Distinguishing between two Access instances

[BeeJayEff]

I develop and maintain an operational Access database. To provide various support functions (such as analysis, importing, ad hoc reports, etc.) which are not available to the normal users, I have a separate Support database which links to the operational back-end.
Consequently, I often have two Access instances running at the same time (the operational and support front ends). I would like to be able to distinguish at a glance which is which.
Under Options ... Current Database, I have named them "Operational" and "Support" respectively - but these names do not appear in the title bar when the db is first loaded, only after viewing the Options form each time. Any idea why that is ?
I would prefer it if I could use different colours for the two instances, but I don't think that's possible with Office themes - or is it ? Note that I am not referring here to themes as applied to forms and reports.

 

[CJ_London]

not sure what your problem is - if you complete the application title in options>current database, that immediately populates the access window title bar - so what is your 'options' form?

with regards different options for form colours - that should also not be a problem - you have two different front ends, just colour the forms as you want

Perhaps you need to explain your setup in more detail

 

[Minty]

You can set the Title Bar of the database using something like;

 CurrentDb.Properties!AppTitle = "My Database  - Version " & iLocVers & " - " & txtUserName

I have a version number and put the local user in the there as well. Seems to make users feel special

 

[BeeJayEff]

not sure what your problem is - if you complete the application title in options>current database, that immediately populates the access window title bar - so what is your 'options' form?

I've just realised that this behaviour is because displaying the Title is a Startup option, and I usually open the db bypassing them.

with regards different options for form colours - that should also not be a problem - you have two different front ends, just colour the forms as you want

As I said, it's not the forms and reports that I want using different themes, it's the main Access windows.

 

[BeeJayEff]

I have a version number and put the local user in the there as well. Seems to make users feel special

I do indeed do that on the main switchboard screen; it also means that it is immediately obvious if there has been a problem resulting in global variables having been nulled.
And many of my users are indeed very special

 

[Minty]

Maybe add code so that if you are the person opening the database it sets the title but doesn't open the main form / switchboard?

 

[CJ_London]

it's the main Access windows

sorry - misunderstood. main access windows (all windows, including popop/modal forms) are themed based on the windows OS selection - so affects all windows, not just a specific instance.

Found this which may be of interest

http://superuser.com/questions/820570/change-window-frame-color-on-an-application-basis

 

[BeeJayEff]

Maybe add code so that if you are the person opening the database it sets the title but doesn't open the main form / switchboard?

Trouble is, as I'm bypassing startup options, there's nowhere I can put that code ! And even if I put it in the Load or Open event of the Main Switchboard (which I often, but not always, open), it sets the property but does not refresh the Title. I think this gets relegated to the "nice to have, but not worth spending more time on" bucket.

 

[BeeJayEff]

sorry - misunderstood. main access windows (all windows, including popop/modal forms) are themed based on the windows OS selection - so affects all windows, not just a specific instance.

Found this which may be of interest

http://superuser.com/questions/820570/change-window-frame-color-on-an-application-basis

Thanks, but that applies to all instances of a program; I want to distinguish between two instances of Access. Hey ho, not worth spending more time on. Thanks for your help.

 

[Minty]

Well just in case try

Application.RefreshTitleBar

After you have set it.