Wrox Access 2003 VBA Programmers Reference Apr 2004 ISBN 0764559036 pdf

  Access 2003 VBA Programmer’s Reference

  Access 2003 VBA Programmer’s Reference

  Patricia Cardoza Teresa Hennig Graham Seach

  Armen Stein

  Wiley Publishing, Inc.

  Access 2003 VBA Programmer’s Reference

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  IN 46256 www.wiley.com Copyright c 2004 by Patricia Cardoza, Teresa Hennig, Armen Stein, Graham Seach. All rights reserved. Published by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Indianapolis, Indiana Published simultaneously in Canada eISBN:

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To my husband Rob, together we can climb mountains. To my parents, who’ve given

me the foundation to succeed in life; I love you.

  —Patricia To my family, for their unwavering love and encouragement. To the PNWADG, for the privilege of leading such a great group of developers.

  —Teresa

  I dedicate this book (or at least my chapters) to my beautiful wife Julie-Anne, for carrying the world on her shoulders so I could work uninterrupted, and for her unfailing

support, encouragement, and sacrifice, despite illness and personal

hardship.

  And to my children, Madeleine and Eli, who tried to understand why Daddy couldn’t spend so much time with them. I am indeed a lucky man.

  —Graham

  Credits Authors Editorial Manager

  Patricia Kathryn Cardoza Malm

  Teresa Hennig

  Vice

  Armen Stein President & Executive Group Publisher

  Graham Richard Seach Swadley

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Editor President and Publisher

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  About the Authors Authors

  Patricia Cardoza is an Exchange and Outlook Applications developer, writer, and Microsoft Outlook MVP.

  Patricia currently serves as Exchange Administrator and lead developer for Pacific Southwest Container, a large manufacturing company. She has authored two other books, Special Edition Using Microsoft Office

  Outlook

  2003 and Absolute Beginner’s Guide to Microsoft OneNote 2003. She has also written numerous articles about Outlook, Exchange, and wireless devices for a variety of journals including .NET Magazine and

  Tech Republic. In her spare time, she loves to cook, read, watch movies with her husband, and spoil her three cats.

  Teresa

  Hennig is the owner of Eade.com, which specializes in developing cost-effective Access applications.

  Her energy and enthusiasm are complemented by her ability to quickly grasp a situation and provide a solution. Her biggest rewards are being a partner with her clients and sharing their joy in their successes. Her site, www.DatabaseAnswerSite.com, is recognized as a resource for learning about relational databases by several universities and technical support organizations.

  An avid Access aficionado, Teresa is the president of the two leading Access user groups in the US northwest: the Pacific Northwest Access Developers Group (PNWADG) and the Access Special Interest Group.

  She is also dedicated to helping the Spinal Cord Society raise money to find a cure for spinal cord injuries.

  And, she wishes that she had more time to enjoy dancing.

  Graham

  Seach is Chief Development Officer for a Sydney-based database development company, Pacific Database

  (www.pacificdb.com.au). He has been developing applications in Access since version 1.0, has participated in the Microsoft Office 2003 beta program, and has presented at several Microsoft events, notably the Microsoft Office 2003 System launch in Sydney and Melbourne in 2003.

  Graham holds an MCP in Access Development, master-level Brainbench certification in Access, and is recognized by Microsoft as an MVP (most valuable professional). He has received this award three times. He regularly provides worldwide Access developer support for Microsoft via the Microsoft newsgroups, and has been published in MSDN Magazine. Graham’s technical focus is now on Access and the SQL Server integration, having provided many business solutions to a wide range of government, military, and private organizations.

  Armen

  Stein is the owner and founder of J Street Technology, Inc., a team of database application developers in Redmond, Washington. He is President Emeritus of the Pacific Northwest Access

  Developers Group, and has contributed to Access/Office/VB Advisor magazine and Smart Access. He has taught database classes at Bellevue Community College and Seattle Central Community College and also developed and taught his own 1-day training class called Access Development the J Street Way. Armen earned a business administration/computer science degree from Western Washington University, and has been developing computer applications since 1984. His other interests include activities with his family, backgammon, cheering on the Mariners, and driving his 1969 Ford Bronco in the sun. Contributors Steve

