FROM SIMPLE ACCESS TO VBA (1 Viewer)

Leo_Polla_Psemata

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Hi
I have been using ACCESS in my daily job (shipping-transportation-containerization) for over 15 years.
I was performing a lot of tasks with excel, then I moved to access as excel wasn't very helpful
for data storing and more complicated "relation-wise" business needs.

I have started using VBA code the last four years.
I don't know much, in fact i know nothing just few vague ideas, i find ready vba code that I twist to my needs and I meet my needs.
If it works, thats it. For example, I don't know why we use "dim this as that", "eof", "with-end with" but i know that must type there correctly, if i don't i will return error messages and yellow colors.

Is there any way-online course or other method i could follow and understand the way it work?
I think that IF i find the well designed method, and examples,in two weeks, i will make strides.
 

Uncle Gizmo

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I like you, and I suspect many of the other members here started out with MS Access when they needed to convert an Excel process into something more substantial.

There are many free resources available for MS Access, code you can pluck from websites, place in your database and use.

The trouble with doing this is you end up with code that you don't understand, is difficult to improve upon, and frustrating when it doesn't work properly.

I realised I needed to *Learn VBA* so I set about building myself a Search Form.

I realised that a Search Form would be a tool that I could use again and again. Over the years I perfected this search form until it became something that used object-oriented programming techniques and was simple to drop into any database in just four minutes!

I also wanted to teach MS Access VBA to other people. I quickly discovered that teaching is even harder than doing MS Access VBA! But I made a start at it a the link below is to my introduction to VBA which was actually written after my setup videos on how to build a Search Form.


Now if you've read this far, I'll give you a brief overview of the the structure of the VBA lessons.

If you follow the introduction linked to above, at the bottom of that introductory web page you will find a link to the next set of videos which take you through the process of building a simple Search Form.

You really need to follow the first, the building of the first search Form, because that leads into the second set of videos which demonstrate how to improve upon your first build, and then that follows on to the third set of videos which show you how to take advantage of object object-oriented coding to make a Search Form you can be really proud of!

I'm available to help you with any questions you might have that is if you decide to follow through with the video instructions. I am well aware that my attempt at teaching leaves a lot to be desired!

All the code samples are available for free just let me know if you want them and I will send you the coupon codes to get them for free...
 

vba_php

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Leo,

There are SO many resources you can use to learn MS Access. As far as programming goes, wikipedia.org pages are some of the best reads you can find, in terms of explaining very simple programming concepts. They literally have *one* page for every single programming concept you can think of. Here's an example: IF-THEN Statements (Conditional Statement) . The other couple of things you might want to know, that can help you learn how to write VBA code in Excel, some of which can be transferred to Access, is:

1) the macro recorder. this is one of the best tools you can possible get, because it writes code for you and all you have to do is click the buttons. The other thing that might be worth a mention in excel is it's patternized-based resources. for instance, the "auto-fill handle". you can use that handle to auto-populate a lot of unrelated code if you have the need. it doesn't just serve the purpose of generating sequential numbers and stuff.

2) this is way too advanced for the stage that you're currently at, but when you're ready, you should take a look at the packages in this post of mine: Complete VBA OOP architecture . Those are Access database files that show literally everything that can be found in the VBA language => libraries, classes, methods, properties, etc, etc... Also included in those files are queries that show you how it all ties together and how everything is basically related to everything else. If you can start thinking in that way, you'll come to realize that programming is extremely easy. And if you get that far, you'll realize that you can expand into other languages and gain new skills. This type of learning is what Steve Jobs famously talked about in so many interview with news anchors. I believe his exact words were:
you should learn how to code because it teaches you how to think
This might not be relevant to you, but I'll attach it anyway. The excel file attached is an example of how I used the program's resources to rapidly produce HTML code for my own website pages. You may be able to get something from it. I hope you do well. :)
 

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jdraw

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Leo,

I have a link in my signature re Database Planning and Design. This contains several articles on database concepts, analysis, vba, data modelling etc. I'm sure the Steve Bishop vba series will be helpful to your learning.
Good luck.
 

