Microsoft Access Programmer In Vancouver, Washington

For The Microsoft Access Programmer - The Cascade Feature

Call MS Access Solutions at (323) 285-0939 for your FREE consultation.

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.

Cascade Update Related Fields

The Cascade Update Related Fields option is available only if you have established referential integrity between the tables. With this option selected, the user can change the primary key value of the record on the one side of the relationship. When the user tries to modify the field joining the two tables on the one side of the relationship, the Access Database Engine cascades the change down to the foreign key field on the many side of the relationship. This technique is useful if the primary key field is modifiable. For example, a purchase number on a purchase order master record might be updatable.

If the user modifies the purchase order number of the parent record, you would want to cascade the change to the associated detail records in the purchase order detail table.

Cascade Delete Related Records

The Cascade Delete Related Records option is available only if you have established referential integrity between the tables. With this option selected, the user can delete a record on the one side of a one-to-many relationship, even if related records exist in the table on the many side of the relationship. A user can delete a customer even if the customer has existing orders, for example. The Access Database Engine maintains referential integrity between the tables because it automatically deletes all related records in the child table.

If you attempt to delete a record from the table on the one side of a one-to-many relationship and no related records exist in the table on the many side of the relationship, you get the usual warning message. On the other hand, if you attempt to delete a record from the table on the one side of a one-to-many relationship and related records exist in the child table, Access warns you that you are about to delete the record from the parent table, as well as any related records in the child table.

With the Cascade Update feature enabled, you are able to update the primary key value of a record that has associated child records. With the Cascade Delete feature enabled, you can delete a parent record that has associated child records. This exercise illustrates the use of Cascade Update and Cascade Delete:

1. Modify the relationship between tblCustomers and tblOrders. Enable the Cascade Update Related Fields check box. Modify the relationship between tblOrders and tblOrderDetails. Enable the Cascade Delete Related Records check box. You do not need to enable Cascade Update Related Fields because the OrderID field in tblOrders is an AutoNumber field.


2. Attempt to delete a customer who has orders. The Access Database Engine should still prohibit you from doing deleting because you did not enable Cascade Delete Related Records. Change the customer ID in tblCustomers of a customer who has orders. The Access Database Engine should allow this change. Take a look at the tblOrders table. The Access Database Engine should have updated the customer ID of all corresponding records in the table to reflect the change in the parent record.


3. Add some order details to the tblOrderDetails table. Try to delete any order that has details within the tblOrderDetails table. You should receive a warning, but the Access Database Engine should allow you to complete the process.

---

Author Attribution

The preceding information originally appeared in Alison Balter's book Mastering Microsoft Office Access 2007 Development. Reprinted here by author's permission.

---

The Expert Microsoft Access Programmer In Vancouver, WA

Looking for expert Microsoft Access development in Vancouver, Washington? When your business needs database solutions that truly work for your unique processes, call MS Access Solutions at (323) 285-0939.

Examples Of The Industries We Serve in Vancouver

• Healthcare: Medical facilities requiring HIPAA-compliant patient management systems that integrate with existing healthcare software
• Government: Public sector organizations needing secure, audit-ready database solutions for constituent services
• Military: Support services for defense-related operations requiring robust inventory and personnel tracking
• Education: Academic institutions managing everything from student records to research grant tracking
• Agriculture: Pacific Northwest farming operations monitoring growing cycles, inventory, and distribution
• Human Resources: Staffing agencies and corporate HR departments tracking applicants and employee data
• Insurance: Agencies and carriers managing policies, claims processing, and customer relationships
• Manufacturing: Production facilities tracking inventory, quality control, and supply chain logistics
• Retail: Vancouver retailers managing inventory, customer data, and sales analytics

Comprehensive Microsoft Access Services

From enterprise-level development to targeted troubleshooting, we handle Access projects of every scale:

• Design and build custom Microsoft Access applications tailored to your Vancouver business workflows
• Create hybrid solutions connecting Access with SQL Server for optimal performance and scalability
• Implement secure multi-user environments with customized permission levels
• Develop automated reporting systems that transform raw data into actionable insights
• Repair damaged forms that prevent proper data entry or display incorrect information
• Fix problematic reports that produce inaccurate results or formatting issues
• Debug non-responsive macros that disrupt critical automated workflows
• Optimize slow-performing queries to dramatically improve database response times
• Rewrite and enhance Visual Basic for Applications (VBA) code to eliminate errors

Additional Microsoft Access Services

Our expertise extends beyond basic database development to include the following Microsft Access services:

• Create custom data validation rules to ensure information accuracy and consistency
• Build automated email notification systems triggered by database events
• Develop barcode scanning integration for inventory and asset tracking
• Design custom dashboards with real-time business metrics and KPIs
• Implement data migration pathways from legacy systems to modern Access environments
• Create automated data backup and recovery systems to protect critical information
• Build custom import/export utilities for seamless data exchange with other systems
• Develop mobile-friendly web interfaces connected to Access back-ends
• Implement document management systems with file attachment capabilities
• Create scheduling and calendar systems integrated with your database

We don't just talk tech jargon or business buzzwords - we speak both languages fluently. When you explain your everyday challenges, we actually listen before translating those real problems into database solutions that make sense. No babble-speak technical mumbo-jumbo or complicated explanations that leave you nodding while secretly confused. Just straightforward systems that reliably handle what your Vancouver business needs day in and day out.

Got a massive data overhaul that needs enterprise-level attention? We're on it. Dealing with that one annoying database quirk that makes everyone groan every Monday morning? We'll fix it. Our team blends deep technical know-how with actual business experience - because what good is a database that technically works but doesn't fit how your people really work? Give us a call today and let's chat about turning your Vancouver company's data headaches into your competitive advantage.

---

Get more information about our programming services on the Microsoft Access programmer Seattle, Washington. web page.

Question: How do I stop Access from automatically correcting my data entries?

Answer: The Name AutoCorrect feature in Microsoft Access is intended to fix issues when you rename database objects like tables or fields, but it can sometimes cause unexpected problems. For instance, it might incorrectly alter query fields or even cause properties in queries to disappear after running certain code. This feature has been known to be buggy and can affect performance, which is why many developers choose to turn it off. To disable it, you need to go into the Access Options. Click on 'File', then 'Options', and select 'Current Database'. In this section, you will find a button for 'Name AutoCorrect Options'. Clicking this opens a dialog where you can uncheck three boxes: 'Track name AutoCorrect info', 'Perform name AutoCorrect', and 'Log name AutoCorrect changes'. Unchecking the 'Track name AutoCorrect info' option will disable all of them. It is a good practice to turn this feature off, especially in a database that has a stable design, to prevent it from making unwanted changes or slowing things down. If you suspect the feature has caused issues, you can try resetting it by turning it off, closing the database, and then turning it back on.

Question: How do I create a main menu for my database?

Answer: Creating a main menu, often called a switchboard, provides a user-friendly interface for navigating your database. This is simply a form that you design to act as a central hub. You start by creating a new blank form in Design View. From there, you can add command buttons for each action you want users to perform, such as opening a specific form or running a report. The Command Button Wizard makes this process straightforward; you select the operation, like 'Form Operations' and then 'Open Form', and choose the target form. You can customize the text on the button to be descriptive, for example, "View Customer Data". For a cleaner look on your menu form, you can remove unnecessary elements like record selectors and navigation buttons, since this form isn't tied to a specific data table. Once your menu form is designed, you can set it to appear automatically every time the database is opened. This is done in the Access Options under 'Current Database', where you can select your newly created form from the 'Display Form' dropdown menu. This approach hides the more complex parts of the database from the end-user and protects your data from accidental edits.

Question: How do I back up my database?

Answer: Regularly backing up your database is essential for protecting your data from corruption or accidental loss. Microsoft Access provides a built-in tool to make this process simple. To create a backup, go to the 'File' menu and select 'Save As'. In the 'Advanced' section, you will find the 'Back Up Database' option. When you select this, Access will prompt you to choose a location to save the file. By default, the backup's filename will include the name of the original database and the date the backup was created, which helps in organizing multiple backups. It is very important to store your backup copies in a separate location from the original file, such as on an external hard drive, a network server, or a cloud storage service. This protects your data in case of a localized issue like a hard drive failure. For databases with multiple users, it is best practice to ensure everyone has logged out before initiating the backup to prevent data inconsistencies. If your database is split, with a back-end for data and a front-end for user interface elements, you need to back up both components, especially the back-end where the data resides.

---

References

• Microsoft Support: Back up and restore a database
• IT Support Guides: How to Create a Main Menu or Switchboard
• TechRepublic: How to create a switchboard form in Access
• Aleys Solutions: How to Create a Switchboard in Access
• Access Programmers UK Forums: How to create a main menu
• UtterAccess: Name AutoCorrect feature
• Access Programmers UK Forums: Autocorrect Options