  Clark is a Microsoft Access MVP, an MCP, and a Project Manager and Developer for the FMS Professional

  Solutions Group (www.fmsinc.com/consulting). As a developer, he specializes in database development and has produced Access, VB(.NET), and ASP(.NET) applications for clients from all elements of business, both nationally and internationally. He earned a bachelor’s degree in computer science from the University of Cincinnati in 1994 and has been with FMS since 1998 and an Access MVP since

  2001. When he’s not managing or developing, he enjoys participating in all forms of motorcycle racing.

  Brian

  M. Sockey is founder and president of Farsight Solutions, Inc. (DBA TeleVantage NorthWest), a Microsoft

  Business Solutions partner, and value-added reseller of Artisoft TeleVantage software-based business telephone systems. Before starting TeleVantage NorthWest, Brian worked in the Developer

  Support group at Microsoft, where he specialized in client/server development issues involving Microsoft

  Access and SQL Server. Brian enjoys the great outdoors, theater, and good food (almost everything except blue cheese).

  Randall

  J. Weers, the founder and president of Procia, Inc., specializes in process and data management applications utilizing the Microsoft Office suite. His primary focus is to help people manage business processes and business rules through the appropriate application of process improvement and automation.

  Randall’s experience includes everything from business process analysis to technical and training manual writing. Randall makes his home in Seattle, Washington, where he is the facilitator for IT

  WorkGroups, a Puget Sound-based alliance of senior-level independent information technology professionals.

  Sam

  Radakovitz joined Microsoft in 1998 and was a member of the Access team for Access 2000, 2002, and 2003.

  A lot of his efforts were focused on wizards and security features. For Access 2003, Sam was thoroughly engaged in the new macro security. This made it a perfect fit for him to review this book’s security chapters, especially the one on macro security. When creating Access applications, Sam enjoys going outside the box and adding a bit of creativity. So, being invited to provide applications that could demonstrate some of Access’s new features seemed like an awesome opportunity to share his ideas with other developers.

Acknowledgments

  We’d like to thank all the folks at Wiley who made this book possible. Bob Elliott worked with Patricia and Teresa to build the amazing team of authors present on this book as well as to get all the mounds of paperwork straight. Eileen Bien Calabro showed incredible patience formatting, organizing, and editing our chapters. She reassured us that we could get all this done and done well, in a remarkably short time, as long as we focused. Our technical editor, Michael Stowe, tirelessly checked all of our facts and gently steered us back on course when needed. Techbooks International

  Pvt. Ltd. worked incredibly hard to format all the pages and work with all of the figures in this book. Thanks everyone!

  —The Group

  Thanks to all who had to put up with me when I had to meet deadlines. My husband, Rob, endured many nights of takeout and several weekends when I was glued to my computer. My parents, Joe and Sally, have supported me in everything I do and I thank God for them every day.

  I would not be where I am today in my career if it were not for the Microsoft Most Valuable Professional

  (MVP) program. I am honored to be included in that esteemed group of professionals. Lastly,

  I’d like to thank Teresa Hennig. She handled the majority of the scheduling of chapters and helped me keep all of the information for this book organized. Coordinating four authors and several contributors takes patience and dedication. Thanks Teresa for all your hard work.

  —Patricia First, I’d like to thank Paul Eade for being such an incredible resource and wealth of knowledge. You are an amazing friend, and I cherish the opportunities to laugh and just be silly.

  I can’t say enough about the Microsoft Access Team, including Rita Nikas. Their passion and dedication has made Access an incredibly powerful program. A special note of appreciation to Bill

  Ramos, Tim Getsch, and Sanjay Jacob for investing so much of themselves into finding out what developers want, for making the ADE so awesome, and for being so responsive to all of our requests!

  I also want to thank Michael Kaplan for sharing his opinions and encouragement and for doing so much for the Access groups.

  To everyone I’ve met through this book . . . thank you for an amazing opportunity to enjoy a new challenge and to help Access developers! Very special thanks go to Patricia Cardoza, who seems like

  Wonder Woman—balancing a career and family while writing multiple books. She not only wrote several elements, but also reviewed every chapter and helped us all in countless ways. And thanks to Randy Weers, who offered help when I needed it. Yes, work should be fun! And last thanks go to all the Mikes and Michaels. I can’t imagine a world without Michaels!

