Referring to the doc management app you built @BlueSpruce these are some observations that you might want to consider
I understand that some of these would be dealt with as you polish and tidy up the app. Some elements of presentation could be worked on : form field widths / consistency. Hope that this helps.
Re the splitting of the FE and BE even if installed on a home PC can mean that you have a less complex effort if you only need to provide a FE update, otherwise all updates require data migration routines. It may be simple with the application as shown, if static , however even your application hints at additional future additions? (although they are would require adding new tables and functions).
Code:
On checking out the application here are a few observations/criticisms and personal recommendations:
1. Schema: the Document table has two fields: DocumentStorageLocation and DocumentFileName. The Document storage location is the full path including filename. DocumentFileName is therefore holding redundant data.
2. Not sure I understand the practical use of the Auto Rename File option: clearly the function works, and the name is adjusted to include a number of attributes entered for the record into the filename. However, it cannot be personalised (except external to the app). The application – given the full path in DocumentStorageLocation - does not require the actual name to be changed, and the DocumentFileName itself is NOT used or parsed, in any in-app process to locate the record.
However these documents may have been opened in other apps, and so renaming will invalidate the item in any recently opened list.
Perhaps copy the doc to a dedicated folder for storing such health docs.
And/or Add a field for a simplified document name (editable – without altering the filename) (re-purpose DocumentFileName?). This can help overcome some of the issues with receiving docs that do not have an inherent meaning to the user – such as a health claim number, or consisting of the patient number at a health facility and the VisitID. They are significant to the institution. So keep the name, just have a field to allow the user to give it a name meaningful to them: CGP102123344 becomes “Claim for MRI Aug 2024” or SHV354082-41095 becomes “Discharge Notes for Broken Leg – Dec2023”.
3. Find Documents form
a. Button Glucose/ Weight/ BP Log has no associated function – and out of scope of your application?
b. Print Selected – no functionality
c. Send Selected - no functionality
d. Dates: would it be helpful to support double-click to insert the current date in date fields?
e. Get Results with no criteria lists everything – perhaps if no criteria supplied then do not list / present message
f. PatientNames in the combo list are not presented alphabetically
g. DocumentType is a longish list: however the list is not alphabetical
h. Provider list is not alphabetical
i. Department is not alphabetical
j. Attending is not alphabetical
k. Keywords – cannot enter text in the either keyword control (or rather the popup to add/edit the list is not appropriate). If the intent is to support searching for a number of keywords (in either keyword1 or keyword2) then an OR and an AND option is required.
l. The search result datasheet, as read-only should not present data as editable – combos etc should not be shown
Form: Add Document
1. Date of Service – display is not wide enough to display all dates
2. Patient Name combo – is not alphabetical
3. Provider – is not alphabetical
4. Department – not alphabetical
5. Attending - not alphabetical
Form: Edit Document
1. Date of Service – display is not wide enough to display all dates
2. Patient Name combo – is not alphabetical
3. Provider – is not alphabetical
4. Department – not alphabetical
5. Attending - not alphabetical
CreateDate – not populated. Perhaps use Now() on create and update of records
CreateUserFKID – not populated – as no login is used/ no user table there is no FKID – perhaps user environ(“username”) call to populate – on create and update of records.
Spelling: Department list > Hepatology not Heapatology
While there are no issues arising from the omission, I am suprised the Option Explicit is not set.
Error handling?
Duplicates can be entered in the lookup tables. Data validation on Before Update event?
When adding an item through the Add Item Pop Up, if the user changes the item’s value (not the shortname) from what was entered on the previous form an error message will appear:
Runtime error 2450: .. cannot find the referenced form “frmPopUpAddDocument”
On line : Forms!frmPopUpAddDocument!cmbDepartment = intIDRe the splitting of the FE and BE even if installed on a home PC can mean that you have a less complex effort if you only need to provide a FE update, otherwise all updates require data migration routines. It may be simple with the application as shown, if static , however even your application hints at additional future additions? (although they are would require adding new tables and functions).
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