Enabling Touch Mode and Adjusting Scrollbar Widths for Controls

[Mohsin Malik]

Hi Everyone,

I am currently working on a Microsoft Access database that a few of our users are running on Surface Pro tablets / laptops. I am looking to enhance the touch-user experience and have the following questions:

1: Enabling Touch Mode via VBA: Is there a way to enable Touch mode in Microsoft Access through VBA? I want to ensure that the interface is more touch-friendly for users running on touch screen laptops.

2. Increasing Scrollbar Width: Is there a way to increase the width of the horizontal and vertical scrollbars in Access forms or reports, also for Listbox control? The default scrollbar size is quite small, and it would be great if there's a way to make them wider for easier touch navigation.

Any insights or code snippets would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks in advance for your help!

Best regards,
Mohsin

 

[Pat Hartman]

2. Increasing Scrollbar Width: Is there a way to increase the width of the horizontal and vertical scrollbars in Access forms or reports, also for Listbox control? The default scrollbar size is quite small, and it would be great if there's a way to make them wider for easier touch navigation.

I think there might be a windows API for this. Sorry, I haven't done it so I have no code. When you use Windows API's you have to be careful because you might make the app bit-dependent.

 

[CJ_London]

I use a touch screen when developing apps that might be used on touch devices. It has to be my primary monitor for touch to work so typically has to be rebooted. But work it does without needing to change any settings or additional code. It basically mimics the mouse events. It does not enable two finger events for things like zooming.

When user enters a text box a touch keyboard appears at the bottom so the main design consideration is form size.

With regards scroll bars, that is a windows property and can be adjusted either in windows settings or in the registry. The latter can be done using vba - plenty of examples out there. In any event it will affect all scrollbars regardless of the app. My own view, leave that to users preference since it is something they can do if they want to - you could tell them how if they don’t already know.

 

[Mohsin Malik]

Thank you @CJ_London and @Pat Hartman, I will check for the Windows API. Just to provide more context that the issue is with the touch screen user on Windows 11 that the scrollbars in Windows 11 for ListBoxes and forms have become too thin, making it difficult for users to scroll using their fingers on touch screen laptops. I am looking for a way to increase the width of the scrollbars, or possibly prevent them from inheriting the default Windows style. Any suggestions?

 

[CJ_London]

I added another paragraph about scroll bars

 

[Pat Hartman]

the scrollbars in Windows 11 for ListBoxes and forms have become too thin, making it difficult for users to scroll using their fingers on touch screen laptops.

I haven't had the "pleasure" of installing it yet. Having had to fight with it on a user's computer, I am not looking forward to it. Remember when Win 10 made the outline of objects so tiny you couldn't grab it? Designing anything was very frustrating. If enough people complain, they'll fix the problem BUT you MUST complain. Use the option to report this issue directly to them. Depending on your version of Office, it will be either somewhere in the Help menu or on one of the screens in the back stage view.