Question How to make a navigation screen? (1 Viewer)

[carrybag93]

How do I make a 'home page' for my data base? How do these work, how do you add buttons onto it, how do you link one to another navigation page?

 

[Trevor G]

Create a form and then give it a name like frmStartPoint then go into design view and you can use the command button wizard to create buttons to link to other objects. Depending on which version you can also look to use a switchboard.

 

[carrybag93]

Thanks! Do you know how I can make this screen open automatically when you open the database, or is this impossible?

 

[Trevor G]

Create a MACRO and use the following commands.

OpenForm and the bottom select the form name. If you want it to be maximised then add another action Maximize.

Save the MACRO as AUTOEXEC and when you close the database and reopen it the form will show as maximised.

 

[carrybag93]

We never learned what macros are in class. Could you please give a brief explanation, and how to use them? You're helping me a lot Thanks

 

[Trevor G]

In your database you have a section called Macros, If you are using Access 2003 or lower on the left is a section called Macros, and you create a new macro from here.

If you are using 2007 or 2010 then select the Create Tab and on the Right you will see Macro, just click and Select New Macro then you will see some lines and it should say Action, click the first action and select the drop down and then search for Open Form once you select it the Arguments will be displayed and you then select the form name, then create the Next Action and search down the list for Maximize. Then save the macro as suggested as AUTOEXEC.

 

[carrybag93]

Ok, I got up to where it says 'OpenForm', and selected that. It brought up a list of stuff, for the Form Name I chose 'Home Page', then what do I select for:
View
Filter Name
Where Condition =
Data Mode
Window Mode

I don't know what any of this means. I really appreciate your help

 

[Trevor G]

You don't need any of that if you jsut want to open the form, so ignore them. Just select your form name and follow my instructions and it will work for you.

 

[carrybag93]

So from my understanding, a macro is like a list of rules, or set of instructions. Does it know to run when the program starts? Why can there be a lot of actions in one macro? Do you only need one macro file for the entire database?

I think I got it to work. Thanks

 

[Trevor G]

Macros will allow you do many different things within the database such as opening objects, emailing, transfering and many more.

The reason why the form will open when the database opens is because of the AutoExec command which is an executable instruction, so Access will look for that macro and do what is in the Actions.

Glad to read it is working for you though.

 

[carrybag93]

Ok, so because of what we named it, that's why it runs automatically?

And I just have one more question =P

How do you make a navigation button to a table, so you can view all records? I can only see options for forms, queries and reports.

 

[Trevor G]

Ok when you create a macro you don't always see all of the actions so you need to tell access to show all the action then you can select the openTable option.

Create a new macro then at the top click the button that says Show All Actions then you will find it in the list.

 

[carrybag93]

I don't want a macro, I wanted a button in a form. Does it only work by making a macro, then making a button in the form that runs that macro?

 

[Trevor G]

Yes you create the macro and then give it a name something like mcrOpenTable then save and close the macro, next you go to your form and open it in design view then you can press F11 which should show you your database window, then look for the macro and drag it into the form and it will create a button for you. Then save the form change the view and click the button.

 

[carrybag93]

Thanks. So what action do I choose? Are there any details I need to fill in?
(sorry for taking up so much time!)

 

[Trevor G]

Action is OpenTable then select the table name and then follow the rest of my instructions. You don't need anything else from the arguments other than the table name.

 

[carrybag93]

Thanks so much for all your help. I've got it working now

Would you be able to help me with my other thread?

 

[Trevor G]

Which thread as I can only see you have posted 2 and have solution for both of them now?

 

[carrybag93]

I'm still writing it at the moment.

 

[Trevor G]

Then sned me a private message once you have created it and I will take a look.