Guest]

Thanks for the answer Rick. A comment to clarify your question:
When I initially design the text box WITH Vertical Scroll bars, get out of
Design View and go back to 'normal' view, the bars are there. They show up as
I click on the text box.
I save and close the form. The next time I open the form for use, the bars
are NOT there.
I delete the text box (in design view) and re-do the process again. The
exact same thing happens.
The question is, how can I get the scroll bars to stay there ??
Evidently is a question of not just "saving" the form. Some other setting I
am missing ?? (like a property that should be check in a certain way ????.)
INCIDENTALLY, I have tried the ACCESS HELP but...
In there it makes reference to the "Overflow", "OverflowX" and "OverflowY"
property boxes in the the "Format" tab on the "Properties" dialog box for the
text bos. WELL, I DON'T SEE THOSE PROPERTIES ANYWHERE IN THE DIALOG BOX !!!.
(just one more bit to support my statement regarding the hostility of this
application).
Thanks again for your answer !!!
(very evidently solutions are very much left to the users, I don't see any
positive actions from Microsoft on any of the issues. Must be nice to be a
monopoly !!!)

 

[Rick Brandt]

Thanks for the answer Rick. A comment to clarify your question:
When I initially design the text box WITH Vertical Scroll bars, get
out of Design View and go back to 'normal' view, the bars are there.
They show up as I click on the text box.
I save and close the form. The next time I open the form for use, the
bars are NOT there.
I delete the text box (in design view) and re-do the process again.
The exact same thing happens.
The question is, how can I get the scroll bars to stay there ??

You didn't answer my question. When you reopen the form after saving and
closing are you putting the cursor into the TextBoxes? That is the only time
the scrollbars will be shown.

 

[Guest]

Sorry there.... I thought I had but maybe it wasn't all that clear.
Yes, when I re-open the form I DO clic on the textbox (cursor shows up in
the text etc etc..) but the vertical scroll bar does not show up.
I even go back to Design View, re-check the properties (Scroll Bar =
Vertical, etc etc...) and they still NOT appear when I clic the text box.
Incidentally, I still can't find the "Overflow", "OverflowX" and "OverflowY"
that the HELP says should be there in the Poperties dialog box for the text
box (neither under Format nor under All tabs).
Thanks again !!!

 

[Rick Brandt]

Sorry there.... I thought I had but maybe it wasn't all that clear.
Yes, when I re-open the form I DO clic on the textbox (cursor shows
up in the text etc etc..) but the vertical scroll bar does not show
up.
I even go back to Design View, re-check the properties (Scroll Bar =
Vertical, etc etc...) and they still NOT appear when I clic the text
box. Incidentally, I still can't find the "Overflow", "OverflowX" and
"OverflowY" that the HELP says should be there in the Poperties
dialog box for the text box (neither under Format nor under All tabs).
Thanks again !!!

Hmm, can't say I know what's going on then. I can't reproduce anything like
that.

Are you sure you are looking at the correct help file topic? I have never heard
of Overflow, OverflowX, or OverflowY and could find no mention of them in the
help file.

 

[Allen Browne]

Manny, any chance you have set the internal margins of the text box?

That can cause problems with the scrollbars, so try setting the text box's
LeftMargin, RightMargin, TopMargin, and BottomMargin to zero.

I've never heard of the OverflowX or OverflowY properties either. I doubt
they are built-in. Are you using a specially classed text box?

Regarding the difficulty of learning Access, there is a huge learning curve
associated with understanding how to create relational data structures,
choose suitable data types, set relations and properties to guarantee the
integrity of the data, learn the possibilities and limitations of the SQL
queries, design useful and optimized user interfaces, develop the
programming skills to automate processes and validate data and provide
suitable warnings, understand how to group and collate data to present
meaningful and flexible reporting output options, and tie all those skills
together intelligently to create a database. In my view, Microsoft's
attempts to make Access look simple are counter productive and only serve to
frustrate users like yourself who find they cannot achieve all of that in
just a few months of trying. Access is very powerful: be patient with
yourself, and hang on for the ride. )

 

[Guest]

Thank you all again for the answers !!!
Allen, just before reading this answer, I saw your exchange with a guy by
name Chris Noosa and saw the deal ref. incompatibility of "scroll boxes" AND
"margins" on text boxes. That surely explains it. (I have just posted an
answer in that post)

About the Properties "Overflow", "OverflowX" etc. (admitedly, I may have
gone to the wrong item in my search), the FOLLOWING is the path I followed to
come across them:
1) “Help†button (top toolbar)
2) Choose “Microsoft Access Helpâ€
3) On the “Search for†box type “textbox scroll bars†(enter or “green arrow)
4) Choose “Add or Remove Scrollbarsâ€
5) Choose “Add or remove scroll bars for a text box on a data access pageâ€
(and here I may have indeed chosen the wrong option for what I’m looking for)
There you’ll find the Overflow, OverflowX etc properties.

Allen, about your comments on Access and the learning process.
I quite agree with you on the counter productiveness of Microsoft efforts to
portrait Access as a "simple thing". I also agree that "database design" in
general is no easy subject.
I have used Excel extensively (Chem. Eng., process control and automation)
and have produced sheets of relative complexity; for instance, to simulate a
fired heater or to calculate sonic flow in gas lines. And yes, it is a good
tool but it takes a while to understand it and to use it effectively and
efficiently.
HOWEVER, my point with ACCESS is that it is a "user hostile" tool. Things
that should be straight forward (LIKE THE PROBLEM THAT ORIGINATED MY POST)
are not.
It is like LEARNING TO BUILD A HOUSE. It surely isn't an easy task.
BUT... if on top of everything the hacksaws have no teeth, the hammers are
not of the required weight, the nails are too weak and bend on the first hit,
etc etc etc.... Well, the learning process gets somewhat aggravating.

Alright, TIME TO GO BACK TO IT AND KEEP ON POUNDING ON IT !!!
THANKS again and all the best to all of you.
M.S.