Access is an extremely complex subject and, inevitably, shortcuts and compromises have been made to reduce the written content of this article.

Transcription

1 EMISNUG Conference 2012: Building an Access database Patrick Wilmore, IT Manager, Windrush Medical practice, Witney This handout accompanies my talk at 10.00am on Friday 8 th September The objective is to build a simple but effective address book database in MS Access to demonstrate the use of tables, forms, queries, reports and macros. Access is an extremely complex subject and, inevitably, shortcuts and compromises have been made to reduce the written content of this article. 1. Creating the database Open Access, open a blank database and save it with a name of your choice. You are ready to start. Let us begin by looking at the Container which houses the database objects. Database objects The diagram below shows the relationship between the objects. We shall create at least one of each and show how they can work together to produce an address book. Form (enables user to see and input data in a comfortable way) Table (data storage the table is usually hidden from the user) Query (Interrogates the table to produce a specific piece or pieces of data) Macro (code attached to Controls that enable the user to access other parts of the database such as Reports and to print them automatically Report (enables user to view and print data in a comfortable way), Can be built using a Table or a Query Each object has a User view and a Design view. More of this as we progress. 1

2 2. Creating a table Begin by creating a Table in Design View: Switch to the Table icon in the Container and double left-click Create table in design view. In Design View the table shows Field Name (the name of the fields that go across the top of the table) and Data Type (the type of data to be shown in that field, eg Text) Create the first field: Title. When you click into the Data Type field Text appears as the default with a down arrow alongside. We shall create a list of names: Mr/Miss/Ms/Mrs/Dr, etc. and use a look up wizard to produce a drop-down box in the table. Click the down arrow beside Text and select Lookup Wizard. Select I will type in the values I want and click Next. Type the values in the column that appears, accept the default name Title for your column and click Finish. 2

3 At the bottom of the table (in Design view)you will see a table depicting the properties available for this field. Change the field size to 10. If we are economical with field sizes then the overall size of our database will be smaller. Close the table and you will be asked to save it. Use the database convention tbl: and the table name People. When you click OK a warning box will appear reminding you that you have not created a Primary Key. Say No to this request. Primary keys are used where you want to create a field without duplicates to which in other fields in other tables can be linked. Click on Datasheet view and view the field you have created. The drop-down arrow will show you a picking list from which the user can make a choice. Accuracy will be maintained because the user will not misspell the entry. Return to Design View and add the rest of your fields: I have used texts for all fields except XmasCard? Which is a YES/NO Field. You can find this by clicking on the drop-down arrow in the Data Type. It will give you a tick box when you use the table in datasheet View. Save the changes to your table and switch to Datasheet View. Note the drop down box in the title filed and the tick box in the XmasCard. 3

4 Table complete! Note that the field Xmas Card has a tick box. This feature will transfer to the user form we are about to create. 3. Using a Wizard to create a user form Switch to the Forms object and select Create Form by using wizard. In the tables/queries box select tbl:people. Using the double-headed arrow, transfer all column headings from Available Fields to Selected Fields. (On this occasion) select Columnar, click Next and select Blueprint. Click Next. 4

5 Name the form frm:people and click Finish. You will then see the finished form in User view Switch to Design View. It is possible to completely alter the look of your Form by moving the fields and generally re-designing your form. 4. Adding a button to the user form Stay in Design View. If it isn t already visible, show the Toolbox by clicking the icon on the toolbar. Select the Command Button (shown in green) Select Form operations and Close Form. Click Next. Choose a picture for your button and click Next. Name your button mcr:closefrmpeople. Click Finish. You can adjust the size of your button by dragging the Corner grab handle. 5

6 Switch to user view and click the Save icon. Clicking the button will now close your form magic! 5. Create a query in Design View In the container on the Queries tab, select Create Query in design View In the Show Table window select tbl:people and click Add. The table will then appear above the filed list. Highlight all fields in tbl:people by clicking Title, holding down the shift key, then scrolling down to and clicking XmasCards. Drag the highlighted list down into the Field area. Highlight the field list and drag it into the Field area The fields will all be displayed in the query. 6

7 In the Criteria Row of the XmasCard Field Type Yes. What you have asked the query to do is show only those records where the Xmas card box has been ticked. The query is really just another table where certain criteria are being observed. Click the Save icon and name the query qry:xmascards. Switch to the user view and you would see Only those records where the Xmas Card box had been ticked. There are, of course, no records present, yet. 6. Creating a report to print labels for the Christmas Card envelopes In the container on the Reports tab, select New Select Label Wizard and choose the query XmasCards Select the label size (J8160 is a common one in surgeries) and click next 7

8 Choose the font size, etc, 10, Arial is usual, And click Next. Transfer Title, FirstName and Surname with A space between each, press the Enter Key then transfer Addr1, etc. Click Next. Call your report rpt:qryxmascards. And click Finish. 8

9 The labels will appear ready for printing. Switch to Design View to see how the labels have been programmed For previewing the labels from a button on the Switchboard please see item 9 on page Preparing a Switchboard using a form. Using the Forms object, select Create new form in design view. To make the design area larger click on the bottom right hand corner and drag it to the desired size. The icon highlighted in green is called a label. Click on it and then draw a box on the design area with the mouse pointer type the text EMISNUG Test Database (or your own text) and click outside the label. Click back into the label and format the text, etc. using the formatting options on the toolbar. Add a button to the form (see page 5) but this time select Application and Quit Application. Add text instead of a picture. Save and switch to User View. 9

10 Clicking the close button will take you out of the database and Access We are going to create a button to take us from the Switchboard to the User Input Form using a Macro. A macro is simply a piece of computer code that enables the user to Carry out a task or tasks. Select a Command Button from the Toolbox (See 4. on Page 5). Then select a label (See 7. on Page 9) and enter the text Open user input form. Right-click on the command button, select Macro Builder and click OK. Save the macro as mcr:switchboardfrmopenformpeople. It will become obvious that, when you have many forms, macros, etc., The name is required to identify the correct one. In the first line under action select OpenForm from the drop down list. In the Form Name at the bottom select frm:people from the drop-down list. You have now created a macro on the Switchboard form that will open the user input form when the button is depressed once. Click Save and close the macro. Switch to User View and test the button. 10

11 8. making the database open at the Switchboard form with full screen. In the User View of the Switchboard Form select Tools/StartUp In Display Form/Page select frm:switchboard and click OK. Select Design mode for the form, right-click on the square at the top left corner of the grid area and select Properties. Select the Event tab. In the On Current field select the three dots, select macro Builder, and click OK Create a macro to Maximise (See page 10 if you are unsure about creating a macro). 11

12 9. Creating a macro to show print Preview for the Xmas card labels. This is an alternative method to that shown in 4. on page 5; both methods can be used. Open the Switchboard form in Design View. Select Command Button From the Toolbox and draw the button on the form. Right-click the button and select properties and the Format tab. Type the button name in the Caption field. Switch to the Event tab and select the On Click field Create a macro as previously discussed. Note that when you add OpenReport In the Action field you will have two further fields to fill in at the bottom of the macro sheet. Also note that in View you will need to show Print Preview and not Print. Otherwise your button will be just a print button. When you test the button you will see the report as shown at the top of page 9. Don t forget to save your button and to save the changes to your form. You are now ready to start adding data! And finally, I hope you have enjoyed this little excursion into MS Access 2003 as much as I have enjoyed preparing and presenting it. Do please feel free to contact me by Patrick.wilmore@nhs.net or telephone: Patrick Wilmore. 12