Any alternative to a pop-up alert

[kellyboy]

We have a number of pop-up alert messages, which are important when dealing with a specific client, e.g. warnings that certain actions or documents are due. Problem is that these messages keep popping up when we are doing general work with the database, for example reorganizing the fields in the datasheet view, or simply moving through the records using the Find a Record function. It can be annoying having to keep removing the pop-ups before moving on. I was wondering if there is some other way to do alerts that doesn't necessarily interrupt routine database maintenance. Would scrolling messages be less intrusive, for example, or do they still bring everything to a halt, like the pop-up message boxes? I would appreciate any ideas. I'm using Access 2007.

 

[John Big Booty]

Perhaps you need to reconsider the trigger that you are using to fire these popup messages. Try, say the Form's On Dirty event, that way the popup will only appear if the user starts to interact with the data not just scroll through it.

 

[John Big Booty]

Another option would be to create your own custom pop up form and have a check box to allow the user to acknowledge the warning the first time he sees for the day, this is recorded in a register, for each client and user, which is cleared at the start of each day. The message would then only be shown after that if some other critical trigger is hit.

 

[kellyboy]

Perhaps you need to reconsider the trigger that you are using to fire these popup messages. Try, say the Form's On Dirty event, that way the popup will only appear if the user starts to interact with the data not just scroll through it.

Thanks, John. I thought you might have the answer there so I transferred the message code from the form's current event to the on dirty event, but nothing hapens, not even an error.
This is the relevant part of the current event code I moved to the on dirty event

Dim proofMessages$
If (Me.ProofOfAddressCheckbox.Value = False) And (Me.NewRecord = False) Then
proofMessages$ = "Proof of Address required. "
End If

If (Me.ProofOfIncomeCheckbox.Value = False) And (Me.NewRecord = False) Then
proofMessages$ = (proofMessages$ + "Proof of Income required. ")
End If

If (Me.ProofOfExpensesCheckbox.Value = False) And (Me.NewRecord = False) Then
proofMessages$ = (proofMessages$ + "Proof of Expenses required. ")
End If

If (Len(proofMessages$) > 0) Then
MsgBox (proofMessages$)
End If

End Sub

One of the problems may be that the form we use for viewing and updating includes two subforms so if only one subform is dirty the code may not catch it. I don't know how to change the code accordingly.

 

[John Big Booty]

The Main Form's Dirty event will not catch changes on the sub forms so you will need to put your code in each of the Sub-form's On Dirty events.

 

[spikepl]

One alternative is to have some status indicator - OK or NOT OK, and if NOT OK, somewhere there is a list of items that renders the status NOT OK.

Depending on your work flow, another possibility is to have a status form, with a list, for each specific item, of all those clients where that item is due.

 

[missinglinq]

I just use Conditional Formatting on Required Fields, setting the BackColor to Red if the Control/Field is empty.

• Go to Format - Conditional Formatting
• In Condition1 use Expression Is
• in the next box IsNull([ControlName])
• Set the BackColor (Paint Bucket Icon) to Red
• Hit OK

You can vary the conditions, even basing the Conditional Formatting of one Control on the status of another Control.

Linq ;0)>

 

[kellyboy]

Some good suggestions here for me to play with. Thanks, all.

 

[kellyboy]

I just use Conditional Formatting on Required Fields, setting the BackColor to Red if the Control/Field is empty.

• Go to Format - Conditional Formatting
• In Condition1 use Expression Is
• in the next box IsNull([ControlName])
• Set the BackColor (Paint Bucket Icon) to Red
• Hit OK

You can vary the conditions, even basing the Conditional Formatting of one Control on the status of another Control.

Linq ;0)>

Just wanted to let you know, Ling, that I tried your suggestion re Conditional Formatting, and, although it took a protracted series of trial and error expressions, I finally got it to work. The result is just what I wanted, and everyone seems happy with it. Thank you.

KTB

 

[missinglinq]

Glad we could help!

Linq ;0)>