fixing the mandatory vertical scrollbar space problem (1 Viewer)

[the_net_2.0]

hi guys,

I'm about to deploy a project to someone, but I'm afraid the strategy that I've used with my continuous forms is going to cause problems with the concurrent connection issue. They already have issues facing them due to some of the users' wireless connections, but that can't be helped at this point. The strategy that I want to use here looks good for a beginners' interface needs, but the programming might be an issue with multiple users:

What I'm really concerned about are my forms here. Attached are 4 pictures. They all are of one form, but different variations of it using the vertical scrollbar option in the continuous form. The descriptions of the images are:

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1) (normal) - the way the form looks if there are less than 10 records in the bound set.

2) (less than 10) - the scroll bar option set to YES when there is less than 10 recs.

3) (more than 10) - the scroll bar option set to YES when there is more than 10 recs.

4) the form in design view.

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This form is part of a group of forms that I have called "listing forms". Each listing form has a sister form of the same name + a suffix string to indicate that it is an exact duplicate of the original listing form but with the scrollbar option set to YES. That's the only difference.

There are 2 entry/re-entry points to this form. One from the main interface and one (re-entry) from the data entry form that can be opened from the listing form. What I'm currently doing is checking the count of the bound set at both of these entry points to see if the current listing form has to be closed and it's sister form opened instead (based on the <10/>10 dataset criteria).

This whole strategy was employed because I couldn't find a solution to the scrollbar space issue that you see in the (less than 10) form. Has anyone seen this? I know there have been posts on it before, but I don't recall ever seeing a solution for this on continuous forms.

Can someone help me out here please? Either a fix to this allocated-space issue with the scrollbar, or an alternative form listing strategy. I absolutely love continuous forms because of the amount of data it can display in a single view. But my work-around solution to the scrollbar issue has me concerned about concurrent form requests. This is split to FE/BE, so the forms will be manipulated for each user individually, so there really isn't an issue if I turn record locking on.

But what about the strategy in general? It seems so heavy, I'm completely annoyed by it. Help appreciated guys! Thanks!

 

[Jeanette Cunningham]

I'm not sure what the 'heavy' issue is with the scrollbar - my personal taste says that your pics look normal.

You can turn the scrollbars on and off with code in the form's current event.
Sample code below:

If Me.RecordsetClone.RecordCount >10 Then
Me.Scrollbars = 2 'vertical only
Else
Me.Scrollbars = 0 'none
End If

 

[vbaInet]

Adam,

You know I'm not very good with long posts but like Jeanette I'm not seeing the problem with the scrollbar? Are you talking about the empty space it leaves at the right?

Can you upload a sample so I can see the problem in action.

 

[the_net_2.0]

Are you talking about the empty space it leaves at the right?

YES!

It's not that hard to see, bud.

Furthermore, there is an MS article out there on the KB domains that specifically state that Access allocates mandatory screen spaces for each scrollbar on its forms, even during the screen times that the scrollbar is told not to show up due to small datasets (as in my issue).

What's wrong with you, vba boy? Haven't you learned that the C family of languages is the way of the future? VBA is dead. Come on, you should know that! Actually though, I think we're getting stuck with HTML as the way of the future. I was watching a TED presentation by a guy named Kevin Slavin. He's obviously a white hat type of guy. He mentioned the Carrier Hotel in NYC. Until I heard his presents, I didn't even know what the central location was for the net out there (let alone any city in this country).

btw, if Jeanette's snippet works, I won't upload a sample because I don't want to do the "trim down" work. The small business data is already in it.

Jeanette,

I will try that, however I believe that all property changes to forms have to happen when the form is in design view. If not, your solution most likely will work for this scenario. I will let you know if it works as soon as I can test it. thanks.

 

[vbaInet]

VBA is not dead. You being a Finance boy should know that VBA is still very prevalent in many Finance development. Obviously C# or C++ is used in combination with VBA

I thought you were already hiding and unhiding the scroll bar which was causing the problem. Well, let us know how it goes.

 

[the_net_2.0]

VBA is not dead. You being a Finance boy should know that VBA is still very prevalent in many Finance development. Obviously C# or C++ is used in combination with VBA

I thought you were already hiding and unhiding the scroll bar which was causing the problem. Well, let us know how it goes.

No, I wasn't manipulating it all. But I'll tell you one thing, I'll surely be pi$$ed off if the solution to this problem is really that easy! Come to think of it, the fact that this "so-called problem" cannot be found elsewhere on the internet might have given me some kind of indication that it's not really an issue at all?

I'll let you know if that's the case. And subsequently, how stupid I feel afterwards!

 

[smig]

I don't see any big issue here, but you can try to set the Scrollbars to none, and make the form width (InsideWidth) smaller.

 

[the_net_2.0]

I'm not sure what the 'heavy' issue is with the scrollbar - my personal taste says that your pics look normal.

You can turn the scrollbars on and off with code in the form's current event.
Sample code below:

If Me.RecordsetClone.RecordCount >10 Then
Me.Scrollbars = 2 'vertical only
Else
Me.Scrollbars = 0 'none
End If

Jeanette,

I'm sorry but this does not work. And the reason is simply because Access invades the space that was already allocated to the form. Hence, the form becomes smaller in width and the controls on the very right side of it are squeezed out of the interface.

The attached 2 images illustrates this. It is not a problem when the switch is performed from >10 recs to <10 recs, however the other way around is what I'm illustrating. Obviously that won't work. thanks for your effort though.

 

[Jeanette Cunningham]

Yes, I see that the scrollbar is very close to the delete button.
Can you perhaps get what you want by changing the setting for the horizontal anchor for that delete button - make it left and hopefully the delete button won't get pushed so hard up against the scroll bar.

 

[the_net_2.0]

Can you perhaps get what you want by changing the setting for the horizontal anchor for that delete button - make it left and hopefully the delete button won't get pushed so hard up against the scroll bar.

Why would that possibly work? The delete control is not the entity that is moving. One possible fix would be to make the form 2 inches wider on the left side so that WHEN the scrollbar is invoked by the current event, the extra section space is all that's swallowed by the bar. That would look inconsistent of course, but that's better than what I have now for sure.

 

[the_net_2.0]

PROBLEM SOLVED.

I allocated a little more space to the right side of the form with my textboxes for the coloring background, and used your code Jeanette. When the scrollbar appears with sets >10 recs, Access applies a higher z-index to the bar than the rectangles. So when the bar disappears again if the set becomes <10 recs, the rectangle remains in the same position and is the same size.

So this will work fine. The GUI shows no inconsistency with this. Kudos to you for finding the solution!

 

[pkstormy]

VBA is not dead. You being a Finance boy should know that VBA is still very prevalent in many Finance development. Obviously C# or C++ is used in combination with VBA

I thought you were already hiding and unhiding the scroll bar which was causing the problem. Well, let us know how it goes.

VBA is very, very alive. I've just finished designing a Medical Research database (similar to the Epic software that all the hospitals use) except my application does so much more than Epic's software does (and it's fun to use versus watching a black/shades of black and white screen.

 

[smig]

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