Code Library MergeLines(): A Handy Function for Building Address Blocks This handy little function takes care of the tedious chore of creating multi-line strings devoid of blank lines.
Presentations Form Templates Presentation to the Denver Area Access User Group A list of resources and further reading for my presentation on Form Templates in Microsoft Access.
Database Design When Should You Include an Autonumber Column in a Table? Surrogate vs. Natural Keys. GUIDs vs. Autonumbers. What factors dictate whether to include an autonumber column in your table? When should you do it?
Form Design Reducing Cognitive Load: The Benefits of Consistent UI Design Reducing cognitive load through consistent UI design offers numerous benefits for both users and developers.
Code Library FirstValidPath() Simplify your VBA code with the versatile FirstValidPath convenience function, which efficiently determines the first valid path from a list of potential matches.
twinBASIC Weekly Update twinBASIC Update: June 11, 2023 Highlights include a new target release date for version 1, an accompanying roadmap update, and support for Control Arrays.
Week in Review Week in Review: June 10, 2023 Highlights include a new batch of Access bug fixes, a video with tips for migrating a backend from Access to SQL Server, and a deep dive into the Rubberduck Style Guide.
Announcement Upcoming Presentation: Form Templates Join me online on Thursday, June 15, for my presentation, "Form Templates in Microsoft Access," to the Denver Area Access User Group.
Tools Using Hard Links to Help Mimic a Client Network Environment Need to mimic data environments for multiple clients? Hate managing the resulting data sprawl? Hard links can help.
Edge Browser Control Resources for the Modern Edge-Based Browser Control in Microsoft Access Looking for information or help with the modern Edge-based browser control in Microsoft Access? You've come to the right place.
Debugging Using PowerShell to Provide TCP Port Details of Running SQL Server Instances A PowerShell script that returns useful debugging information about the TCP port details of running instances of SQL Server.
Reader Challenge Logic Puzzle Solution Bonus: SQL Server Edition Reader Johann Preissl writes in with a pure T-SQL solution to the Five-House Logic Puzzle. No tables or VBA required!
twinBASIC Weekly Update twinBASIC Update: June 4, 2023 Highlights include a search option to match whole words only, some handy ways to generate GUIDs, and a clever way to deploy and register custom ActiveX controls.
Week in Review Week in Review: June 3, 2023 Highlights include integrating online licensing via KeyGen, more info on the new browser control, and exploring whether AI will replace programmers.
Code Library ShiftDate() Function: Intelligent Date Adjustments The ShiftDate() function provides intelligent date handling for your application by helping preserve month-end dates.
Code Library ptReplaceDeclaredValues(): A VBA Function to Update SQL in Pass-Through Queries Use this function to reliably replace declared values in a pass-through query.
Quick Tip Quick Tip: Preventing Accidental Double-Clicks Pop quiz, hotshot: What would happen if a user double-clicked every button in your Access application? Would there be any unintended consequences?
Reader Challenge Logic Puzzle Solution Part 2: Testing the neighborhood Class Module In part 2 of my Access solution for the five-house logic problem, we test the neighborhood class module.
Reader Challenge Logic Puzzle Solution Part 1: The oNeighborhood Class Module In part 1 of my Access solution for the five-house logic problem, I demonstrate the class module I used to model a neighborhood configuration.
twinBASIC Weekly Update twinBASIC Update: May 28, 2023 Highlights include a new home for twinBASIC documentation (docs.twinbasic.com) and an update on twinBASIC's slant.co language ranking.
Week in Review Week in Review: May 27, 2023 Highlights include a Windows registry class module from Philipp Stiefel, a deep dive into the new browser control, and Access news from the recent MVP Summit.
Quick Tip Quick Tip: Code Comment Breadcrumbs This quick tip is a great way to boost the signal-to-noise ratio of your code without sacrificing valuable context from your decision-making process.
Reader Challenge Solving the Five-House Logic Problem by Hand In this follow-up to my post on the classic Five-House Logic Problem, I provide the solution to the riddle plus a few tips for finding it.
Reader Challenge Reader Challenge: Einstein's Five-House Logic Problem In part 1 of this series, I introduce a classic logic problem that took me nearly two hours to solve by hand. Later in the series, we'll use Access to program a solution.
Business Reader Question: How Do I Make Value-Based Pricing Work? Value-based pricing is not a synonym for fixed-bid pricing. To make it work, you need to focus on the business value you can generate for the client.