Quick Tip About Developing Using The Modern Web Browser Control

A quick word of caution and tip of the day regarding doing development using the Microsoft Access Modern Web Browser control.

With the extensive development I have done with the Modern Web Browser control, I have noticed some inconsistencies in it reflecting updates I have made to code during development.

Unlike its predecessor with whom you would save a change and reopen the form and it would be reflected to you.

I have found the Modern Web Browser control to be very inconsistent on this front. Sometimes it works properly, yet other times it does not. When this occurs, initially, I seem to always assume my code change had some mistake causing the issue and I start performing all sorts of debugging. However, eventually, not understanding why things aren’t working properly after much debugging (when they work fine when run directly in Edge), I close the database or perform a Compact and Repair, and to my amazement, suddenly the code works?!

Sadly, this problem has nipped me in the proverbial ‘ass’ more times then I’d care to admit! Because of this problem with this control, you can end up wasting a lot of time trying to hunt down non-existent issues with your code and/or HTML, when the actual issue is not with anything you’ve done, but rather is with Access itself.

All this to say, I firmly believe there are underlying bugs with the control caching things or not clearing itself properly out of memory when a form/report is closed and I urge you to frequently Compact and Repair your database during Modern Web Browser control development of any shape or form to minimize chances of experiencing such headaches. It just takes a moment to do every now and then and may just save you some serious time & frustration!