trying to create database

[Guest]

I am creating a database where one can search through a number of documents
using certain criteria (i.e. creator name, date created, file name, etc.).
This would theoretically bring up any documents meeting your specified
criteria (I would also like to search by more than one criteria). I'm really
not sure how to do this I haven't worked with access since high school! Any
help would be greatly appreciated, thanks.

 

[MacDermott]

While this *could* be done in Access, why not just use your operating
system's Search feature?

 

[gls858]

While this *could* be done in Access, why not just use your operating
system's Search feature?

Or something like Agent Ransack
http://www.mythicsoft.com/default.aspx

gls858

 

[Guest]

I would definitely like to use something akin to that but my boss wants it in
access no ifs ands or buts. Also using my system's search feature is not
feasible we're talking over 1000 drawings that would have to be searched
through, and a lot of them are with the same part with slight modifications.
Thanks for your suggestions though.

 

[MacDermott]

Have you *looked* at Windows Search function?
I don't understand why you think 1000 drawings is a lot to search through.
In Windows Explorer, you can search as wide (up to MyComputer) to as narrow
(a single sub-directory) as you like, and you can specify all of the
criteria you mention - creator name, date created, file name...

To do this in Access, you'd have to collect up information from the Windows
file system, store it in Access, and then *maintain* it there. Just getting
that to happen is going to be a whole lot more work than developing the
search capabilities - and won't get you anything more than you already have
in Windows.

OK - you *could* use a bunch of API calls to call the Windows functions from
Access. That would give you the Windows functionality, but make it look as
if it were being run in Access (which I suppose it technically would be).
But why bother?

 

[gls858]

I would definitely like to use something akin to that but my boss wants it in
access no ifs ands or buts. Also using my system's search feature is not
feasible we're talking over 1000 drawings that would have to be searched
through, and a lot of them are with the same part with slight modifications.
Thanks for your suggestions though.

Sometimes you just have to tell your boss that what he wants isn't possible
or not feasible. Granted they don't like to hear it. What they really
understand is $$. When you explain that to do this in Access is going to
take X number of hours to develop at whatever rate you get paid,plus the
time needed to maintain the data, OR he could use the methods suggested
here for free, he may change his mind.

gls858

 

[PC Datasheet]

If you definitely MUST have Access, I build low-cost database applictaions
for customers.

--
PC Datasheet
Your Resource For Help With Access, Excel And Word Applications
(e-mail address removed)
www.pcdatasheet.com

If you can't get the help you need in the newsgroup, I can help you for a
very reasonable fee.
Over 1000 Access users have come to me for help.
Need a month calendar or 7 day calendar? Contact me.

 

[John Marshall, MVP]

Ambulance chasing again? These newsgroups are for free support not ....

John... Visio MVP

 

[Vincent Johns]

Sometimes you just have to tell your boss that what he wants isn't possible
or not feasible. Granted they don't like to hear it. What they really
understand is $$. When you explain that to do this in Access is going to
take X number of hours to develop at whatever rate you get paid,plus the
time needed to maintain the data, OR he could use the methods suggested
here for free, he may change his mind.

gls858

This looks like good advice, but before presenting this alternative to
the boss, be sure that the search facility will do everything you need.
(I've not always been pleased with its performance.) For example,
will you need to produce reports based on the criteria? Will it be
easy to store all the desired criteria inside each file's properties,
and then search based on them? The user name stored with the file may
not be the name you need to retrieve in your reports.

Depending on how much updating you'll need to do, maybe all you need to
do in Access is to set up one Table containing fields for [creator
name], [date created], and [file name] (and maybe a few others, such as
document description). One way to get started would be to use the
Access Table Wizard; I suggest selecting "Personal" and choosing the
[Books] sample Table. Delete the fields you don't need and add others,
such as [file name], that aren't included there. Or maybe one of the
other samples will suit you better.

Add a few records to the Table and try to determine if the kinds of
searches that your boss wants you to do will be easy to accomplish. For
example, you can display the records in Table Datasheet View and click
on the Records menu, allowing you to specify various criteria for
displaying records. (They take some getting used to; you'll probably
want to use the Access Help facility for instructions.)

