Replacement Switchboard

[Pat Hartman]

This Switchboard form is based on the last VBA version which I think was A2k. I expanded it to allow for 12 items rather than 8 and you can easily change it to do more. I've included directions. This updated version has two switchboards. One more traditional and the other is big buttons.

THERE IS A NEWER VERSION DOWN AT THE END. IT HAS A MORE VERSIONS OF THE SWITCHBOARD

 

[Alt]

Thanks for sharing

 

[Pat Hartman]

You're welcome.

 

[Pat Hartman]

I updated the sample to have two more modern versions of the old switchboard.

 

[Pat Hartman]

I added a third sample Switchboard. This one is based on the macro version from A2003 but I converted the macros to VBA. I include it because unlike the original switchboard, it is not restricted to the 8 or my modified 12 rows per page.

OLD --- go to end to get newest

 

[Pat Hartman]

Minor changes.

 

[Pat Hartman]

More changes. Not so minor this time. I added a form that can be used to manage the tblSwitchboardItems (replacement for Switchboard Items). Once you have more than 8 items, the wizard won't work for you.

 

[Pat Hartman]

Updated 12.31.22

 

[Mylton]

good evening
I don't know if this would be the right channel.
I'm not sorry
I have a doubt.
from the observation it seems to me that it works based on users.
how would you do for a group, a function, composed of x forms, only those people see only the group they belong to?

 

[Pat Hartman]

There is a different example that includes basic security. There is a document that explains the basics

Switchboard with simple security

This is a custom switchboard. It expands on the Switchboard Items table to add four additional columns to define view/edit/add/delete security levels for switchboard items and forms/reports referenced by them. It includes tables to manage users and also to assign them security levels. The user...

www.access-programmers.co.uk

Remember, this is very basic. You can use it as is or you can expand it to suit your needs. This sample uses the Dept field as the "group" since that will typically be how security works. You can rename the field or use any other method you want to group people. Everyone has a unique login since you don't want people logging in as "groupA" because then you cannot identify individual activity if you want to. The concept of "group" allows you an easy way to provide the same settings for all members of a group. The app also allows you to override any setting for an individual so that it is different from his group. Look at the code in the form's BeforeUpdate event to see how it handles a change in DeptID.

So, the security is essentially a matrix. Forms are assigned the four security levels and individuals/groups are also assigned the four security levels. When a form is opened, the code matches the user's security levels for the action requested to those of the open form based on the current selection of the switchboard. This means that subforms and spawned forms (popups) inherit the security of the base form, If this doesn't work for you, you need an additional table to handle subforms and popups separately from the base form.

This sample also shows you that the custom switchboard that is powering the sample will control what each user/group sees as menu options. The login form gives you three security levels to test.

 

[Mylton]

There is a different example that includes basic security. There is a document that explains the basics

Switchboard with simple security

This is a custom switchboard. It expands on the Switchboard Items table to add four additional columns to define view/edit/add/delete security levels for switchboard items and forms/reports referenced by them. It includes tables to manage users and also to assign them security levels. The user...

www.access-programmers.co.uk

Remember, this is very basic. You can use it as is or you can expand it to suit your needs. This sample uses the Dept field as the "group" since that will typically be how security works. You can rename the field or use any other method you want to group people. Everyone has a unique login since you don't want people logging in as "groupA" because then you cannot identify individual activity if you want to. The concept of "group" allows you an easy way to provide the same settings for all members of a group. The app also allows you to override any setting for an individual so that it is different from his group. Look at the code in the form's BeforeUpdate event to see how it handles a change in DeptID.

So, the security is essentially a matrix. Forms are assigned the four security levels and individuals/groups are also assigned the four security levels. When a form is opened, the code matches the user's security levels for the action requested to those of the open form based on the current selection of the switchboard. This means that subforms and spawned forms (popups) inherit the security of the base form, If this doesn't work for you, you need an additional table to handle subforms and popups separately from the base form.

This sample also shows you that the custom switchboard that is powering the sample will control what each user/group sees as menu options. The login form gives you three security levels to test.

good evening
There are facts that I can't understand why.
I believe that this is not the subject to clear my doubts.
I'll open a topic referencing this one, and there, I try to learn more.

Thank you and an excellent 2023, full of work, peace and happiness.

 

[Pat Hartman]

I added a new type of switchboard that looks like a navigation form. It is simplistic at this point but I may improve on it in the future or you might have other ideas.
Future Improvements -
1. make the list subform variable in length depending on how many items were returned by the RecordSource query. Right now, I left it fixed so it only shows six items. If I added a seventh, I would need to update the form to expand the list since the subform has no scroll bars and that defeats the purpose of using a subform to produce the list.
2. make the list work the way the old switchboard works so that it can be a hierarchy of menus.
3. add a picture so you can show a picture in a bound object frame rather than text - or both. You just need to make the click event for both the picture and the text box optn the referenced form/report
4. change the layout. change the colors, add graphics. Have fun. This is to show you what is possible using only one line of code.
5. add more complex code so that it can open reports, etc. the same way that the Access switchboard works.

All the other switchboards in this sample database use the Switchboard Items or my tblSwitchboardItems table. This form could use the same table. I just threw it together with miminal functionality to see how I liked the concept.