Application Level Presentation

[emorris1000]

I've recently resumed working on a database front end I gave out to coworkers, and I'm coming to terms that I don't like the overall presentation of the database.

Not the forms/reports etc, those are fine. More specifically I am talking about what Access looks like when they open it up and use it. It's a front-end .accde. When they open it up it looks like they are looking at access from a developers perspective, seeing all the forms and linked tables on the left (access 2007) with the ribbon on top and the different forms tabbed across the top.

I don't like this. I'm probably going to switch the whole thing over to a variety of (non)-modal popups to give it the feel of a stand-alone application.

I'm curious what other people do to give the final front-end that polished, proffesional look.

Edit: As a side-note, my guess is that if I really want it to look polished I need to build a VB app to serve as the front-end, which I would do normally, but that's not an option here.

 

[spikepl]

I have an application that needs all the real estate available on the screen. The navigation pane on the left is closed, and I have made a toggle to get rid of the ribbon (and resurrect it, when needed). This is a short cut, and not quite what you are asking for, but my customers can live with it just fine, and it only takes a minute to make.

As to the tabbed forms, it's a setting you can change to be rid of the tabs too.

 

[gemma-the-husky]

It depends to some extent what sort of application it is, and what the main page needs to look like

for commercial environments, with users who are used to seeing menu-driven presentation - I actually like the MS switchboard - users are often used to this sort of presentation - especially when there are a lot of options. I also tend to add a menu-bar, featuring all the same functions.

I don't open forms modally, and users can open as many forms as they like - but a lot of users are happy to open/close one form at a time.


I still prefer to develop in A2003, so I have no expertise with menu ribbons

 

[emorris1000]

I've found that these two small functions do a massive amount for cleaning up the appearance:

Public Function DeveloperMode()
DoCmd.SelectObject acTable, "Sometable", True
DoCmd.ShowToolbar "Ribbon", acToolbarYes
End Function
 
 
Public Function UserMode()
    DoCmd.SelectObject acTable, "Sometable", True
    DoCmd.RunCommand acCmdWindowHide
    DoCmd.ShowToolbar "Ribbon", acToolbarNo
End Function

Developer mode shows the ribbon and the navigation pane, user mode hides both