Later, if you're successful, you'll want to set up Queries for specific
kinds of searches, Forms for adding records to the list, and Reports for
displaying the results of searches. But you first need to determine
what belongs in the Table.

-- Vincent Johns <[email protected]>
Please feel free to quote anything I say here.

 

[gls858]

Sometimes you just have to tell your boss that what he wants isn't
possible
or not feasible. Granted they don't like to hear it. What they really
understand is $$. When you explain that to do this in Access is going to
take X number of hours to develop at whatever rate you get paid,plus
the time needed to maintain the data, OR he could use the methods
suggested here for free, he may change his mind.

gls858

This looks like good advice, but before presenting this alternative to
the boss, be sure that the search facility will do everything you need.
(I've not always been pleased with its performance.) For example,
will you need to produce reports based on the criteria? Will it be
easy to store all the desired criteria inside each file's properties,
and then search based on them? The user name stored with the file may
not be the name you need to retrieve in your reports.

Depending on how much updating you'll need to do, maybe all you need to
do in Access is to set up one Table containing fields for [creator
name], [date created], and [file name] (and maybe a few others, such as
document description). One way to get started would be to use the
Access Table Wizard; I suggest selecting "Personal" and choosing the
[Books] sample Table. Delete the fields you don't need and add others,
such as [file name], that aren't included there. Or maybe one of the
other samples will suit you better.

Add a few records to the Table and try to determine if the kinds of
searches that your boss wants you to do will be easy to accomplish. For
example, you can display the records in Table Datasheet View and click
on the Records menu, allowing you to specify various criteria for
displaying records. (They take some getting used to; you'll probably
want to use the Access Help facility for instructions.)

Later, if you're successful, you'll want to set up Queries for specific
kinds of searches, Forms for adding records to the list, and Reports for
displaying the results of searches. But you first need to determine
what belongs in the Table.

-- Vincent Johns <[email protected]>
Please feel free to quote anything I say here.

Good points! I was assuming he just wanted to search and
you know what they say about assume

gls858

 

[gls858]

If you definitely MUST have Access, I build low-cost database applictaions
for customers.

Let the beatings begin.

 

[StopThisAdvertising]

If you definitely MUST have Access, I build low-cost database applictaions
for customers.

--
PC Datasheet
Your Resource For Help With Access, Excel And Word Applications
(e-mail address removed)
www.pcdatasheet.com

If you can't get the help you need in the newsgroup, I can help you for a
very reasonable fee.
Over 1000 Access users have come to me for help.
Need a month calendar or 7 day calendar? Contact me.

These 1000 (if at all a real figure..) is only the result of
-- 4 years abusing the newsgroups.
-- 4 years blatantly advertising and job hunting.

You just don't care about the newsgroups. You have no ethics at all.
You only care about making money, and you act as if the groups are your private hunting ground.

-- You abuse this group and others for job-hunting and advertising over and over again
-- You are insulting lots of people here when they ask you to stop this
-- You posted as Steve, Ron, Tom, Rachel, Kathy, Kristine, Heather and ??? while asking questions
(the latest 'star's': 'Access Resource' and Tom (e-mail address removed))
-- You try to sell a CD ($125,--) with FREE code you gathered from these groups here
-- There even has been a 'Scam-alert' about you which has been explained recently in the thread 'To all':
http://groups.google.com/group/comp.databases.ms-access/msg/46038ba2954261f9?hl=en
-- Also recently it became clear that you have been spamming innocent people asking questions:
http://groups.google.com/group/comp.databases.ms-access/msg/4f76d0ed3e5f58ad?hl=en

So why would ANYBODY ever trust a person like you and hire you?
********************************************************

Explanation and more on this answer to Steve:
http://home.tiscali.nl/arracom/stopsteve.html

Arno R

 

[Rick Brandt]

Let the beatings begin.

I'd like to file a complaint about all the people complaining about the people
who complain.