MajP

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Go online and look for this book
Access 2002 Desktop Developer's Handbook
By Litwin and Getz
Should be able to find a used copy under 10 dollars. There will be some things in there that are no longer current, but in my opinion if you read that you will go from beginner to expert. I read that cover to cover, and now you can look at all my threads to see if I know what I am talking about with VBA. Never took any course .
 

jdraw

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I agree with MajP if your preference to learning is via book. I prefer video or tutorial, but I also used various books including ADH (Access Developers Handbook) although mine was 2000. Very thorough and great examples.
 

vba_php

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Is it popular with the older crowd to learn from textbooks? I can tell you guys that the people in college are so addicted to their stupid technology, that they literally never put down their phones! So I wouldn't be surprised if college kids end up taking classes completely online in the near future. There is even an idea proposed by members of the catholic church, that is getting attention at the vatican, to offer confessions through electronic means instead of going to a building a sitting next to the priest in the confessional. how stupid is that!?
 

Jon

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@MajP I had that book. It was really useful.

@jdraw I also had that book too.
 

jdraw

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I had some others as well, but I found them to be large (thick/many pages) and more verbiage than facts with clear examples. My advice to anyone buying Access books for learning --review the index, look for subject matter that you have some familiarity with and review that section to get an approximation of the rest. You can look on amazon and see some of the reviews, but be wary if you're looking for something specific. As MajP suggested, there are several (used) books on amazon relatively inexpensive. I looked many times for books with info and examples on Access Class modules --there is little out there. I did find Michael Hernandez Database Design for Mere Mortals for only a few dollars.
 

isladogs

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I have the 2 volume Access 2000 Developers Handbook by the same authors. By far the best textbooks I've ever had for Access.
 

MajP

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Is it popular with the older crowd to learn from textbooks? I can tell you guys that the people in college are so addicted to their stupid technology, that they literally never put down their phones! So I wouldn't be surprised if college kids end up taking classes completely online in the near future.
First of all Litwin and Getz are the Gods of Access. That book is like the holly grail of access.

I might be old but most videos on line are total crap. I cannot stomach 99% of the videos on line. Most of these people are idiots. I want to reach through my monitor and choke people out.

On videos (not that I have an opinion)
1. If I have to watch a video with someone typing I want to kill myself.
2. If they correct their typing, I want to kill them. Why, why can they not just show the code? Why do they think I want to watch them type?
3. If English is not their first language, then they should do a video in their language and not waste my time on something I have to strain to understand. Here is an idea, get someone who speaks English well. Unfortunately that goes to the majority of you Brits. It all sounds like Monty Python to me ("five for that you must be mad"). Can't you learn a good generic midwest American accent? At least put some subtitles. Just kidding, but you all really need to get rid of those accents.
4. They never get to the point. Five minutes of fluff.
5. Most of these guys could not code their way out of a wet paper bag.

So I can read Litwin and Getz laying on my bed, and not want to choke someone out. Score in my book.
Read this book and you will be an Access MVP.

Sorry if I sounded hostile. I am calming down now.
 

vba_php

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I didn't realise that you had a sense of Humour..
I didn't realize that *any* of you experts had a sense of humor.
Sorry if I sounded hostile. I am calming down now.
you better be careful with that word "hostile", Maj. That's become very popular in recent years as a way used by the corporate political people to keep the intelligent people away when they complain about nonsense and the like.
 

MajP

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I didn't realise that you had a sense of Humour.
Wow, I must not be doing a good job on threads then. I do not take my self too seriously, but I do not suffer fools either.
 

Uncle Gizmo

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I mean your post was very funny, or was it supposed to be funny?
 

The_Doc_Man

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I didn't realize that *any* of you experts had a sense of humor.

Well, I DO wear a black suit, thin black tie, white shirt, black shoes, and black sunglasses. We who have had government service are trained to not have a sense of humor. It isn't considered "standard issue" so we don't carry it. I am from division 6 by the way.
 

Micron

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was it supposed to be funny?
I laughed!
For a newbie, the Access 2000 bible can still be found online as a pdf. Anything specific to Access is outdated for sure, but like these other books, normalization principles and vba haven't changed all that much have they?
 

vba_php

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Well, I DO wear a black suit, thin black tie, white shirt, black shoes, and black sunglasses.
have you ever met any of those popular mythical creatures, *the men in black*? I believe they usually appear in local communities after a UFO is seen or recorded on video.
 

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