SWITCHBOARD

[Guest]

I have designed a database to use the switchboard to open it. While I was in
editing the items for the switchboard, I must have hit a key. Now the
switchboard form is no longer in the database window. When I go to open the
database I get a message saying that the switchboard can't be opened because
it does not exist. When I use the switchboard manager, all of my items are
still in there. How do I get my form back?

 

[Guest]

Go to Forms in the database window. Double check that the Switchboard form is
not there. Go to a recent backup and import it.

Next go to Tables in the database window. There should be a table named
Switchboard Items. If not, import that from a recent backup.

No recent backup? If both are missing, just start over. If the Switchboard
form is missing, rename the Switchboard Items table and run the Switchboard
Manager to create a new switchboard. Close it right after creation. Try to
import the data from the old Switchboard Item table into the new one. If that
works, most of your Switchboard will be back.

 

[Jeff Conrad]

See this area of my SBM page:

http://home.bendbroadband.com/conradsystems/accessjunkie/switchboardfaq.html#newform

--
Jeff Conrad
Access Junkie - MVP
http://home.bendbroadband.com/conradsystems/accessjunkie.html
http://www.access.qbuilt.com/html/articles.html

in message

 

[Larry Linson]

I have designed a database to use the
switchboard to open it. While I was in
editing the items for the switchboard, I
must have hit a key. Now the switch-
board form is no longer in the database
window.

I'll give you different advice than Jerry and Jeff, to wit:

Delete all the items associated with that original Switchboard created by
the Switchboard Manager, and re-create your own Switchboard, using unbound
Forms, and Access Command Buttons. The Switchboard manager is a complex
solution, using a table, forms, and code, to address a simple problem,
navigating within a database.

I rarely ever have to go as many as three forms deep, and that is easily
manageable with unbound Forms and Access Controls. I don't need the Table,
nor all that code, because I am not having to try to economize on Forms by
having them do multiple duty, thus I don't have to do the manipulation of
properties and controls.

Larry Linson
Microsoft Access MVP

P. S. While I am not alone in this opinion, neither is it a universally-held
opinion in every segment of the Access community.

 

[ks]

my question is:what is switchboard as you talked about?

 

[Larry Linson]

Create a New Form in Design View, do not specify any table or query. From
the Toolbox (by default, docked to the left side of the design "canvas"),
make sure the "magic wand" icon appears to have been pressed, click the
Command Button icon to select it, then select Form functions in the dialog,
then Open Form, and find the Form you want it to open. Follow these
directions for each Form you want to be opened directly from your
switchboard. If there are several Forms you want to open in a particular
category, you can create a Form for those, as above, and using the approach
already described, make a Button to Open it, then use the same approach, add
the forms to that one that you want opened.

Larry Linson
Microsoft Access MVP

 

[JAG]

I agree with Larry on using unbound forms instead of the Switchboard Manager.
However, I recently ran into an issue with a second (also an undound form
with Access controls) not showing placed correctly in relation to the window.

When I go from my "main menu" form to a second from (also an unbound form
with Access controls), the second form has moved up in relation to the window
and I can't read the inforamation at the top of the second form.

If I change to design view and look at the second form everything looks
perfect and when I switch back to form view everything is great.

But when I exit the database and then open it again I encounter the same
issue with the second form.

Any help will be appreciated.

 

[CELESTIN ZAOULI]

I agree with Larry on using unbound forms instead of the Switchboard
Manager.
However, I recently ran into an issue with a second (also an undound form
with Access controls) not showing placed correctly in relation to the
window.

When I go from my "main menu" form to a second from (also an unbound form
with Access controls), the second form has moved up in relation to the
window
and I can't read the inforamation at the top of the second form.

If I change to design view and look at the second form everything looks
perfect and when I switch back to form view everything is great.

But when I exit the database and then open it again I encounter the same
issue with the second form.

Any help will be appreciated.

 

[Larry Linson]

I agree with Larry on using unbound forms instead of
the Switchboard Manager. However, I recently ran into
an issue with a second (also an undound form
with Access controls) not showing placed correctly
in relation to the window.

One very easy way to control the positioning of unbound switchboard forms is
to set the AutoCenter property to Yes. If you make the second- or greater
level forms as large as the initial, they will cover the previous one so
your users won't be confused by having a little bit of another form peeking
around the current one. You can, of course, also close the form before
opening the next one, and still take advantage of AutoCenter. Finally, you
can set the Top and Left properties of the Form to position it where you
want it -- but this may not look quite the same at different screen
resolutions. And, you could use PopUp to make it a dialog, but some users
are not thrilled with your forcing them to do your bidding by using dialogs
(and, often, I am one of those).

Larry Linson
Microsoft Office Access MVP