Shape Effects and Conditional formatting

[wallacealeco]

Having recently upgraded to Access 2013 I've noticed when designing forms or reports the Shape Effect button is greyed out. Also, when I click Conditional Formatting no dialogue box pops up. This is happening on all old Databases and new ones created with 2013. (Windows 7 64 bit)
Hope I haven't missed this topic if already covered. Thanks in anticipation.

 

[wallacealeco]

I should have added that I was trying to use Shapes Effects and Conditional Formatting buttons on the ribbon.
I have discovered by right clicking the field I want to edit these functions are available to me from the box that opens. Why not from the ribbon?
Thanks to anyone who may have been looking into this.

 

[AccessJunkie]

Hi,

This issue sounds very familiar to me.

By chance is your Ribbon collapsed when you are clicking the Conditional Formatting button? By collapsed I mean you don't see the Ribbon options until you click one of the tabs. If so, than that is the issue. Expand the Ribbon so you see all the options and try again. I suspect it will work for you now.

Note, you might also encounter this if you have resized your Access window small enough such that the Ribbon has collapsed width-wise. In this case, the ribbon group is collapsed down to one button and then you click that to expand to see the Conditional Formatting button.

In both cases, expanding the Ribbon should solve the issue or as you've observed, access the button through the right-click menu.

--------------------
Jeff Conrad - Access Junkie - MVP Alumnus
Senior SDET - Access Test Team - Microsoft Corporation

Author - Microsoft Access 2013 Inside Out
Author - Microsoft Access 2010 Inside Out
Co-author - Microsoft Office Access 2007 Inside Out
Access 2007/2010/2013 Info: http://www.AccessJunkie.com

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[wallacealeco]

Thanks so much for that. You were correct, my ribbon was collapsed. Expanding it resulted in the Conditional Formatting starting to work. The Shape Effects is still greyed out though.
I'm using Access at full screen so ribbon is not collapsed through lack of width. Right click menu works fine so I can live with that.

 

[AccessJunkie]

Hi,

I'm glad you were able to use the Conditional Formatting button after expanding the Ribbon. This is an issue we are tracking in our system.

Concerning the Shape Effects button, that option is only available for command buttons, toggle buttons, and navigation buttons. When you select any other control type on the design surface, the Shape Effects ribbon option will be disabled.

--------------------
Jeff Conrad - Access Junkie - MVP Alumnus
Senior SDET - Access Test Team - Microsoft Corporation

Author - Microsoft Access 2013 Inside Out
Author - Microsoft Access 2010 Inside Out
Co-author - Microsoft Office Access 2007 Inside Out
Access 2007/2010/2013 Info: http://www.AccessJunkie.com

----------
This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.
Use of included script samples are subject to the terms specified at
http://www.microsoft.com/info/cpyright.mspx
----------

 

[wallacealeco]

That explains all then. Thanks again.

 

[AccessJunkie]

No problem, glad to help.
Good luck with your project.

--------------------
Jeff Conrad - Access Junkie - MVP Alumnus
Senior SDET - Access Test Team - Microsoft Corporation

Author - Microsoft Access 2013 Inside Out
Author - Microsoft Access 2010 Inside Out
Co-author - Microsoft Office Access 2007 Inside Out
Access 2007/2010/2013 Info: http://www.AccessJunkie.com

----------
This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.
Use of included script samples are subject to the terms specified at
http://www.microsoft.com/info/cpyright.mspx
----------