1. Microsoft Access Course 1. Introduction to the user interface

2. Course Objectives  Introduction to main features of Access  Elements of Access IDE  Simple design of tables, queries, forms and reports  Development of small application

3. Main features of Access  Designed for  advanced ‘end-user’  small system database applications  rapid prototyping  front-end client server applications

4. Main features of Access (cont)  Features:  extensive point and click facilities  object-based construction  fully-featured DB engine technology suitable for multi-user applications  Underlying VBA language for advanced capability  ODBC, DAO and ADO support for inter-system communication

5. Overview of Access IDE  Main database window  Shows available tools for database design  Each element has options– Open (or Run) Design New

6. Overview of Access IDE (cont)  Query designer  QBE grid: columns, conditions  SQL view: QBE equivalence  Query execution  Query storage - relational ‘view’  Table designer  Defines database schema  Defines attributes, data types, type qualifiers, validation, indexes

7. Overview of Access IDE (cont)  Forms  Used to develop the users’ interface to application  Enables viewing of data from tables or queries  Form built from screen objects (text boxes, labels, buttons) called ‘controls’  Extensive presentation facilities  Main focus of application development

8. Overview of Access IDE (cont)  Reports  Used for printed reports only  Extensive facilities for grouping sub-totaling etc.  Macros  Facility for script-like commands  Principally intended for non-programming users  Not essential - macro actions can be implemented in VBA

9. Overview of Access IDE (cont)  Modules  Repository for ‘global’ modules  Most modules are part of form or report - called ‘class modules’ - scope local to form/report  Global modules accessible by any form/report

10. Table Design 1  Design and datasheet modes  Each table column defined by name and type  Optional formatting, validation, indexing

11. Access Table Design Dialogue Table design screen Datasheet view

12. Table Design 2  Field names:  Use letters and numbers and underscores  Spaces allowed but creates more work later  Capitalised format popular: CustOrderNo

13. Table Design 3  Main Data types:  Text - for character information  Number - various formats - see next slide  Date - various formats  Currency  Autonumber - generates unique sequence number in long integer format  Yes/No - boolean

14. Table Design 4  Number types - set by Field Size  Byte - 8 bit positive  Integer - 16 bit  Long Integer - 32 bit  Single - 4 byte floating point  Double - 8 byte floating point

15. Table Design 5  Date data-type  Permits various display formats  Best choice: Medium date - 12-Nov-01  Currency  Stored as double float  Displayed as fixed point with 2 decimals

16. Query Design - dialogue

17.  Design Choices:  Design view: ‘hand knit’ your query  Simple Query Wizard: allows selection of tables and columns but no more.  Others are special cases and rarely required.  Saved queries  Working queries can be saved  Saves queries can be used as source of forms and reports

18. Query Design interface Design view Datasheet (execute) view SQL view

19. Form Design

20. Form Design - new form choices  Form design options  Design View: ‘hand knit’ your form. Needed for menu forms and other special purposes.  Form Wizard: select input tables/queries and columns. Necessary join queries automatically created.  Autoform Columnar: creates form with all columns arranged vertically, one row per page.  Autoform Tabular: creates form with all columns arranged horizontally, multiple rows per page.  Autoform Datasheet: creates a form using basic table display format.

21. Form display formats Tabular, continuous form * Columnar, single form * * controlled by form Default View property

22. Forms: Design and Form Views Design view - note ‘City’ selected for amendment. Note header and footer sections, unused in this example. Form view shows execution of form

23. Report Design

24. Report Design - choices  Report design options  Design view: ‘hand knit’ your own layout - definitely not recommended.  Report Wizard: powerful tool allows selection of source tables/queries and fields and constructs complex structured reports.  AutoReport: produces basic reports using all fields of source tables/queries.  Label Wizard: facilitates generation of label printout.

25. Report Design Design View Preview Access only produces printed reports. The preview screen shows only one page of the output.