Stylish forms that actually look good and are user friendly

[Guillaume777]

I searched google for sample databases and most forms are rather primitive... Currently there are some features to make more user-friendly forms that I have yet to find in excess:

1. Stop updating record automatically :
For some strange reason access auto-update the records the user change in a form. What I want is to only update records when the user press the "SAVE" button. This could allows better validation without forcing the user to remain trapped in an entry.

2. Better error messages
Instead of annoying pop-up telling the user that he made an error, I want something like an ErrorProvider Component that tells what error the user made with a small symbol (!) which provides the explanation of the error when you over the mouse on it.

3. Using different formats for different columns in a datasheet form
For some reason it is not possible to assign a special backcolor for some field that are locked to indicate they are locked if you use a datasheet form. This needlessly confuses users who hammer their keyboard trying to enter info in locked fields and have no feedback ( except maybe an incredibly annoying pop-up window ) to tell them not to enter data there.

4. Better excel-style features for datasheet forms :
Good way to annoy users : prevent a way to cut and paste multiple rows/columns of information in datasheet. If you try to paste more than one column at the same time it just doesn't work.

Also why is it impossible to make the title of field to take more than 1 row ? I mean it sure looks dumb to have

Number of tax report
1
2
3
4

Instead of

Number of
tax report
1
2
3
4

 

[ghudson]

Searching the forum is a great way to discover and learn the answers to your Access programming questions.

Check these links out for some working examples that will assist your project.

A Better Mouse Trap?

Enable/Disable The Control Box X Button

 

[Guillaume777]

Searching the forum is a great way to discover and learn the answers to your Access programming questions.

Check these links out for some working examples that will assist your project.

A Better Mouse Trap?

Enable/Disable The Control Box X Button

I read that already, but yet nobody tell how to makes the update only happens when you press the save button. All it does is prevent the user from quitting or switching records.

 

[workmad3]

Use a non bound form and wrrte your own saving and loading routines. I do that in my project, and it works fairly well. I try to avoid using bound forms in my project as they force me into the way access does things too much as opposed to what my boss wants me to do.

 

[ghudson]

I read that already, but yet nobody tell how to makes the update only happens when you press the save button. All it does is prevent the user from quitting or switching records.

You read it but did you actually play with my A Better Mouse Trap? sample? It demonstrates how to prevent the user from moving off of a dirty record unless the user either clicks my custom Save button or my Undo button. How much easier can it be?

***Acess does not auto-save a record. Access will save a dirty record if the user moves to another record [old or new]. My "Mouse Trap" sample will show you how to prevent that.

Too much work involved with using unbound forms. You are defeating the easy stuff Access allows you to do and program for if you do not use a bound form. Unbound forms do not allow you to take advantage of all the "events" that a bound form will use.

 

[Guillaume777]

Thanks for your help Pat Hartman ! You sure cleared a few things up

However you said

Make the form's BeforeUpdate event your friend. Use this event to trap errors and stop saves. Your save button should have only a single line of code -
DoCmd.RunCommand acCmdSaveRecord
That's it!!!!! All other code goes into the BeforeUpdate event so that it is executed REGARDLESS of what caused the recordsave.

What do I do in BeforeUpdate to stops the update ?

 

[Rich]

Thanks for your help Pat Hartman ! You sure cleared a few things up

However you said



What do I do in BeforeUpdate to stops the update ?

Cancel=True

 

[ghudson]

What do I do in BeforeUpdate to stops the update ?

My A Better Mouse Trap? demonstrates how to use the forms BeforeUpdate event to cancel the saving of a record. You can customize it to verify that the user passes your validation criteria. Are you not looking at the information that is being offered to you?