No Longer Set

Final Lineup Announced for Access DevCon Vienna 2023

The final lineup is in for Access DevCon Vienna 2023. Check out all 12 presentation topics and speakers. And don't forget to register!

VBA

Why Do I Need to Set Objects to Nothing in VBA?

Everyone knows you need to set object variables to nothing in VBA, right? ... Right?

twinBASIC Weekly Update

twinBASIC Update: March 19, 2023

Highlights include a compilation of 60 of twinBASIC's existing improvements over VB6, mouse scroll events, a Last Position feature, and other IDE improvements,

Week in Review

Week in Review: March 18, 2023

Highlights include automating Word to create a font list, Name AutoCorrect, horizontal continuous forms, and the new Edge-based browser control.

Subs vs. Functions

Returning Values By Reference in Ribbon Callbacks

To return a value from a ribbon callback, you need to pass the value back to the calling procedure using an argument that has been passed by reference.

Edge Browser Control

An Early Look at Security Features in the New Browser Control

Among the differences between the old and new Microsoft Access browser controls is an emphasis on security in the new version. What does that mean for you?

Announcement

New Edge Browser Control Now Available in Preview and Beta Versions of Microsoft Access

It's finally (almost) here. The new Edge Browser control is finally available for testing in Insider versions of Microsoft 365.

Quotes

Byte-Sized Wisdom: Debugging

You know what debugging is like? Debugging is like...

Commentary

Managing Software Complexity: The Rule of Seven

Don't try to increase the number of balls you can keep in the air; instead, reduce the number of balls needed to follow your software's logic.

twinBASIC Weekly Update

twinBASIC Update: March 12, 2023

Highlights include IDE bookmarks, improvements to the debugging experience, and a sampling of how twinBASIC is being used today.

Week in Review

Week in Review: March 11, 2023

Highlights include a deep dive into form events, optimizing queries in SQL Server, dealing with split forms, and how to embed QR codes in a Word mail merge.

Subs vs. Functions

Every Function in VBA Returns a Value

Whether you assign one explicitly or not, every function in VBA has a return value.

Code Library

CaptionCheck(): Verify All Forms and Reports Have a Caption

This simple pre-deployment check will help save you the embarrassment of forgetting to set your form or report captions.

Best Of

My Top 10 Joel Spolsky Posts

If you are running a small (or large) software development company, Joel Spolsky should be at the top of your reading list.

Tools

Simple Logging Framework for VBScript Files

If you use VB Script files to automate recurring tasks, adding support for severity-based logging offers cheap insurance against future problems.

Reports

Never Forget to Set Your Report Caption Again

With this trick, it's nearly impossible to forget to set your report's Caption property in Microsoft Access.

twinBASIC Weekly Update

twinBASIC Update: March 5, 2023

Highlights include the addition of MonthView and DatePicker controls, new methods, properties, and events, and a note about the twinBASIC splash screen.

Week in Review

Week in Review: March 4, 2023

Highlights include a trick to update parent form calculations without using subform events, translation tools in Access, and early/late binding declarations.

Tools

Password Generator

There are plenty of online password generator sites, but this one is my favorite.

VBA

MS Access Windows API Viewer

Here are three good options for looking up proper Declare statements when calling Windows API functions from VBA.

SQL Server

Updating Linked SQL Server Views in Access When Changing the Underlying Table Data Types

If you change the data type of a table field in SQL Server, follow these steps to be sure all related views are updated in Microsoft Access.

Announcement

Richard Rost: Newest Access MVP

The Access video king is back on the MVP rolls. Richard Rost earned the MVP award for the third time and his first since 2015.

Announcement

Access DevCon Vienna 2023: April 27-28

The annual Access DevCon Vienna conference will be held April 27-28, 2023. Check out this year's lineup and get registered today.

twinBASIC Weekly Update

twinBASIC Update: February 26, 2023

Highlights include a big announcement for twinBASIC in the world of Access and the release of ZoneStripper, another of fafalone's VB6 twinBASIC ports.

Week in Review

Week in Review: February 25, 2023

Highlights include a modern date-time picker proof of concept, using SQL Server views from Access, and writing code other people can read.