Template demonstrates how to synchronize combo boxes

Thanks for the explanation on the synchronized combo boxes, but to be honest, I am more intrigued by the way you did the “Click to see details" reports. I’m still trying to figure out exactly how this is done … what a great next article!

What i will really will like to see is a post where we can download all the images you guys use for your templates. specially for the form headers. We should be able to use those images, however those images are not available for us to use. You know what we need to do. a) import your form into our project.

b) delete all controls

c) use the imported form as a temlate for all our forms. But this makes it difficult for us to use in our existing forms, we still can copy paste all controls of existing form into a new form, but this will make a mess with tab controls and the code behind the form. Hey guys, help us improve all our forms and reports. The topic you created long ago, about creating good looking forms, was a great topic, i still use color lovers web site. Yeah, go a head and keep doing your great work. by the way, when can we download the new SP2 for access.

Wow, this is going to blow the lid off. Serious developers must be rewriting everything as we speak...

>am more intrigued by the way you did the “Click to see details" Actually, that is just standard button that launches a report. The text of the report is based on a memo field from a table. Since we might have “several” explains in an application, we don’t want to build a new report for each help screen. So we build a report that shows text from a memo box. Then we simply pass a simple “where” clause on the open report command to display the one record in the report with the memo field that will display. So, that click for more details option is a standard regular button in access. The macro behind that button is: Action Arguments

OpenReport rptExplanations, Report, , [tblExplanations]![Source]="Macro", Normal As you can see, we simply “pass” to the report if we want to display the text for the “Macro” record, or VBA record from the table. The above if re-written as VBA, it would read very much as above: DoCmd.OpenReport "rptExplanations", acViewReport, , "Source = 'Macro'" However, what is REALLY REALLY nice here is that memo fields + text boxes now support rich text in access (really html)! We can actually save text (and edit text) in memo fields that has nice formatting and different fonts and colors! If you change a font while editing text in a memo field, it will get saved. This is now easy as pie in 2007 since we have a way cool rich text format support in memo fields (and text boxes). In table design mode, you simply have to enable rich text setting for the memo column. After that, you can display and EVEN edit that memo text and you have the full formatting controls displayed for fonts, bold and even color of the text. The issue of having rich text support in 2007 opens up a HUGE number of doors for us developers in terms of richer displays and not being stuck with plane Jane text for things like help and information screens. Throw in the new picture control system in 2007 and you can make some really cool looking part display manuals that have both nice part description text, and a nice picture beside it. Albert D. Kallal

Edmonton, Alberta Canada

kallal@msn.com

>But this makes it difficult for us to use in our existing forms, we still can copy paste all controls of existing form into a new form, but this will make a mess with tab controls and the code behind the form. Actually you can lift an image of that form quite easily. The only reason why you can’t get at the actual image very because it’s an imbedded image for the forms background. I don’t believe there’s some intention to prevent you from getting at that information. Here’s how I pulled that background image out with ease: Make a copy of this example that you plan to throw away after. Open up that from in design mode. Ctrl-a to select all, and then hit delete key to remove everything on the form. At his point you have the from with the orange background image that is displayed at the top part. Display the forms property sheet, and on the format tab, change the Picture size mode from stretch horizontal to simply clip. In fact you really don’t have to do this step and I think it just makes the graphic a little bit cleaner when you cut it out… Now, hide the property sheet (alt enter works well here) Now, increases size the screen to the right until that background image doesn’t keep up with the right side (display some gray screen to the right of the orange graphic). Also, size the forms heading down larger so you have gray below the orange box also. The reason why I want to get the screen larger than the image so as not being scaled or crimped on us. At this point you should have a clean view of the orange bar at the top, and at that point I simply just hit the print screen option on my computer. You then fire up your favorite picture editing or paint program that you have, and paste in the screen that you just copied. You then simply cut out the orange area. It is a an easy cut since you can cut off the sides a bit because those parts don’t really matter. At this point in just save the this cut out part as whatever format you like. (gif, png, jpeg all work well in access). It took me less time to cut out that graphic then to write the above paragraph. Really nothing stopping you from lifting some of those graphics out. The only problem in this case is that the background is embedded so there no need to have multiple files included for the download. Albert D. Kallal Edmonton, Alberta Canada kallal@msn.com