  —Teresa

Acknowledgments

  Needless to say, I want to first thank my wife and children for their support, encouragement, and understanding throughout a very difficult and demanding time.

  I want to thank Rita Nikas, my Microsoft MVP Lead, who first made me aware of the book, and whose resolute determination to solve problems and to source much needed information will always be appreciated.

  I also want to thank Mike Gunderloy, who, despite the fact that we had never met, kindly sent pages from his own book, to help me with mine; a gesture I will never forget.

  Finally, I would like to express my thanks to Professor Roger Box of Charles Sturt University, who gave me a 2-week extension on my final assignment, so I could make a book deadline.

  —Graham

  I would like to acknowledge the encouragement and support from my wife, Lori, and kids, Lauren and Jonathan.

  —Armen I’m glad that I could help Randy and Teresa. It is cool to feature some of my work on the book’s Web site. I want to thank my girlfriend Denice and my parents for putting up with my long hours of work and extra work! Without everyone’s support and understanding my daily life would be much more difficult!

  —Steve My thanks to Teresa Hennig for giving me the opportunity to contribute to this book and for cracking the whip when I was struggling to keep moving forward. My deep appreciation to Sam Radakovitz for the invaluable insight into the new security features of Access. Thanks also to the members in IT Workgroups who helped me deliver a better picture for the Access Security model.

  And most of all, in loving memory of my wife Lisa, I dedicate my efforts on this book.

