Creating a Form A form is something that is created allowing users to enter information in a more visual manner than a datasheet view. In the database object window, click on the word Forms Double Click on the words Create form by using wizard The following window will appear: In the Tables/Queries section, click on the drop down arrow. Click on the table or query you want to create the from from.
Locate the buttons with arrows between the available and selected Fields. o If you click on the single arrow to the right, then each field that is highlighted in the Available Fields will be move to the Selected Fields o If you click on the double arrow to the right, then all the fields from the available fields will be moved to the selected fields. o If you click on the single arrow to the left, then each field that is highlighted in the Selected Fields will be moved back to the Available Fields. o If you click on the double arrows to the left, then all the fields will be moved back from the Selected Fields to the Available Fields. For this example, I chose all the fields to be on the form. The window will look like the following: Click Next
The layout question The following screen will appear: Columnar: will put fields in columns. Note: You will have to move fields around in order to have the fields not overlap. Tabular: will put fields in a tabular view. Datasheet: This will look just like the datasheet view Justified: This will place the fields in a justified position on the form. The fields will not overlap and you will not have to move the fields around. This is a good option. I chose Justified Click next.
The following window will appear: The Style Question Microsoft will allow you to choose a pre-built style. If you choose a pre-built style (blends, blueprint, expedition, industrial, international, ricepaper, sandstone, stone, and Sumi painting) then you do not have any control over the appearance of the form. In other words you cannot change colors or fonts, etc. If you choose the Standard style, then you do have control over the look of the form. You can change colors and fonts and etc. I chose Standard. Click Next. The following window will appear: Type in a title for the form if so desired. This is what will show up in the database object window when forms is selected. If you want to modify the form s design, click on the radio button next to the words Modify the form s design. If you want to see what the form looks like then leave the radio button checked.
Click Finish. The following window will appear: I can now enter information into the form. Modifying the Form in Design View Click on the protractor button to view the form in design view. It is important to know that you cannot enter information when you are in design view. Please do not try!!! The window now looks like this:
There are three sections to the form. Form Header: This is a good place to create a label for the form Detail: This is where the fields are located. You can place labels, text boxes, images in this area. It might be a good idea to create a label of instructions at the bottom of this section. The label would contain instructions on how to input data into the form. Form Footer: Can also place a label. Not recommended. Creating a label Move the cursor between the Form Header and the Detail until you see a two way arrow pointing up and down. Click and drag down about half an inch. Locate the toolbox menu. Click on the Aa button and then move the cursor to the form header area. The cursor will look like an A with a plus sign. Move the cursor to the upper left hand corner of the form header Click and drag a box that fills up the width of the form (the same width that takes up the width of the fields). After letting go of the mouse the box will have a blinking cursor. Type a name for the label. Click off the box Click back on the box You can now change the font, color, fill color, border color of the label. To change the fill color of the form header: Click in any part of the form header
Click on the drop down arrow next to the paint bucket on the formatting toolbar and click on a color. That color will fill up the header area. You can change the color of the detail section also by clicking on a field name or the detail area and clicking on the paint bucket from the formatting toolbar. It is not recommended that you change the font size of the fields. The boxes do not grow with the size of the font. Moving fields in the design view (this is tricky and can be time consuming) If you chose the columnar layout for the form, then you will need to move the fields around so the words do not overlap each other. Moving both the field name and the accompanying box Click on a field name Move the cursor around the border of the selected field. When you see a small black hand, click and drag. This moves both the field name and the white box next to the field name. Moving the field name or just the accompanying box Move the cursor to the black box in the upper left hand corner of the selected field. The pointer changes to a small black finger. Click and drag to move the field name box. Do the same if you want to move the accompanying box that goes with the field name. Viewing the form Click on the button in the upper left hand corner right above the words FormHeader. This will put you in data entry view. To return to the design view, click on the protractor in the upper left hand corner. Click yes to save the changes of the design of the form.