1. Dawn Squires

2.  When viewing a table in Access, all of the records are visible simultaneously.  Sometimes that can be confusing.  To view only one record at a time, but see all of the fields, use Form View.  The neat part is that a form can also be used to input data.

3.  There are two ways.  In your objects window, merely highlight the table that you want the form based on.  Click on the Create tab and click the form button.  Voila! A form has been created that contains all of the fields in the table that were highlighted!

4.  This standards says that you should be able to design, create, and modify data forms utilizing advanced features.  Now we will examine creating forms with advanced features.

5.  This can be done by creating a split form.  A split form combines a datasheet and a form.  Using our nursing home database, follow these steps to create a split view.  Select the Employee table in the navigation pane.  If not already there, click on the “create” tab on the ribbon.

6.  Click the Split Form button to create a split form.  A form is created and the datasheet (table) is also shown in the window.

7.  A form can also be created based on more than one table.  A form can also be created that only shows some of the fields in the datasheet (table).

8.  Click on the Create tab.  In the Forms section, click the More Forms drop down arrow and select Form Wizard.  A wizard windows opens.  Click the drop-down arrow by under the heading Tables/Queries and select the Employee Table.

9.  All of the fields that are available to be inserted in the form are shown in the left section.  Select the fields SSN, First Name, Last Name, Street Address, City, State, Zip – press the greater than sign to select the fields.  Click Next  Explore the various layouts – select Columnar  Click Next  Explore the various styles – Select Module  Click Next  Type the Name you want the form to have – Employee Dawn Squires (Append your name to the end of the Form)  Click Finish. Your completed form should appear.  You can advance through the fields by pressing the tab key.  To advance to the next record, click the right arrow button in the record section at the bottom of the screen.

10.  If the table you based your form on contained combo boxes, radio button, drop-down boxes, etc., these are automatically included in your form.

11.  Forms should be visually appealing.  The data should be logically arranged and clear.  A well designed form will increase the speed of entering data in the form and will also increase accuracy of data.  Don’t clutter the form.  When you select a style, consistently use the same style throughout the database design.  Uniformity!

12.  Form view ◦ Shows the form on the screen  Layout view ◦ Simialr to Form view – shows the form on the screen. ◦ Data cannot be updated in layout view ◦ Can make changes to layout of form on the screen  Design view ◦ Allows you to make changes, but doesn’t show the actual form. ◦ Most useful when changes need are especially complex.

13.  Open the Form Employee – Your Name.  Click the View drop-down arrow, and select Layout view.  Click the Format tab on the ribbon, if not selected.  Click a field in the form to select it.  Click the Gridlines button on the Format tab to display the Gridlines menu.  Select Both to display horizontal and vertical gridlines.

14.  You can add special items to forms, such as a logo or title.  You can also add the date/time.  To add these items, simply use the correct button in the Controls group of the Format tab.  Click in the Form header outside of the title to select the Form header.  Click the Date and Time button on the Format tab to display the Date and Time dialog box.  Click on the Date and Time Format of your choosing.  Click Okay – The date and time are displayed in the Form header.

15.  To Change the Format of a Control ◦ Click the Date control to select it. ◦ Be sure the Format tab appears. ◦ Click the Font Color arrow on the Format tab to display a color palette. ◦ Click the White color in the upper-left corner of the Standard Colors section to change the font color for the date to white. ◦ Remember, if you are using a style that is dark, use a light font color, and vice versa.

16.  Let’s move a control  Point to the Date control so that the mouse pointer changes to a four-headed arrow and then drag the Date control to the lower boundary of the form heading.  Remember, a double headed arrow will resize the control; a four headed arrow will simply move the control.

17.  Controls for fields are arranged in control layouts.  There are two types of control layouts: ◦ Stacked – arranged with the controls vertically with labels to the left of the control. ◦ Tabular – arranges controls horizontally with the labels across the top, typically in the form header section. ◦ Which type of control layout is being used in our form currently? (Stacked)  A control within a control layout can be moved by dragging the control to the new location.

18.  Let’s move the City and State controls above the social security number to practice.  Click on the City label, hold down the shift, click in the data field, click state and in the state field (field containing data); move the mouse around until you have a 4 headed arrow.  Click and drag the controls above the SSN control.  Click the City and State controls and move them back below the Street Address.

19.  After a form has been created, a field can be added to it.  To add a field to our Employee-Your Name table, click on the Format tab.  Click the Add Existing Field button in the Controls grouping. A field list opens in a new window.  Click the Status field and drag to the location you want in the form. Drag beneath Zip.  Click on Form view. Note the dropdown arrow can be selected and the appropriate classification chosen.  Changes made in form view will be shown in the table on which the form was created.

20.  You can filter and sort a form just like a datasheet (table).  Use the Advanced Filter/Sort on the Advanced menu.  Open your Employee –Your Name form.  You may be either in Form view or Layout view.  Click on the Home tab and click on the Advanced drop-down arrow in the Sort & Filter grouping.  Select “Advanced Filter/Sort”

21.  The table that the form is based on opens in a window at the top of the Filter/Sort page. Note all of the fields in the table are in the table.  You can double click any of the fields in the table to place them in the filtering/sorting portion of the form.  Let’s double-click on Last Name.  In the Sort, click the drop-down arrow and select “Ascending.”  On the Criteria row, type “S*” (without the quotation marks).  The * acts as a wild card and will pull up any last names beginning with the letter S.  Click on the Toggle Filter button in the Filter & Sort grouping on the Home tab.

22.  You will note that now only 7 forms are shown, all of the last names begin with the letter S.  To show all of the records again, merely select the Advanced drop-down arrow again and select Clear All Filters to remove all filters.  Practice creating forms and filters in your Resort Rentals database and in your Technical Services database by placing filters on a form that you create in each of these databases. Be sure to print include your name in the title of the Form. Print for your instructor.