  —Randall Contents About vii the Authors

  Acknowledgments ix Foreword xxiii Introduction

  1 Chapter 7 1: Introduction to Microsoft Access

  Why

  7 Use Microsoft Access? Is

  8 Access the Only Database I’ll Ever Need? Microsoft

  8 Access MSDE

  8 SQL

  9 Server Automating

  10 Microsoft Access Without VBA Code The

  10 Database Wizard Creating

  13 a Switchboard for Your Database Begin

  14 at the Beginning Create

  19 a Switchboard through the Switchboard Manager Add

  20 and Configure Controls Using Wizards Building

  21 Automation into Your Project Using

  22 Expression Builder Using 23 the Macro Builder

  Using 24 the Code Builder

  Summary

  25 Chapter 27 2: Access, VBA, and Macros

  VBA 27 within Access

  Writing

  27 Code within Modules

  VBA 29 versus Macros in Access

  Macros 30 in Access 2003

  Advantages 34 to Using VBA over Macros

  Summary

  35 Chapter 37 3: New Features in Access 2003 (and 2002)

Easy

  37 Upgrading Database

  38 Structure and Management Tools for Developers

Contents

  66 Import Information From a SharePoint Server

  61 AutoCorrect Options Buttons

  62 Better Accessibility

  62 XML and Access

  62 Relating

  XML to HTML

  63 The Advantages of XML

  64 Using Access 2003 with SharePoint Services

  66 Export Information to a SharePoint Server

  67 Access Developer Extensions

  59 Templates

  68 The Property Scanner

  69 The Custom Startup Wizard

  69 The Package Wizard

  71 Summary

  72 Chapter

  73 VBA Objects

  73 Objects

  73

  60 Smart Tags

  Find Object Dependencies

  38 Form/Report Error Checking

  51 A Wizard for Every Occasion

  40 Propagate Field Properties

  42 Customize SQL Font

  43 Get Context-Sensitive SQL Help

  44 Backup Database/Project

  46 Sorting Option on Lookup Wizard

  47 Copy and Paste Linked Table as Local Table

  47 Notable Mention

  49 New Wizards and Builders and Managers

  52 Available Builders

  59 Windows

  52 Managers

  53 Changes to Jet

  53 Service Pack 8

  53 Security and Related Features

  54 What Is Macro Security? And Why Are We Talking about Macros?

  54 Digital Signatures

  56 Expression Sandbox

  58 End-User Enhancements

  59 Pivot Charts

  XP Theming

  Contents Methods

  74 Events

  74 Variables 75 and VBA Syntax

  Variables

  75 Other

  89 VBA Structures Comments

  89 Line

  91 Continuation Constants

  93 Enums

  94 Summary

  95 Chapter 97 5: Using the VBA Editor

  Anatomy 97 of the VBA Editor

  Your

  99 Access Database and VBA Project—Better Together Using

  99 the Object Browser Testing

  102 and Debugging VBA Code Summary

  112 Chapter

  113 6: Using DAO to Access Data Direct

  113 Access Objects Why

  114 Use DAO? Referring

  116 to DAO Objects Default

  117 Collection Items The

  118 DBEngine Object The

  118 Workspaces Collection The

  122 Errors Collection The

  123 Databases Collection The

  128 Connections Collection DAO

  129 Object Properties DAO

  129 Property Types Creating

  134 Schema Objects with DAO Managing

  142 Jet Security with DAO Creating

  143 Security Objects Managing

  143 Users and Groups Managing

  148 Passwords Managing

  148 Permissions Data

  152 Access with DAO Working

  153 with QueryDefs Working

  157 with Recordsets Filtering

  159 and Ordering Recordsets Contents Navigating Recordsets

  162 Bookmarks and Recordset Clones

  211 The ADOX Object Model

  197 Editing Data with Recordsets

  200 Persistent Recordsets

  201 Creating Schema Recordsets

  206 Using ADO Events

  209 Testing the State Property

  210 Creating Schema Objects with ADOX

  211 Working with Queries (Views)

  196 Navigating Recordsets

  212 Creating Tables and Columns

  213 Creating Indexes

  215 Creating Relations

  217 Managing Jet Security with ADO

  218 Creating Groups and Users

  218 Managing Permissions

  219 Summary

  196 Finding Records

  Referring to Recordset Columns 195 Filtering and Ordering Recordsets

  166 Finding Records

  179 Specifying a Cursor Location

  169 Working with Recordsets

  171 Summary

  175 Chapter 7: Using ADO to Access Data

  177 Ambiguous References

  178 Referring to ADO Objects

  179 Default Collection Items

  179 Connecting to a Data Source

  180 Rolling Your Own Connection String

  Opening a Shaped Recordset 191 Verifying the Options That a Recordset Supports 194

  181 Creating and Using a Data Link

  182 Data Access with ADO

  185 The ADO Object Model

  185 Executing Action Queries

  186 Creating ADO Recordsets

  190 Creating a Standard Recordset

  190 Creating a Recordset from a Command Object 190

  220 Contents Chapter 8: Executing VBA

  223 When Events Fire

  245 Referring to Subforms and Subreports

  239 Finding Records

  239 Updating Records

  240 Using Multiple Recordsets

  240 Cleaning Up

  244 Using

  VBA in Forms and Reports 244

  All About “Me” 245 Referring to Controls

  246 Sizing Reports

  238 Looping Through Recordsets

  247 Closing Forms

  247 Debugging

  VBA 248

  Responding to Errors 248 Investigating

  Variables 250 When

  Hovering Isn’t Enough—Using the Immediate Window 251 Setting Breakpoints

  252 Setting Watch Values

  253 Stopping Runaway Code

  238 Adding Records

  237 Opening Recordsets

  224 Common Form Events

  229 Error Handling

  224 Common Control Events

  225 Common Report Events

  225 Asynchronous Execution

  226

  VBA Procedures 227

  Function or Sub? 227 Public or Private?

  228 Coupling and Cohesion

  231 Class Modules

  237 Using Recordsets

  231 Using Variables

  234 Using Appropriate Data Types and Sizes

  234 Using Global Variables

  235 Evaluating Expressions in VBA

  235 If .. Then

  235 Checking for Nulls

  236 Nulls and Empty Strings

  236 Select Case

  255 Contents Stepping Through Your Code

  255 Common

  Chapter 10: Using VBA to Enhance Forms 281

  Forms and Controls with VBA 303 Managing

  On Close(): Save a Setting to the Registry 300 Creating

  293 NotInList(): Adding a Value to a Combo Box at Runtime 297

  Synchronizing Two Combo Boxes 292 OnChange(): Late Bind a Subform on a Tab Control

  BeforeUpdate(): Performing Data Validation 291 AfterUpdate():

  289 OnCurrent(): Opening Existing Records as “Read-Only” 290

  Performing an Action on an Interval 288 OnClick(): Open a Form Based on Value on Current Form

