Wrap text in the Header columns

[WilliamQian]

I'm new to MS Access and this forum. This may be a silly question but I cannot find answer anywhere: can I wrap text in the header columns of a table in Datasheet view as shown in the attachment?

BTW, I cannot make the column width wider because I want to display as many columns as possible.

Any help would be great appreciated. Thanks.

 

[DJkarl]

Don't think you can do this in datasheet view, datasheet is setup to look just like a table, and has similar limitations to a table when it comes to formatting. Why not try a tabular form, then you could set column header width and heights seperately from the columns where needed.

 

[WilliamQian]

Thank you very much for the quick response. Tabular form doesn't look as "neat" as a datasheet. We're transferring from Excel, and my users are expecting to see something looks like a spreadsheet...

But I'll go with tabular form if there's no better solutions. Thanks again.

 

[boblarson]

Tabular form doesn't look as "neat" as a datasheet.

True, at first but if you work at it you can make it look close to the same as a datasheet. It just takes some work.

 

[Libre]

Another possibility is to use aliases for column headings. So, instead of, say:
SalesTotalsFor2007 you can use an alias in the query design like this:
SalesTots07:SalesTotalsFor2007
Then it will be SalesTots07 that appears on the datasheet view. When referring to that column from outside the query you'll have to use the alias name of SalesTots07.

 

[WilliamQian]

Thanks, Libre, but I want to display full text in the column headings.

 

[WilliamQian]

True, at first but if you work at it you can make it look close to the same as a datasheet. It just takes some work.

Here is the best I can do with Tabular form. It's pretty good though. Thanks for all helps.

 

[WilliamQian]

But now I get another problem. I'd like to freeze the most left column, and it seems that I cannot do it in tabular form. I have to use datasheet view for this feature.

This is so bad...Excel can do it like a snap. I've spent a lot of time on this small thing. Is there anybody can help me out of here?

 

[boblarson]

But now I get another problem. I'd like to freeze the most left column, and it seems that I cannot do it in tabular form. I have to use datasheet view for this feature.

How have you tried to freeze it?

 

[WilliamQian]

How have you tried to freeze it?

Well, I mean it's easy to do so in Datasheet view. Just right click the column and choose "freeze columns", but I can't do it in tabular view.

It seems that I cannot get them all. For wrap text header, I have to use Tabular view; for freeze column, I have to use Datasheet view. Is it typical of MS softwares that you can have some features in each part but you'll never have them all in one place?

 

[DJkarl]

From Access Help section

"Note The FrozenColumns property applies only to tables, forms, and queries in Datasheet view."

Doesn't sound like this is an option in tabular view.

My 2 cents:
I've helped several departments at different companies transition from Excel to Access, and the biggest mistake I made early on was trying to design Access to work like Excel. They are different tools for different jobs and don't work the same because they aren't MEANT to work the same. I know users don't like change and fear having to learn something new, but in the end designing an Access form to work like a spreadsheet is not the desired approach, because users will then start asking you for Excel like functions in the form, ever tried to do a Vlookup in an Access Form? Just my two cents

 

[WilliamQian]

From Access Help section

My 2 cents:
I've helped several departments at different companies transition from Excel to Access, and the biggest mistake I made early on was trying to design Access to work like Excel. They are different tools for different jobs and don't work the same because they aren't MEANT to work the same. I know users don't like change and fear having to learn something new, but in the end designing an Access form to work like a spreadsheet is not the desired approach, because users will then start asking you for Excel like functions in the form, ever tried to do a Vlookup in an Access Form? Just my two cents

You're right. I'll give it up. Thanks.

 

[llkhoutx]

Emulate the datasheet view with a form. Wrap headers to you life's content.

 

[WilliamQian]

Finally my solution is to add a duplicate column of what I wanted to freeze to the right side. It's not perfect but it works. The idea came from my boss.

Still, it would be perfect if ACCESS can wrap text in the Headers in Datasheet view...