Link to File button on form

[Maclain]

Good afternoon,

We have an extensive library of specifications that are all in PDF format. We allocate an internal number to the documents and the pdf files are names accordingly.

The database side of this system controls revisions and acts as a library listing, making it easier to find the document you are after.

What i would like to do is add a button to the form that would open up the relevant PDF document.

The file systems are:
current documents are stored in I:\Specifications & Standards\Current Documents

Revised documents are in I:\Specifications & Standards\Information Purposes Only (Revised)

the filenames are as follows: <internal.doc.number>- document title.pdf

So we have items such as: 252- BS En 287-1.pdf

I have limited coding knowledge so any suggestions you may have in laymans terms would be greatly appreciated!

 

[vbaInet]

How do you differentiate between revised and current? Is there a field that holds this information?

 

[Maclain]

Hi VbaInet,

Thanks for the response.

When we receive a new procedure that is a newer revision to one we currently have in our system the database is updated to reflect the latest revision number.

The previous file in I:\Specifications & Standards\Current Documents is moved to I:\Specifications & Standards\Information Purposes Only (Revised) and is prefixed with R-

The new file is placed in I:\Specifications & Standards\Current Documents with the same internal number

Which then leads me to another issue, we sometimes have to work to old standards, where the customer insists that work is completed to lets say revision 4 where revision 6 is the latest. So, If we changed our document filing systems, would there be a why to have a drop down of some sort giving the file names of all the documents for the current record? So it would show 252- BS En 1462 rev 1.pdf > 252- BS EN 1462 rev 2.pdf etc?

I'm not overly worried about that feature if it's a Royal pain in the a...

 

[vbaInet]

So you're saying if a user selects the latest file number it should open the file in the ~Current Documents folder and for older versions it should look in the ~Current Documents\Information Purposes Only (Revised) folder?

Listing the files is not a problem. Have a look at this:

http://allenbrowne.com/ser-59.html

You could show the listing in a listbox but I advise you only list it when the user requests seeing older versions.

 

[txlibertygirl]

I am so glad that there is an option for us to link to a folder. I was wondering if its possible that when we create new clients, can we also create new folder for Access to link to for each client we have? We will be scanning in documents and it would be wonderful if we can have the folder linked to each client contact form. We just tell them where to save the folder at and Access creates folder for us to save documents in? Can we do drag and drop into the folder through Access?

Thank you very much for taking your time to help me with this.

Amber
Access 2010
newbie

 

[vbaInet]

You're asking about advanced stuff here. You need to learn the basics before you delve into that kinda stuff. Drag and drop is possible but only with code. Folders can be created in Access but when you scan documents you have to name them appropriately and put them in the right folders. Unless you have an API to a scanning utility that allows you interface with the scanner via VBA code.

 

[txlibertygirl]

I was thinking more like automatically create folder and have it linked to the client automatically. Maybe done by query?

When I open the folder, (Vista 32 bit computer) I can just drag the scanned documents from another folder to that folder. I did not think it would be necessary to create coding for me to drag and drop scanned documents files into that folder since it will be "window" folder.

 

[vbaInet]

Yep, you can use the Mkdir statement to create a folder and use the Name statement to rename the directory to your client's ID (for example).

You asked if a drag and drop was possible through Access and it was in that context I was speaking. Drag and drop what exactly? And from where to where?