  Form_Open(): Passing the OpenArgs Parameter 287 OnTimer():

  Event Property and Procedure Examples 287

  Talking to Me? 286

  Code to an Event Property 284 You

  Event Properties 283 Associating

  Concept Review 282 Properties 283

  Handling That Sends E-mail 279 Summary 279

  VBA Techniques 256 Date

  Error Handling with Logging 278 Error

  274 More on Absorbing an Expected Error: Example 275

  270 Cleaning Up After an Error

  269 Example of the Extra Resume

  267 Basic Error Handling with a Twist

  267 Basic Error Handling

  266 Absorbing Expected Errors

  Kinds of Errors: Unexpected and Expected 266 Handling Unexpected Errors

  Why Use Error Handling? 265 Two

  Chapter 9: VBA Error Handling 265

  Summary 263

  Concatenation Techniques 262

  Rounding Issues 260 String

  Handling 258 Handling

  Multiple Form Instances 306

  Contents When Not to Use VBA

  354 Verbs, Nouns, and Adjectives

  343 A Brief Word on Naming the Class

  344 Instantiating Class Objects

  344 Creating Class Methods

  345 Creating Property Procedures

  348 Naming Objects

  354 What Does the Object Do?

  355 Using Class Events

  Use Classes? 342 Creating a Class Module

  356 Handling Errors in Classes

  361 Forms as Objects

  365 Variable Scope and Lifetime

  370 The Me Property

  373 Creating and Using Collection Classes

  374 The Three Pillars

  343 Adding a Class Module to the Project

  A Touch of Class 340 Why

  310 Syncronized Subforms

  322 Event Property and Procedure Examples 323

  310 Displaying Data in a Treeview Control

  311 Summary

  318 Chapter 11: Enhancing Reports with VBA

  319 Event Properties

  319 Associating Code to an Event Property

  320 You Talking to Me?

  Report_Open(): Execute a Query Before Report Displays 323 Report_NoData():

  Chapter 12: Creating Classes in VBA 339

  What to do When There is No Data to Display 324 Section _Format(): Dynamically Display Page Numbers

  326 Section_Print(): Conditional Formatting of a Text Box 327

  Compute a Running Balance 328 Running

  Sum Property 330 The

  Report Design 331

  VBA Code Behind Report 332

  When Not to Use VBA 334 Summary 337

  384 Contents Inheriting Interfaces

  387 Instancing 391

  413 Err.LastDLLError

  Parameters 409 Variant

  Parameters 410 Pointers to Numeric Values

  411 Pointers to C Structures

  411 Pointers to Arrays

  411 Pointers to Functions

  412 The Any Datatype

  413 Distributing Applications That Reference Type Libraries and Custom DLLs 414

  Parameters 408 Object

  Summary 414

  Chapter 14: SQL and VBA 415

  Working with SQL Strings in VBA 415

  Building SQL Strings with Quotes 416 Using

  Single Quotes Instead of Double Quotes 417 Concatenating Long SQL Strings

  418 Using SQL When Opening Forms and Reports

  Parameters 409 String

  Parameters 407 Handle

  Summary 391

  Linking Libraries in Access 2003 398

  Chapter 13: Extending VBA with APIs 393

  Introducing the Win32 API 393

  Why Do You Need the API? 395

  Introducing DLLs 397

  Static Linking 397 Dynamic

  Linking 398

  Referencing a Library 398 Declaring

  Parameters 407 Boolean

  APIs 401

  Understanding C Parameters 404

  Signed and Unsigned Integers 405 8-Bit

  Numeric Parameters 405 16-Bit

  Numeric Parameters 406 32-Bit

  Numeric Parameters 406 Currency

  Parameters 407 Floating-Point

  419 Contents Using SQL to Enhance Forms

  420 Sorting on Columns

  Other Applications 467 Summary 470

  492 Summary

  488 Methods to Create User-Level Security

  487 Main Components of User-Level Security

  484 User-Level Security

  Securing Modules by Securing the Project 481 Compiling to Make an MDE File

  VBA Code 481

  481 Secure

  481 Decoding an Encoded Database

  480 Creating an Encoded Database

  Up Shared-Level Security Using the Access Interface 475 Encoding a Database

  Shared-Level Secured Back-End Databases 474 Setting

  Security 474

  Access Security Model Overview 471 Shared-Level

  Chapter 16: Database Security 471

  464 Using the Access Object Model to Pull Data from Access to

  420 Selections on Index Forms

  Sharing Information Is a Two-Way Street 445 Access and Outlook—Sharing Data with Others 446

