An Introduction to Forms

The Major Steps of a MicroSoft Access Database  Tables  Queries  Forms  Macros  Reports  Modules On our road map, we are here!

SESSION 4.1 This section covers creating a form using a form wizard, changing a form’s autoformat, navigating a form, preview and printing selected form records and maintaining table data using a form. Microsoft Access 2000 Class #7

As shown in Tutorial 1, a form is an object you use to maintain and view records from a table or query. Figure 4-5Completed Order Data Form

Forms are primarily used for Viewing Data on Screen.

Forms are usually designed for visual appeal, using colors and graphics that are sometimes hard to print or slow to print.

Reports on the other hand are generally designed for, but not limited to, hard copy output. We will explore reports later.

Forms generally come in two flavors. Bound and Un-Bound

A Bound Form is a form that is used on a Table or Query.

This means that it will show all or selected data on the form that is stored in the table or query.

You would use this kind of from to view, edit add or delete data or entire records that reside in the underlying table.

You can also use a bound form to show only selected fields in a table, hiding or masking out fields that you don’t want the user to view.

The other type of form that you will frequently encounter is an Un-Bound Form

An unbound form is a form that is not based on a table or query. It does not contain data. Can anyone tell us what an unbound form would be used for?

An Unbound Form is generally used for a Menu that contains buttons or options that are available to the user. Since version 1.0 of Access a menu has been referred to as a switchboard

This kind of form can also be used to contain text only in labels that can provide instructions or help to the user.

We will be looking at these uses for forms later in the course.

For today we will be using a bound form only that is based on a table.

With Access, you can design your own forms or use one of the Form Wizards to create them for you automatically.

Many times when a form is created with a wizard, you will find that either you forgot something during the wizard process or the wizard didn’t create a form that exactly meets you needs.

In this case Access will allow you to refine or modify the form that a wizard creates, to any degree needed.

Because of your ability to modify forms after the fact, the form wizard is usually a quick way to get started on a form.

Sometimes, if your demands are not to great, the wizard might even be able to create the form you need.

Forms and reports are usually very easy to create and with the many available tools are easy to modify.

However, don’t confuse the terms “Easy” and “Quick”

Depending on your desires, forms and reports can be easy, but take quite a bit of time and patience.

We will be exploring ways of creating our own custom forms and ways to modify existing forms later in the course.

In this session we will be exploring the process of creating a form using the Form Wizard. Tutorial 1 used the AutoForm Wizard which created a form automatically using all the fields in the selected table or query to create the customer data form.

The Form Wizard allows you to chose some or all of the fields in the selected table or query, choose fields from other tables and queries and display the selected fields in any order on the form. You can also choose a style for the form.

During the Form Wizard process, we will be asked to select a pre-defined format for our form. The format choices we will be given are called AutoFormats. Figure 4-7AutoFormat Dialog Box Page AC

‘97 Figure 4-7aAccess 97’s AutoFormat Dialog Box

An AutoFormat is a predefined style for a form or Report. An AutoFormat can be changed later, at anytime, after the Form Wizard has been completed.

Before you change any part of the design of a form you first must be in the design view of that form.

To toggle between the form view and design view you can click on the View button found on the design view’s toolbar.

The “Find Command” allows you to search the data in a form and to display the records that you are searching for.

You choose a field to serve as the basis for the search by making that field the current field. You can make a field current by either tabing into the field or clicking in the field.

Once the field is selected you can then activate the “Find in Field Dialog Box”. This is done by selecting Edit on the MenuBar and then Find or by clicking on the Find Button on the tool bar. on the Keyboard will also accomplish this.

There has been a change in this procedure in Access Let’s look at both ‘97 and 2000 procedures. First, Access 97. ‘

When the Find in What Field Dialog Box is activated, you can quickly check to see if you have selected the correct field by looking at the title bar. ‘97

You type the data you are looking for in the “Find What” field. ‘97

You then choose how you want Access to search Up will search from the current record back to the 1st record. Down will search from the current record down to the last record. ‘97

You then choose how you want Access to search All will do a loop, starting at the current record to last record and then start at the top and continue down to the record just before the current record. ‘97

You can choose to have a case sensitive search by clicking in the “Match Case” check box. ‘97

In Access 2000, when the Find and Replace Dialog Box is activated, you can quickly check to see if you have selected the correct field by looking at the Look In Field Figure 4-9Find and Replace Dialog Box Page AC 4.09

You type the data you are looking for in the “Find What” field

You can type the field name that you wish to look in if you did not select it before activating the Find and Replace box or use the lookup arrow on the right of the box

You then choose how to match the “Find What:” to the data you are looking for

“More >>” Clicking the “More >>” button will provide us with more “Find” options

You then choose how you want Access to search

Up will search from the current record back to the 1st record. Down will search from the current record down to the last record

All will do a loop, starting at the current record to last record and then start at the top and continue down to the record just before the current record

You can choose to have a case sensitive search by clicking in the “Match Case” check box

Select this to find data based on its display format (for example, a date stored as the number, 1/5/92, but displayed as, 05-Jan-92). Searching this way is usually slowest

Reference Window Finding Data On a form or datasheet click anywhere in the field value you want to search. Click Find Button on the Toolbar (or CTRL+F) to open the Find and Replace Dialog Box. In the Find What text box, type the field value you want to find. Complete the remaining options, as necessary to specify the type of search you want. Click the Find Next button to continue the search. Click the Cancel button to stop the Search. RW Page AC 4.08

Page AC 4.14 Quick Check Review

Let’s take a few moments to break up into discussion groups. Each group will discuss the quick check questions on page AC 4.14 in your books. We will then review the answers at the end of the discussion.

Quick Check Review Session 4.1 1) Describe the difference between creating a form using the AutoForm Wizard and creating a form using the Form Wizard.

Quick Check Review Session 4.1 2) What is an AutoFormat, and how do you change one for an existing form?

Quick Check Review Session 4.1 3) Which table record is displayed in a form when you press Ctrl + END while you are in the navigation mode?

Quick Check Review Session 4.1 4) You can use the Find command to search for data in a form or _______. Note: This applies to a datasheet for a table, query or form.

Quick Check Review Session 4.1 5) Which wild card character matches any single alphabetic character?

Quick Check Review Session 4.1 6) How many form records does Access print by default on a page?

Barbara wants to continue to enhance the Restaurant database to make it easier for her office staff and others to find and maintain data.

In particular, she wants the database to include a form for the order table, similar to the Customer Data Form which is based on the Customer Table.

We will accomplish this today using the Form Wizard.

Your task is to work the exercises in Tutorial #4 from Page AC 4.01 through Page AC 4.14 Use Level 1 Disk 1 for this exercise.