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  1. #1
    james28 is offline Advanced Beginner
    Windows 8 Access 2010 32bit
    Join Date
    Mar 2014
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    Novice Users and Reports Best Practices

    Hello All!




    Using Access 2010, I am trying to determine the best practices for distributing a form.

    I plan to split the database into a frontend and backend.


    Once I have the frontend, is there a good way to simplify what a user experiences?

    I am not concerned with security, in the sense that someone may see some data that they should not, but I am concerned with someone accidentally editing or changing something.


    The workflow is currently as follows:

    When frontend database opens, the form that is needed to launch the report opens.

    I have all queries and reports hidden.


    The userfills out the form and clicks a button that says "run report".


    The report opens in a new tab, next to the "form" tab.

    The user either looks at the generated report and then exits the report (using a close report button that I have made) or prints the report by going to file > print.



    Although all of this works, I can not help but think there must be a way to simplify everything that the user sees.



    Does anyone have any suggestions as to "best practices" or improvements that I could use?

    A few areas that I see that I think could be improved on are:

    1) As it stands now, there are two tabs open and visible. It would be great if when a user hit "run report" the form tab disappeared. Likewise, if a user clicked the "close report" button, the form should reappear.

    2) The "close report" button is printed right along with everything else. It would be great if it could be hidden during printing.

    3) Going to "file > print" is okay, but having a print button right on the top of the report would be even easier.

    4) Hiding all of the top ribbon options and any options outside of my form and report would be great, assuming that there was someway that I could still get back to them as the person that will be maintaining the database/form/report.



    Thank you for any guidance!

  2. #2
    June7's Avatar
    June7 is offline VIP
    Windows 7 64bit Access 2010 32bit
    Join Date
    May 2011
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    The Great Land
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    52,815
    The more user-friendly, the more code. All you describe can be done with code.

    Each user should have a copy of the frontend on their desktop and therefore can never accidentally change the master development copy.

    There are methods to automatically distribute revisions across network.

    1. I prefer overlapping windows instead of tabbed documents. Either way, code can manage opening and closing or setting visibility of objects.

    2. Set the DisplayWhen property of button

    3. A button can be placed on a report but will not work in PrintPreview.

    4. Hold down shift key while opening frontend to override most project optional settings and bypass code execution.
    How to attach file: http://www.accessforums.net/showthread.php?t=70301 To provide db: copy, remove confidential data, run compact & repair, zip w/Windows Compression.

  3. #3
    james28 is offline Advanced Beginner
    Windows 8 Access 2010 32bit
    Join Date
    Mar 2014
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    92
    June,


    Thank you for the pointers!


    1) I will try and see what I come up with when using overlapping windows.

    2) That is a neat feature and it does exactly what I thought I would need code to do!

    3) Got it, thanks! I was able to locate this code:

    DoCmd.PrintOut


    Unfortunately, it prints directly to the default printer and skips the normal print options dialog box. Is there a way to open that dialog box? I am not necessarily looking for the print preview screen, just the pop up box that lets you pick the printer, number of copies, etc.



    4) That is a great tip! At what point do I hold down Shift? If I have the front end Database on my desktop, do I hold it down when clicking on it or do I do it when I already have access open and am locating the file?


    Thank you again!

  4. #4
    June7's Avatar
    June7 is offline VIP
    Windows 7 64bit Access 2010 32bit
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    DoCmd.RunCommand acCmdPrint

    Press the shift then initiate opening db, regardless if opening through Access or Windows, keep the shit key pressed until db fully open. Can navigate to the file first, just press shift before initiate open then hold down. Experiment until you get comfortable with the task.
    How to attach file: http://www.accessforums.net/showthread.php?t=70301 To provide db: copy, remove confidential data, run compact & repair, zip w/Windows Compression.

  5. #5
    james28 is offline Advanced Beginner
    Windows 8 Access 2010 32bit
    Join Date
    Mar 2014
    Posts
    92
    June,


    That did the trick!


    Thank you again!

    ~Marked as Solved!

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