  422 Cascading Combo Boxes

  429 Using SQL for Report Selection Criteria

  431 Altering the SQL Inside Queries

  436 The ReplaceOrderByClause and ReplaceWhereClause Functions

  437 Summary 443

  Chapter 15: Working with Office Applications 445

  Working with Outlook’s Security Features 450 Creating

  An Advanced Example—Creating a Graph in Access and Inserting It into PowerPoint

  Other Types of Outlook Items from Access 451 Sending Information from Access to Excel

  452 Provide Management with Flexible Data Access

  452 Exchanging Information with Microsoft Word

  460 The Easy Way—Use Access VBA to Start Your Merge

  461 The Hard Way—Using VBA to Set Up Your Merge Document 462

  Non-Mail Merge Operations—Sending Access Data to Word 463

  529 Contents Chapter 17: Understanding Client/Server Development with VBA

  531 ADP Versus MDB: Choosing the Right Client Format

  574 What the Registry Controls

  Custom Startup Wizard 603

  Results 603

  Property Scanner Search Specification 601 Search

  Scanner 601

  Redistributable Access Runtime 600 Property

  Chapter 19: Using the ADE Tools 599

  588 Summary 598

  588 Putting It All together

  Uses for the Built-In VBA Registry Functions 585 Using the Win32 Registry APIs

  582 GetSetting 583 GetAllSettings 583 DeleteSetting 584 Typical

  581 SaveSetting

  576 Using the Built-In VBA Registry Functions

  576 Registry Organization

  575 Accessing the Registry

  574 What the Registry Does

  532 What Is an MDB File?

  573 About the Registry

  572 Chapter 18: Working with the Win32 Registry

  564 Summary

  564 Why Use Unbound Forms?

  562 Using Unbound Forms

  558 Using Persisted Recordsets

  558 Binding to a Report

  558 Binding to a Form, Combo Box, or List Box

  555 Binding Recordsets to Objects

  552 Using Access Projects

  552 Using Linked Tables with MDB Files

  550 Controlling the Logon Process

  543 Which Format Is Right for You?

  532 What Is an ADP?

  Step 1: Identify the Template 605

  Contents Step 2: Describe the Database and Set Startup Options

  D: ADO Object Model Reference 715 Apendix

  644 Sandbox Mode Limitations

  646 Workarounds 646

  Summary 647 Apendix

  A: Upgrading to Access 2003 651 Apendix

  B: References for Projects 667 Apendix

  C: DAO Object Method and Property Descriptions 679 Apendix

  E: The Access Object Model 731 Apendix

  636 Microsoft Jet Expression Services and Sandboxes

  F: Windows API Reference Information 803 Apendix

  G: Naming Conventions 809 Apendix

  H: Reserved Words and Special Characters 833 Apendix I: Tips and Tricks

  847 Apendix J: ADO Object Argument Information 887

  Apendix K: Access Wizards, Builders, and Managers 903 Apendix

  Index 933

  643 More about Errors and How to Fix Them

  635 Using Self-Certification

  605 Step 3: Define the Startup Options in the Database 607

  615 Step 6: Set Installer Package Properties

  Step 4: Save the Template/Create a Batch File 609

  Package Wizard 610

  Step 1: Identify the Template 610 Step

  2: Define the Package to Create 611 Step

  3: Define the Application Startup Options 613 Step 4: Add Files and Registry Keys

  615 Step 5: The Installer’s Experience

  618 Step 7: Save the Template/Create a Batch File 619

  634 Types of Digital Signatures

  Step 8: (Optional) Modify Your Install Package (MSI) 620

  Summary 624

  Chapter 20: Macro Security 627

  Macro Security 628

  What Is Macro Security? 628 Why

  Have Macro Security? 628 Security

  Checks Done before Opening a Database 629 Digital Signatures and Certificates

L: Windows Registry Information 909

  Foreword

  When Teresa told me she was writing a book on Access VBA programming, I thought she was crazy.

