Anyone that knows anything about developing a database knows that best practice dictates that you split your database into 2 components: a Back-End containing the tables (your data) and a Front-End containing everything else (queries, forms, reports, macros, modules, …). What many developers seem to overlook however is the importance of always creating a persistent…
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MS Access – Persistent Connection in a Split Database
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MS Access – Where to Start Learning – Database Tutorials
I always find it amazing that even with the internet, it can sometimes be very hard to sift through all the available material to find good tutorials and learning tools. Below are a few good starting points. Some are MS Access specific, but many are just database generalities whoses techniques can be used with any…
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MS Access – Deploying an Access Database using CITRIX
This is a preliminary posting on the subject, one that I hope to add to over time. We see many postings on various forums from people wanting to know more about running an Access database via CITRIX. Firstly, since Access is not recommended to be used over a wireless connection, nor a WAN, CITRIX is…
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MS Access – Who is Logged In?
Another common need for most database administrators & developers is to be able to see who is logged into a database. A very common solution to this in the past has been to use the Jet UserRoster, see: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/285822 http://support.microsoft.com/kb/q176670 http://www.utteraccess.com/forum/Who-s-Logged-Who-s-Con-t1897146.html http://www.rogersaccesslibrary.com/misc/misc.htm (see: WhosOn97) I personally find much more useful to create a table…
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MS Access – Database Created with the 32-bit version …
Have you ever developed a database using a 32-bit Access version and then tried to deploy it on a 64-bit version and receive the error: “This database created with the 32-bit version of Microsoft Access. Please open it with the 32-bit version of Microsoft Access”. First let me state that it is not recommended to…
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MS Access – Securing Access to the Back-End Database
Limit the settings within your database Go into the database Options (Office Button->Access Options->Current Database) and uncheck elements such as: Display Navigation Pane Optionally: Allow Full Menus Allow Default Shortcut Menus While you are there ensure that Track name AutoCorrect Info is not checked. As well, you should not ever use Compact on Close. Control…
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WebBrowser ActiveX Control – Google Maps Invalid Character Scripting Error
I had an MS Access database which had been in place for over a year and that was working just fine. One day, at the beginning of October 2013, my client informed me that they had recently started receiving a Scripting error (see the image below) every time the form displayed a map (Google Maps)…
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Determine Installed Version of MS Access – VBScript
Below is a simple VBScript to determine the current version of MS Access installed on the computer Dim oRegistry Dim oRegistry Dim sKey Dim sValue Dim sAppVersion Const HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT = &H80000000 Set oRegistry = GetObject("winmgmts:{impersonationLevel=impersonate}//./root/default:StdRegProv") sKey = "Access.Application\CurVer" oRegistry.GetStringValue HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT, sKey, "", sValue sAppVersion = Right(sValue, Len(sValue) - InStrRev(sValue, ".")) MsgBox sAppVersion & ""…
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MS Access – Why Convert Your Database Into an MDE or ACCDE?
Yet again, another questions that always comes up over and over. What is an MDE/ACCDE database? So why do we normally recommend that you convert your database (mdb/accdb) into a compile version (mde/accde) before deploying to your end-users? The short answer is that it minimizes the amount of access the users have to mess…
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Count of the objects in your MS Access Database
Have you ever needed to get a simple count of the number of : Tables Queries Forms Macros Reports Modules I recently needed to get some summary data regarding a database I was working on. The following single line VBA commands will get you the count(s) you are after. 'Number of Tables CurrentDb.TableDefs.Count 'includes system…
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Give your Opinion on MS Access
If you weren’t already aware, you can now share your opinion on MS Access directly with Microsoft. Add new items, vote on existing ones and hopefully help shape the future of Access. For the Desktop version, see: http://access.uservoice.com/forums/319956-access-desktop For the Access Web Apps (AWA) version, see: http://access.uservoice.com/forums/321915-access-web-apps This is a new tool put forth and it…
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MS Access – Missing Images, Images not showing
There has been a MAJOR screw up and sadly we are seeing countless posts/questions regarding images not showing up in forms/reports. Sadly, even several months after being flagged, we are still waiting upon an official fix from Microsoft! Happily, we have people the likes of Luke Chung (Access MVP) who have researched the problem,…
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Finally a Fix for the Images not showing in Forms and Report for Access 2016
It took several months, but Microsoft finally has released an official fix for the issue of images not showing on forms and reports in MS Access 2016. Microsoft Installer (.msi)-based edition of Office 2016 It can be downloaded from Microsoft’s site at: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/3114379 Office 2016 Click-to-Run editions It took a few extra days, but the…
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Microsoft Access 2016 Runtime has been Released!
It’s here. It’s finally here! Microsoft has released Microsoft Access 2016 Runtime. It can be downloaded from Microsoft’s website at: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=50040 Before going wild deploying it in a production environment, be sure to test it out first in a Test environment just in case there are any problems as it is just been release to…
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Why MS Access isn’t a Secure Database – Part 2
It is one things to explain how Access stores back-end passwords in plain English text in a hidden system table as I did in my article entitled Why MS Access isn’t a Secure Database, but I didn’t just want you to take my word for it. So I quickly put together what I have dubbed…
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Securing Your MS Access Database Front-End
In this post I’d like to discuss what steps you can take to try and secure, as best you can, your MS Access Front-End application. Password Protect your FE As I pointed out in my post entitled Why Ms Access Isn’t A Secure Database – Part 2, a MS Access Front-End is not secure and leaves sensitive…
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Convert Your Access Database Into An Exe
Over the years, I’ve seen the same question come up time and time again: How can I convert my MS Access database into an exe so I can sell it Further discussion typically brings up the notion that they wish it to run as it’s stand alone program and not require the end-user to have…
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Great Access Tools – Access Crash Reporter
I’m starting a series of posts to promote some great tools to be aware of as an Access developer Today, I’d like to introduce you to TheSmileyCoder’s Access Crash Reporter. Any developer can attest that errors will occur and quite often users do not jot down the details of exactly what happened exactly thus making…
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Great Access Tools – Access Shortcut (right-click) Tool
As developers our primary job is to facilitate our user’s interaction with the data. One way to provide easy access to functionalities (sorting, filtering, …) is by creating Right-Click Context Menus. Sadly, Microsoft has, in recent years, made this even more complicated than it already was and it is quite undertaking to say the least! Thankfully,…
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Great Access Tools – Enhanced Message Box
Anyone that’s ever developed any computer solution knows the importance of providing messages to the end-users. Now, Microsoft provides the MsgBox, but to say it is primitive is an understatement. It hasn’t progressed in any way since its inception! Want to highlight your text, bold, italic, … simply NOT possible. No worries! Once again, a…
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