Follow up on the recently reported NT error message. A follow-up on the weird NT error message reported in the WAW 2.06: “The control registers for COM2 overlaps with the COM2 control registers.” followed two lines later by “While validating that COM2 was really a serial port, the contents of
How to calculate and track elapsed time. We receive lots of questions about tracking elapsed time, which confuses everyone at first. If you’re working within the same 24 hour time period, you can use the simple expression [endtime] – [starttime] to return the number of hours and minutes spent on
Here’s a simple procedure for exporting information from a table to an Outlook calendar. Q:Elizabeth Moeck wants to know if class name and date information stored in an Access table can be exported to an Outlook calendar A:Here is a simple procedure that does this: Dim dbs As Database Dim
How to change the Overtype mode in text boxes to Insert mode. Q:John Lawrence is frustrated with the Overtype mode in Access text boxes, and wants to know if it can be changed to Insert mode. A:Yes, this can be changed in the Options dialog. Click the Keyboard tab, then
How to suppress the “OpenForm action was canceled” message. Q: Nick Els finds that when he runs a report from a form, even though he has a message on the report’s NoData event, he still gets an annoying error message stating that the OpenForm action was canceled, and he wants
A reader wants to know if there’s a tool that sets up code for error handling. Q:Stephen Young writes to ask whether there is a tool for Access that sets up the code for error handling in a function or sub. A:There is no built-in tool for this purpose in
Here are a couple of methods for creating calculations in queries vertically. Q:Gang Wei writes to ask whether it is possible to create calculations in queries not only horizontally (like Total Cost: [UnitPrice] * [Quantity]), but also vertically, pulling in data from multiple rows. A:Yes, this can be done in
Some interesting error messages and unhelpful help that readers have come across. Sometimes you get singularly unhelpful help or error messages. Here’s some we and our readers have found recently … William Ferry reports the following weird error message, which occurs whenever he boots his laptop running Win NT Workstation:
Some readers suggest efficient alternatives to writing large quantities of text to a separate document, which is then imported into Word. Several readers wrote to suggest more efficient alternatives to writing large quantities of text to a separate document, which is then imported into Word. Robin Trew and Andrew Koch
A reader wants to know why Access loses the paper size of reports if they are anything other than letter size. Q:Jericho Johnson writes: I would like to know why Access loses the paper size of reports if they are anything other than letter size. For Example: I create a
A reader offers this great tip to save time when creating new databases. Chuck Roberts writes with a suggestion that saves time when creating a new database: I frequently make new databases. So I created a blank database with a template form, a template report, and all my standard subroutines.
A simple breakdown of the rather obscure XOR operator Help topic. The Help topic for the XOr operator starts out rather obscurely by explaining that the operator is used to perform a logical exclusion on two expressions. Then it goes from bad to worse: “If one, and only one, of
How to format a cell or row in a list or combo box using conditional formatting. Q:Dale Stark writes that he has Access 2000, and would like to make a row or cell in a list or combo box a different color or font based on some condition. He had
How to print reports from a printer that’s not the default. Q:Bronwyn Pugh wrote to ask how to print certain reports to a color laser printer, when the default printer is (and should be) another printer. A: I have two laser printers (color and b&w), so I have the same
A reader’s having some problems after installing Access 2000 over Access 97. Q:Bob Timms wrote to say he was having problems after installing Access 2000 over Access 97. A:If you don’t need to use Access 97 any more, it is advisable to first uninstall it, then install Access 2000, but
Here’s a code that attaches a saved file to an outgoing fax, using a DDE command. In response to Access Archon #112 (Faxing from Access with WinFax using DDE), Susan S. writes that she needs to fax files as attachments. This can also be done in code. You could, for
How to customise the captions on MessageBox buttons. Q:Piet Boden wants to know if it is possible to change the text displayed on the buttons in a MessageBox.A: Not on a message box produced by the MsgBox function, though you do have a choice of various buttons. You will need
How to suppress printing of a record or a control on a report. Q: Luis Pelaez is looking for a way to suppress printing of a record on a report if the Balance Due field is zero. A: If you wish to just suppress printing of one or more controls,
Here’s another way to strip a character from a text string, a simpler alternative to the StripCharacter function. Q: Robert Greiff writes to say that there is a simpler way to strip a character from a text string than the StripCharacter function I described in WAW 4.24. He proposes using
How to create a functional drop-down list control on an Access toolbar. Q: Charles Duwel wants to make a custom toolbar for an Access 2002 form, with a drop-down list control. He tried dragging a combo box to a toolbar, but it just worked like a button. Is it possible
A reader suggests using Acrobat Distiller to print forms as they look on screen, and more. Gabriel Linart wrote to suggest using the Acrobat Distiller to print forms as they look on screen, for checking form design or keeping a printed record of data entry.This is an excellent solution if
How to print a report footer “page X of Y”, where X is the current and Y is the total. Q: Don Fox wants to know how to print a report footer “Page x of y”, where x is the current page and y is the total number of pages.
How to print larger Memo fields without truncation. Q: Tara Santmire wants to know how to print Memo fields with more than 255 characters on an Access report, without truncation. A: All you need to do is set the CanGrow property of the text box bound to the Memo field
A reader suggests a quick way to re-attach all procedures. Mark Plumpton, responding to the Orphaned Code tip in WAW 4.22, suggests that a quick way to re-attach all procedures is to open the original form’s code module, select all (Ctrl-A), copy (Ctrl-C) and then open the new form’s module