Looking ahead of Access 03 limited graphics

[FuzMic]

Hi friends

As tech progress, users particularly the younger ones expects better graphics. Access in the 03 version has very basic looking forms and a desktop that you can't do much. Thus this thread and its questions hoping to hear from those already ahead to share your experiences.

1 Can we change the desktop's appearance in Access 03?
2 We we get better looking icon's into Access 03?
3 What's your view about the standard of Access 07 graphics?
4 Is the conversion to Access 07 from 03 a relatively easy path?

Thanks in advance.

 

[the_net_2.0]

1) there is no desktop in Access. If you're talking about the program window, YES you can. You can do all sorts of things, but the easiest might be just to always open a maximized form at startup as your own background. NO, you can't change how the program window looks. (not without serious API usage).

2) you can bring any image you want into access, but .ico files I don't think are supported outside of the "application icon" property in the options dialog. you can use images for buttons, form headers, etc... Be aware that almost nothing else bloats your database size more than using images.

3) 07 is the same as 03. Why would there be a difference? Just like any update from any software manufacturer, the look is different, but that's about all.

4) Conversion is fine. the file extension changes, and that's about all. Seldomly, you will have to update code syntax if some actions or properties were used in 03 that are depricated in 07, but 99% of people won't see this happen. The coding would have to be unique. Access has not really changed that much from version to version, even from 97 until now, except for it's interface layout.

 

[gemma-the-husky]

the thnig is, access is all about data handling, and not so much about the screen design - ie, it doesnt offer "skins" like a mp3 player.

presentation is certainly adequate though.

so what exactly do you mean - how do you want to change it.

 

[Simon_MT]

Access skin is limited but when handling data you want people to look at the data. However you can a little fun with your screens. One of these day's MS will realise that there are colourist around that think grey is ever so boring and dull, and don't tell me silver is the new grey! The only thing I haven't been able to remove is the grey on tabs, bother! bother! bother!


Simon

 

[the_net_2.0]

Simon,

Nice pics sir.

I really want to get some 'droning' type music going in the background of some of my applications. I'm not allowed with that though.

Something suspenseful would be great. Takes the dullness out of the day.

 

[Simon_MT]

I'm currently listening to John Adam's Shaker Hoops, headphones on, and no-one is the wiser. The problems with playing music is threefold:

1) You can tell when people are working or NOT!
2) Your taste of music might not be compatiable to your users
3) Having been in a gallery, hearing the same piece over and over again, was excurciating.

I believe that with Access 2007 you can add music as an attachment.

Simon

 

[FuzMic]

Thanks guys for all the views.

D_Net, i should have referred to it 'program window'.

Since writing this thread i had a closer look at Access07's NorthWind sample. Here are some things i found relating to looks.

1. Menu bar can be created but in the sample, cmd buttons are extensively used instead. Moreover Switch board, another form of menu option, lose its dominance.

2. There is alternate background colour in the form header of NorthWind but i have still not figure how it can set up. Help gets me no where, so your help will certainly help including a shot at LayOut View.

3. The tab in the 'Home' form is interesting which does not seem to use the usual docmd.openform but instead use a dialog to set up. Is there any equivalent in VB. This tab is different from the usual tab in a form and this i believe is something new to give Access07+ the new look.

4. The VBasic is versioned as 6.5; is there any difference form VB6.SP6?

5. Switching off the Ribbon by creating a system table USysRibbons as suggested in the Help don't work. PS: i just found out that the help is wrong, it should be as follows - (case sensitive & beginning text missing)
RibbonXML
"<customUI xmlns=""http://schemas.microsoft.com/office/2006/01/customui""><ribbon startFromScratch=""true""></ribbon></customUI>"
Now the Ribbon is off but new Issue

5.1. How to hide the Office Button; Two suggestions in other site won't work (i) DoCmd.ShowToolbar "Ribbon", acToolbarNo. (ii) placing a Title plus having an Icon.
But if you are using .mdb and have a blank start up menubar eg NoneMenu, then Office Button will certainly stop appearing, back to our old comfort zone of Access 03-.

 

[Lightwave]

presentation is certainly adequate though.

I do think that presentation is adequate however once you get to be reasonable at designing databases you do start to wish you had greater control over some of the aesthetics.

Certainly really good quality icons on buttons might really pull up an application and the record counter bar is pretty dull.

Realistically small points but when you play games or use applications on things like apple products and see how smooth the user interfaces are you kind of yearn for that in your own applications.

 

[FuzMic]

Simon
Had a look at your 2 .gif; tell me in what version of Access did you create them, or more importantly can Access03 do it.

From the look's perspective, what i gather is with Access02 / 03 we can do away with Menu Bar and Switch Board and have a Main form with tabs that can hide or unhide similar to the NorthWind.07. Hence, if objects such as label, text boxes, etc can be more colourful, we too can give Access02/03 a new look.

 

[Simon_MT]

I'm using Access 2007 and a combination of Photshop and dfmhtml. I upgraded from Access 1997 to Access 2007. I use gifs as they have a small footprint.

Simon

 

[FuzMic]

Simon Thanks, i like yr idea of smallest footprint .gif. As i am persisting to extend the visual impact with Access.02/03, i tried 2 tinkering.

1.
.gif file, for that matter a sizeable .jpg, as expected has no problem embedding into a image object. A smaller .mdb if image is possible if image is only linked. However there is the disadvantage of carrying the .gif around and i am not sure if there is any compromise at the point of loading in linking.

2.
My real problem is trying to put a .gif into a command button. In Access.02/03's negative response is "Try converting to BMP or GIF format". Looks like Access02.03 is not consistent in its behaviour and its message Which is true?

 

[Simon_MT]

Whilst it is aesthetic pleasing to incorporate images onto Buttons, we are talking about relatively small images. I would either not worry about the images in the buttons, or make them into small bitpmaps or upgrade to 2007. It is for this very resason I never upgraded Access 1997 until Access 2007 when naive image formats were supported.

I would normally use compressed jpegs but this lossy technique does create fuzziness around characters and the gif format did'nt. The fuzziness is quite understandable as the low res image blend the transitional colors to be efficient due to the loss of resolution.

Simon

 

[FuzMic]

Simon, being very new to Ace07, hope u will indulge me a bit further b4 we end this thread.

Refer to your 2nd .gif
1) I notice band colours in the the cmd buttons. Q: Are they command buttons with image built by you or is it something else?

2) The form header also have 2 band colours. Q: Is that a .gif image added in as an image object or a built in property within Ace07?

Cheers!

 

[Simon_MT]

1) Under Customise Quick Access ToolBar > Current Database turn on:
Use Windows Themed Control on Form
2) The image is external so on the Forms Properties > Picture
File Name
Tiling : No
Picture Alignment : Top Left
Picture Type : Linked
Picture Size Mode: Clip

The Menu banner is a Bound Object Frame

Simon

 

[FuzMic]

Thanks Simon, bye