Help me build a database to track configuration backups

[tording]

Hey everybody. I am new to access and have some questions about how to get started. I am a network engineer and I want to design a database that I can use to track network configuration backups of all my network devices. Something where I have a table that lists all the equipment in it. Then another table that lists all the employees. Finally a table that has all the backup info mainly the date. then I would want a form that when an employee does a backup he selects the equipment and employee from a dropdown and puts the date it was completed and it adds a new record to the backup table. Can someone help me get started with this? I have created the tables but I am confused about how to make the form and link the fields in the form to the correct table and how to make a button that saves the record.

 

[SGT68]

http://eu.wiley.com/WileyCDA/WileyTitle/productCd-1118490355.html

a very good book.

Otherwise see if you can adapt one of the template databases, which are complete with forms for your needs. By reverse engineering it and seeing how it fits together you will learn a lot

 

[tording]

I picked up the book and it is very knowledgeable but almost too much info. I understand the basics about access. What I do not understand is how to make the form and link all the boxes on the form to the table that will store my backup events.

 

[SGT68]

I picked up the book and it is very knowledgeable but almost too much info. I understand the basics about access. What I do not understand is how to make the form and link all the boxes on the form to the table that will store my backup events.

Go into the Create menu and use the form wizard.

 

[tording]

Go into the Create menu and use the form wizard.

Tried that and it doesn't do what I want it to do. It does not allow me to enter information in text boxes on the form and hit a submit button that adds a new record using that info from the form into one of my tables.

 

[SGT68]

Tried that and it doesn't do what I want it to do. It does not allow me to enter information in text boxes on the form and hit a submit button that adds a new record using that info from the form into one of my tables.

Need more info, what kind of error messages if any are you getting?

 

[tording]

Need more info, what kind of error messages if any are you getting?

No error messages, it just doesn't do anything. When I build my form I add text boxes for the info that I want the user to input data into. I then add a button that adds a record. When you open the form in form view and input the data and hit the button nothing happens. It does not add the record to the table. I see no where on the form when you build it to link the text box fields to the table that I want the record added to.

 

[SGT68]

No error messages, it just doesn't do anything. When I build my form I add text boxes for the info that I want the user to input data into. I then add a button that adds a record. When you open the form in form view and input the data and hit the button nothing happens. It does not add the record to the table. I see no where on the form when you build it to link the text box fields to the table that I want the record added to.

At the bottom of your form there should be navigation controls

where it says record 1 of whatever number. To the right you should see a little yellow asterisk. Hover over it and the tooltip will say "new blank record".Can you click on that. The yellow asterisk is the button you need to use to add a record. You do not need to create one. Or is the asterisk 'greyed out' ? If it is that would suggest your form is in no additions mode, and you need to change that.

Alternately start again with the wizard, and don't do anything other than follow the basic prompts and dont create any extra buttons

 

[tording]

At the bottom of your form there should be navigation controls

where it says record 1 of whatever number. To the right you should see a little yellow asterisk. Hover over it and the tooltip will say "new blank record".Can you click on that. The yellow asterisk is the button you need to use to add a record. You do not need to create one. Or is the asterisk 'greyed out' ? If it is that would suggest your form is in no additions mode, and you need to change that.

Alternately start again with the wizard, and don't do anything other than follow the basic prompts and dont create any extra buttons

Yes you can do it that way if you have my table open that stores the backup events. However for my people using this database I do not want them directly accessing the tables. I want all interactions done through my form. They open access and the form opens up. On the form the select their employee name from a drop down, the equipment they did the backup to and they input a date. They hit submit and it takes this info from the form that they selected and adds it as a new record to the backup table storing that they did a backup to a piece of equipment.

 

[SGT68]

Yes you can do it that way if you have my table open that stores the backup events. However for my people using this database I do not want them directly accessing the tables. I want all interactions done through my form. They open access and the form opens up. On the form the select their employee name from a drop down, the equipment they did the backup to and they input a date. They hit submit and it takes this info from the form that they selected and adds it as a new record to the backup table storing that they did a backup to a piece of equipment.

Okay, I'm getting the idea of what you want. In order for me or anyone on this forum to help you, they will probably need to have your database, I don't have the time right now for that, sorry, but re-post this question in the Forms section and somebody should help.

 

[JHB]

Post your database, zip it.