how to judge final layout in design and form view?

[merlin777]

I've just started formatting objects to present to the final user.

How can I see what they will finally look like while I am formatting them? All the views on offer (form/layout/design) are all displays within the the context of the access programmimg screens, with other windows and menus and ribbons etc. I want to see how it will look full screen. I know I can change a lot of options, change to the form as a default to open with, resave, reopen and then reverse it all but that's not really any good for doing every time you make a minor change. I'm looking for something like a 'print preview' or something like that?

[NTC]

form view is the final layout (for a form)......

[merlin777]

but you can't tell what it will look like full screen because there's stuff filling up the rest of the screen? You can't even zoom the view in and out so you can see the edges of the form all in one go. Are you just supposed to guess or is there a knack to it? e.g. is there a way of setting the size and shape of the form and then how can you see how the layout looks if you can't see it all in one go. I'm still not seeing a way to do this...

[June7]

Sorry, if you want to examine what it looks like when a user opens then must open it like a user. Yes, there is some trial and error involved in design view.

[merlin777]

Poo. In that case, please can anyone recommend a tutorial or a good thread that outlines a strategy for designing a format?

Is there a quick way to open it as a user without changing file extensions and all the options and then back again to carry on working on it?

[June7]

Why are you changing file extensions?

Hold down shift key when you want to open accdb for development. This will bypass most of the db option settings.

[merlin777]

in a word... ignorance. I thought you needed to open it as a .accdr to mimic the use of runtime with a full version of access - a bit like powerpoint and .ppt/.pps.

From what you are saying, is there a way to open your database as a user would see it and then close and reopen it again with the shift key to get back into 'edit' mode?

[June7]

I have never used accdr or accde files.

I have code and db settings that customize the database for users. When I open for editing, I hold shift key so that customization is bypassed.

[merlin777]

is there an example somewhere of which settings to change? VBA might be a bit beyond me at the moment.

[June7]

Click the Office button > Options > Current Database > make choices.

Any user aware of the shift key bypass can get around most of these settings. The only one I know won't be affected is Document Window Options.

[NTC]

you are way over complicating things; form view is the user's view. it is that simple.

[merlin777]

What I'm seeing on the screen in front of me isn't what my users will see. They won't see ribbons, toolbars, navigation pane and so on. The top left of the form is not top left of the screen - if i match the form size to the screen resolution i won't be able to see sections on the right and bottom of the form. If i could briefly remove those things. it would make it much easier to judge the overall visual design of the form. Other MS office packages have a print preview option to shows how the final product will look. Access has print preview to see what printed output will look like but not what forms will look like on screen.

I don't think I'm over complicating things to say I'd like to be able to see a representative preview of the whole form. As June7 said, the only way to see what a user will see is to open it as a user. The problem with that is it's not a quick thing to do. If you are an experienced user you probably take it for granted that doing things in a particular way will yield a certain result. I'm a novice so I don't have that experience to rely on yet.

I can't see a format property for matching a screen size in pixels - just a width in inches. Maybe if I could make the print page size match a screen resolution I could use print preview?

[merlin777]

Click the Office button > Options > Current Database > make choices.

Any user aware of the shift key bypass can get around most of these settings. The only one I know won't be affected is Document Window Options.

I've managed to hide everything except the ribbon and the bar with the office button - can those be hidden?

[NTC]

unless you are certain every user will have the exact same screen size, brand, graphic card & setting - one will never exactly see what a user sees - - - the scroll bars will automatically appear whenever needed so that all users can always see the entire screen ; unless you explicitly turn off scroll bars which is a very bad idea.

indeed a lot more screen is visible to users in accdr where the ribbon is not displaying; that can be replicated in a regular license with docmd.showToolbar "Ribbon" set to No. A closed navigation pane does not change a display much so that issue should be considered not really significant.

the type of screen control concern you express is a thing of past given the wide range of screens now out in the real world from tablet to double wide - - certainly I check with a client as to the predominant screen size that the users will work on for some projects as to whether it is better to put things side by side or up & down - but beyond that it shouldn't be a design issue because the user may change screen size/type at any time rendering any attempt to precisely control the screen view to be lost....

[June7]

The database options can hide all but the Home tab in Access 2007 (File tab in 2010).

Further customization requires advanced coding. Review: https://www.accessforums.net/access/...bon-45826.html