Microsoft Access Programmer Cincinnati, Ohio

Microsoft Access Programmer - Controls, Reports, And Property Sheet

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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.

Microsoft Access Image Controls

Image controls are your best option for displaying static images, such as logos, on a report. You can modify an unbound object after it is placed on a report, but you can't open the object application and modify an image when it's placed on a report. This limitation, however, means far fewer resources are needed, so performance improves noticeably.

Other Controls

As mentioned in a previous section, it's standard to include mostly labels and text boxes on your reports, but you can add other controls when appropriate. To add any other type of control, click to select the control; then click and drag to place it on the report.

What Report Properties Are Available, And Why Should You Use Them?

Reports have many different properties that you can modify to change how the report looks and performs. Like Form properties, Report properties are divided into categories: Format, Data, Event, and Other. To view a report's properties, first select the report, rather than a section of the report, in one of two ways:

• Click the Report Selector, which is the small gray button at the intersection of the horizontal and vertical rulers.


• Select Report from the drop-down in the property sheet.

After you have selected a report, you can view and modify its properties.

Working with the Property Sheet

When you select the report, the property sheet shows all the properties associated with the report. To select the report and open the property sheet at the same time, double-click the Report Selector. A report has numerous properties available on the property sheet (additional properties are available only from code) broken down into the appropriate categories in the property sheet. Forty of the properties relate to the report's format, data, and other special properties; the remaining properties relate to the events that occur when a report is run. The format, data, and other properties are covered here, and the event properties are covered in Chapter 11 in Mastering Microsoft Office Access 2007 Development.

The Report's Format Properties

A report has the following Format properties for changing the report's physical appearance:

• Caption: The Caption property of the report is the text that appears in the Report window's title bar when the user is previewing the report. You can modify it at runtime to customize it for a particular situation.


• Default View: The Default View property of the report determines whether a report automatically opens in Report view or Print Preview.


• Allow Report View: The Allow Report View property of the report determines whether a user can switch to Report view. The Allow Layout View property of the report determines whether a user can switch to Layout view.


• Auto Resize: The Auto Resize property was introduced with Access 2002. This setting determines whether a report is resized automatically to display all the data on the report.


• Auto Center: The Auto Center property was introduced with Access 2002. You use the Auto Center property to designate whether you want the Report window to automatically be centered on the screen.


• Fit to Page: The Fit to Page property of the report determines whether the report will expand to fit a page.

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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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Expert Microsoft Access Programmer In Cincinnati, Ohio

When you need a Microsoft Access programmer for your Cincinnati, Ohio business, call MS Access Solutions at (323) 285-0939. We have over 25 years experience developing Microsoft Access programmer solutions. We create Access database applications for all industries, including but not limited to, hospitals, government agencies, the U.S. military, universities, human resources departments and career consults, agriculture, and insurance companies. We work with the most difficult and complex Microsoft Access challenges. We also provide SQL Server database programming for our clients and seamlessly connect Microsoft Access as a front-end data manipulation application to SQL Server. We work with smaller projects too. Projects include fixing damaged Access database forms, repairing MS Access reports and queries, re-coding Microsoft Access macros, and developing Visual Basic for Applications (VBA) code.

Best Practices for Designing and Optimizing Microsoft Access Reports

Creating effective Microsoft Access reports starts with a well-structured database. A report should pull data from optimized queries rather than directly from tables. Queries allow for filtering, sorting, and calculations before the data reaches the report, improving performance and accuracy.

Organizing the report layout is key. Grouping related data together makes information easier to read. For example, a sales report grouped by region or Adding totals and averages in group footers helps summarize key metrics without overloading the report with unnecessary calculations.

Using forms to filter reports makes them more user-friendly. Instead of hardcoded filters, allow users to select a date range, category, or other criteria before running the report. This keeps reports flexible and prevents unnecessary data processing.

Formatting plays a big role in readability. Use consistent fonts and spacing, and highlight important data with conditional formatting. Large images can slow down reports, so instead of embedding them, store file paths in the database and load them dynamically.

For complex reports, avoid excessive subreports, which can slow processing. Instead, use queries to combine data before sending it to the report. If working with large datasets, linking Microsoft Access to SQL Server and using pass-through queries can speed things up significantly.

Automating reports saves time. Scheduling reports to run at specific times and automatically exporting them to PDF or Excel makes data sharing more efficient. A well-optimized report runs smoothly, presents information clearly, and delivers insights without delays.

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