Question Switchboard Examples

[saip15]

Hi,

Would anyone be willing to share their switchboard designs? I don't want to use the actual switchboard manager but create a form and use it as my switchboard. I'm having a hard time getting a good start and making it look organized. Thanks so much!

 

[Access Hero]

Hmmm. I just modified the design of the built in switchboard. Put the company's logo on it and everything.

It's a lot of work creating a functional switchboard from scratch. Why throw away all the work Microsoft already did for you?

 

[Catalina]

Here is one that I'm working on, the application is a work in progress.

Catalina

 

[alktrigger]

I never intended for this to be pretty, but it is easy to navigate.

 

[saip15]

alktrigger, would you be willing to save your switchboard in a new database so I could see the code. How did you get the tabs? Thanks

 

[alktrigger]

Here is my "switchboard". I made this using a regular form, not the switchboard manager, and just used macro code to launch forms from command boxes. This gave me some more freedom with appearance. The tabs were created using form controls.

 

[saip15]

Is there anyway you could save that as a .mdb file. I would greatly appreciate it. Thanks

 

[alktrigger]

Can't guarantee compatibility, but good luck

 

[HiTechCoach]

Hi,

Would anyone be willing to share their switchboard designs? I don't want to use the actual switchboard manager but create a form and use it as my switchboard. I'm having a hard time getting a good start and making it look organized. Thanks so much!

I have found that the switchboard layouts that users like the most match their work flow/ processes.

I have multi sites using the same app, each with different switchboard layouts to match their work flow/ processes.

 

[RossWindows]

Had to black out a little for confidentiality reasons.

Basically, what I have here is a classed form docked to the left-hand side of the window at all times. Whatever the user clicks on opens the corresponding page or form on the right-hand side.

The main menu options are populated by determining who you are and what you are allowed to see; the valid options are then compiled in a list box that occupies the full space of the main menu form.

 

[Galaxiom]

It's a lot of work creating a functional switchboard from scratch. Why throw away all the work Microsoft already did for you?

Switchboards are basically crippled forms. Often they are a step in the way to where you are heading.

I prefer a Master form approach allowing values to be entered and acted upon. For example with a Master form you can select a reporting period that is then used as a default for all the reports. The Switchbord could only take you to another form where you would then go through the same actions.

 

[Galaxiom]

Not long after I started my current job we installed a lot of new computers. To save on software expense we only supplied Office Standard to anyone who said they didn't do database design and installed Access Runtime instead.

However most of the databases had no Switchboards or master forms and so were not navigable through Runtime. The databases were all very poorly constructed. Some had a dozen forms or more with multiple variants of apparently the same form.

Over the years staff had modified tables and some of the forms no longer even worked. So staff had resorted to working directly in the tables. Some queries were used directly for reporting. Creating switchboards for this mess was not a solution. Manually creating master forms to open as many as 25 objects really didn't appeal either and seemed a waste of time on databases that needed to be rebuilt from scratch.

To get them all going again without facing the enormity of what was really required, I wrote code to automatically generate a form with a button for every table, query, form and report in a database. Essentially it provided something functionally akin to the navigation bar but available in runtime.

And I didn't have to look at any more closely enough to be freaked out by their poor design. I still have months of work ahead reworking them all properly.

 

[HiTechCoach]

Here is an example that is really cool:

Explorer Bar - Non ActiveX

 

[saip15]

alktrigger,

It works great! Thanks again! I def. like the tab control.

 

[alktrigger]

It works great! Thanks again! I def. like the tab control.

I'm glad it works for you. But looking at some of the forms that people made (RossWindows esp>), mine is cheap and basic.

 

[saip15]

Yeah, but it's simple. Some databases don't need complicated switchboards. Not enough information.

 

[RossWindows]

Here is an example that is really cool:

Explorer Bar - Non ActiveX

That's pretty sick!
Everyone needs to check that out!

 

[norcalpsych]

I like the tabs on your work.

I'm a novice and plan to use Switchboard wizard to make mine.

I'd like my switchboard to have 4 buttons that I think take me to either a form or a subpage. the main page buttons include:
Enter Client Data (to a form/table)
Enter Specific Test Results (to a subpage since there are several tests)
Run Standard Query (to a subpage linked to a variety of prefab queries)
Run Standard Reports (to a subpage linked to a variety of prefab reports)

I don't know visual basic so must rely on the wizard, will you point me in the right direction to move forward with this?

Can't guarantee compatibility, but good luck