  She’s so busy with her database consulting business and running the Pacific Northwest Access

  Developers Group that I couldn’t figure out where she would find the time to write. I’m glad she and the other authors found the time. As a coordinating lead author, she worked with

  Patricia and put together a team of authors that produced an excellent piece of work. This book is clear, concise, approachable, and above all, easy to understand. In addition to providing a look at the new features of Access, it provides a good overview of Macros and how you might use them to automate your Access application. I know what you’re thinking, “But this is a book on VBA, right?” Yes it is, and it jumps right into the subject in the following chapter. Here’s where it gets good. This book does a great job of progressing from fundamental topics to advanced topics. It moves smoothly from introducing VBA to automating forms and reports to working with APIs, SQL, and other Office applications. It then tackles advanced topics such as understanding client/server development, security, and working with the Windows Registry. If that weren’t enough, the book provides a set of appendixes covering a variety of important topics such as the ADO and Access object models, API reference information, naming conventions, and VBA reserved words. Clearly, there is a lot of valuable information packed into this book. If you’ve been using Access for some time and you’re just beginning to roll up your sleeves to jump into the world of code, this book is for you. If you need to hone your VBA programming skills or need ideas on how to polish your application, this book is for you as well. At the very least, you should add this book to your library of Access books, especially next to the ones by John

  Viescas and Cary Prague. At most, you should have this book readily available as you work on your next project.

  ——Mike Hernandez _nd

  R

  Author: , Edition Database Design for Mere Mortals

  2 R Co-author:

  SQL Queries for Mere Mortals

Introduction

  Welcome to the Access 2003 VBA Programmer’s Reference. We wrote this book for Access users and programmers who want to increase the power of Access by adding the VBA (Microsoft Visual Basic for Applications) language. Access is Microsoft’s leading consumer relational database management system for desktop applications. It’s so popular because it’s relatively easy to learn and very powerful. With wizards and detailed help files, users can easily create tables, queries, forms, and reports after only a brief introduction.

  To utilize the power of Microsoft Access more effectively, you can add VBA code to your Access databases.

  By using VBA code, you can respond to application-level events, display forms and reports, manipulate toolbars, and even launch external applications or control certain aspects of Windows.

  The Evolution of Access and VBA

  Microsoft Access has had a rich history. Version 1.0 was the initial version of Access that ran on Windows 3.1.

  It was very quickly replaced by Version 1.1, which added a few new features and fixed many of the bugs introduced in the initial version. At this point in the history of Access, no one really took Access seriously as a database; it was buggy, there were a number of limitations in its feature set, and the database community just hadn’t accepted that Microsoft could produce a quality database product.

  In 1994, the first real version of Access was released: Access 2.0. Many database programmers using other software, such as FoxPro and dBase, decided to give Microsoft Access 2.0 a chance. Access 2.0 worked very well on both Windows 95 and Windows NT; however, it was missing much of the 32-bit API

  (application programming interface) and couldn’t work with long filenames. Microsoft Access went through several more versions (95, 97, 2000, and 2002) before the current release, Access 2003.

  Access 2003, released in October 2003, includes some additional enhancements, including the ability to open an Access 97 database without converting it to an updated format. Users of Access 2000 and Access

  2002 were prompted to convert an Access 97 database to Access 2000 format before they could use the database.

  This often caused problems in corporate installations where often, multiple versions of the Microsoft

  Office software suite were installed on different computers or in different departments. Access 2003 can open certain Access 97 databases without converting them, thus allowing multiple versions to access the same database.

  There have not been a large number of changes to VBA in Access 2003. However, the changes that have been made offer developers some distinct advantages. We’ve included an entire chapter (Chapter 3) about new features in Access 2003.

  What Is VBA?

  Microsoft Visual Basic for Applications (VBA) allows programmers to develop highly customized desktop applications that integrate with a variety of Microsoft and non-Microsoft programs. For example,

Introduction

  all of the Microsoft Office System products support VBA. In addition, many third-party programs, such as drafting programs as well as WordPerfect, also support VBA.

