Microsoft Access Programmer Indianapolis, INdiana

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The material below originally appeared in Alison Balter's book Mastering Microsoft Office Access 2007 Development. and is reprinted here with the author's permission. There may be references to "Figures" or "Chapters"that are not reprintable and are not used on this page.

Using Stacked And Tabular Layouts

Forms and reports often contain tabular information, such as a row that contains all the fields for a customer. Using Access 2007, you can group these controls so that you can easily manipulate them as a unit. You can even create a layout with objects from different sections of the form! Using a layout, you can:

• Move or resize the layout
• Apply formatting to the layout
• Move controls within the layout
• Add columns to the layout
• Remove columns from the layout

There are two types of layouts: tabular and stacked. With a tabular layout, the controls are arranged like a spreadsheet in rows and columns (see Figure 5.18). The labels appear at the top of the layout. Tabular layouts always span two sections because the labels are in one section and the controls are in another.

With a stacked layout, the controls are arranged vertically, as you would see them on a paper form (see Figure 5.19). A label appears to the left of each control. Stacked layouts are always contained within a single section of the form.

You can have multiple layouts on one form, and you can have both a tabular and a stacked layout on the same form. Layouts are saved with the form so that you can use them each time you are working in Layout view or Design view. The following sections go into the details of how to create and work with a layout.

Creating a Layout

Access automatically creates a stacked control layout if you use Quick Create to create the form or if you create a blank form and then drag a field from the Field List window onto the form. Creating your own layout is easy. Here's how:

1. Use the Shift key to select the controls that you want to include in the layout.
the field controls.
2. Select Tabular or Stacked in the Control Layout group. Access creates the layout. If you select Tabular, the result appears as shown in Figure 5.21. Note that the labels now appear in a form header. If you select Stacked, the result appears as shown in Figure 5.22. In this case, there is no form header.

Note that the labels now appear in a form header. If you select Stacked, the result appears as shown in Figure 5.22. In this case, there is no form header.

Moving and Resizing a Form Layout

After you have created a layout, you can easily move and resize it. Whether you are in Layout view or Design view, an orange selector appears in the upper-left corner of the layout. To move a layout, simply click to select the layout and then click and drag it to the appropriate place on the form. Notice in Figure 5.23 that the layout appears in two places. The first version of the layout designates the original position, and the second version of the layout shows the new position of the layout if you stop dragging it with the mouse. To size a layout, you must also click to select it. Use any sizing handle to click and drag to resize the layout. An outline appears designating the new size of the layout (see Figure 5.24). When you release the mouse button, the resizing rocess will be complete.

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Author Attribution

This material originally appeared in Alison Balter's book Mastering Microsoft Office Access 2007 Development and is reprinted here with the author's permission.

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If you're dealing with a slow, outdated, or broken Access database, we can help. At MS Access Solutions, we've spent over 25 years helping businesses in Indianapolis and across the country build, fix, and modernize Microsoft Access databases that actually work the way you need them to.

We support industries of all types—healthcare, universities, insurance, agriculture, military, government, and small businesses. Whether you're running a custom Access app that's falling apart, or you need a more stable setup that multiple team members can access at the same time, we'll find a solution that fits.

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Here are common problems we solve for our clients:

• Your Access database is too slow or keeps freezing up
• Your forms or reports don't open—or worse, they crash Access
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• You can't share your database without corrupting data
• You've outgrown Access and need to migrate to SQL Server
• Your database was built by someone who's long gone and left no documentation
• You need automated reports or processes to save time
• You're missing backup procedures and access security

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We offer hands-on help with everything from minor fixes to major rebuilds:

• Build brand new Access databases from the ground up
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• Integrate Access with SQL Server, Excel, SharePoint, or web services
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• Migrate your backend to the cloud or Microsoft 365
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If you're in Indianapolis and need someone who can make repairs, create new features, or design and program a custom Microsoft Access database and make it work for you, give us a call at (323) 285-0939. We don't just fix problems—we help you get more done with less stress.

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