  VBA is actually a subset of the Visual Basic programming language and is a superset of VBScript (another in the Visual Basic family of development programs). VBA includes a robust suite of programming tools based on the Visual Basic development, arguably the world’s most popular rapid application development system. Developers can add code to tailor any VBA-enabled application to their specific business processes. A manufacturing company can use VBA within Microsoft Access to develop sophisticated inventory control and management systems with custom toolbars, a back-end database, management reports, and security. Rather than purchasing an off-the-shelf Inventory Control product, usually at a great cost and with a very limited ability to customize, developers can take a product they already have installed (Access as part of the Microsoft Office 2003 System) and build a robust application with no additional expense other than time. Once the application is in place, the developer can respond to customization requests quickly and effectively, rather than waiting for another company to work the customization into their development cycle.

  You might be wondering why you should develop in VBA rather than the more robust Visual Basic 6.0 or Visual

  Basic .NET. Both are robust, popular, and capable programming languages. However, using VBA within Access gives you some key benefits: First, you can take advantage of a built-in Access object library.

  This means you can take full advantage of a wide variety of Access commands, including executing any command from any toolbar in Access. Second, VBA is included in all Microsoft Office

  System applications. To develop in Visual Basic, you’ll need to purchase Visual Basic 6.0 or Visual Basic .NET either alone or as part of the Visual Studio or Visual Studio .NET suite. It could get very expensive if multiple developers in your organization need access to the Visual Basic development tools.

  Despite the advantages of VBA, there are definitely circumstances in which you’ll want to use Visual Basic.

  If you need to deploy an application to a wide variety of computers, especially those without a full installation of Microsoft Access, Visual Basic might be your best bet. We will examine the three languages in the Visual Basic family and why you might want to use each of them.

  Access 2003 VBA Programmer’s Reference

  This book is separated into two sections. The chapters provide tutorial information and the numerous appendices provide the reference material you’ll need to write VBA code within Access. While the chapters are designed to build upon one another to give you a detailed guide to VBA in Access, each chapter can be read and applied separately from the rest of the book.

  What Does This Book Cover?

  This Programmer’s Reference book covers a wide variety of programming topics. A brief introduction to

  VBA is included, although this book assumes the reader has at least some basic familiarity with the VBA programming language. Likewise, an entire chapter is devoted to changes in Microsoft Office Access 2003, covering both new wizards and GUI (graphical user interface) features that previously required

  VBA code, as well as the new VBA features included with Access 2003. You’ll learn how to create and name variables, how to use Data Access Object (DAO) and ActiveX Data Object (ADO) to manipulate data both within Access and within other applications, proper error handling techniques, and advanced functions such as creating classes and using APIs. There are two important chapters on Security and Macro

  Security as well as a chapter on the Access Developer Extensions (ADE). Finally, we’ll explore a bit

  Introduction

  of the relationship between Access and SQL (Structured Query Language) Server, as well as how you can use VBA in Access to control and enhance other Office applications.

  How to Use This Book

  The initial chapters are written in a tutorial format with detailed examples. True to the Wrox Programmer’s

  Reference standard format, we’ve included numerous reference appendices with details on the various object models you might use when writing VBA code in Access. We’ve also included a detailed primer on the Windows Registry and a listing of common API functions you might want to use in your code.

  Real world examples will be given for many, if not most, of the programming topics covered in this book. Some typical topics include the following:

  ❑ How to hide fields on a form based on database login information. ❑ How to show or hide entire sections of reports based on information entered on a form. ❑ How to use VBA to transfer information between Access and other Office programs such as

  Outlook, Word, and Excel. ❑ How to configure custom menus for your Access database applications.

  Throughout the book we’ve also included tips and tricks we’ve discovered during our programming experiences.

  Introductory and Background Material

  Chapters 1 through 5 provide some background reference material you’ll need if you’re new to Access or

  VBA.

  After a detailed look at the new features in Access 2002 and 2003, we’ve provided information on the building blocks of VBA, such as objects, properties, methods, and events. An introduction to the VBA

  Editor and its various debugging tools follows.

  Accessing Data

  After the introductory material, Chapters 6 and 7 focus on accessing data by using VBA. Both DAO and ADO provide methods for accessing data in Microsoft Access and other external data sources such as Informix and SQL Server.

  Executing and Debugging