Mike Wolfe

Tools

3 Ways to Find Showplan.out

Finding Jet ShowPlan's showplan.out file can be deceptively difficult. Here are three approaches to make it easy. At least one is guaranteed to work.

Tools

Using ProcMon to Troubleshoot Registry Calls

Finding the correct registry keys for JetShowPlan and ODBC TraceSqlMode can be tricky. Let ProcMon take the guesswork out of the process.

Announcement

Upcoming Presentation: Troubleshooting Query Performance

Join me online on Thursday, March 17, for my presentation, "Troubleshooting Query Performance," to the Denver Area Access User Group.

Commentary

Is Microsoft Access a Good Development Platform in 2022?

Microsoft has embraced the mantra of "move fast and break things." For Access, though, Microsoft is only delivering on the latter part of that promise.

Class Modules

Caching Object Instances in VBA Classes

Simplify the object initialization code in your class modules without sacrificing performance using this easy technique.

twinBASIC Weekly Update

twinBASIC Update: February 6, 2022

Highlights include the milestone release of WinForms functionality, control inheritance, ReadOnly class properties, and twinPACK updating documentation.

Bug Alert

Bug Alert: Cannot Open Any More Tables/Databases

Check out the latest bug release from Microsoft: "Cannot open any more tables/databases.", .laccdb file remains, msaccess.exe hangs, and more...

Ribbon

Icon Dimensions in the Office Ribbon

Custom ribbon icons look sharpest when they are displayed at their native resolution.

Quick Tip

Inserting a Blank Line in the VBA Immediate Window

Did you know you can insert a newline character in the Immediate Window without executing the current line of code?

Form Design

Add a Custom Right-Click Menu to an Access Control

It's easier than you might think to add a right-click menu to a control on your Access form.

SQL

Fixing Circular References in Access Queries

Did you get the error message, "Circular reference caused by alias 'MyField' in query definition's SELECT list"? Don't worry; it's an easy fix!

Commentary

Code is WORM: Act Accordingly

Write Once. Read Many. The cost of avoiding shortcuts when writing code is far exceeded by the benefits you'll get when reading it.

twinBASIC Weekly Update

twinBASIC Update: January 30, 2022

Highlights include a sample project demonstrating the WaynesGrid control and a timeline update for the release of (some) native Win32 controls.

Tools

Simple Fix for Missing DBF Support in Access 2013

Quick fix installers that restore Access 2013 DBF support *PLUS* the techniques I used to build the installers using 7-Zip and Inno Setup.

Basic

Microsoft Access Acronyms

Bookmark this handy reference so the next time you come across an Access acronym that you don't recognize, you will have a quick way to look it up.

Tools

Creating a Shortcut to an Environment Variable Path

If you rely on OneDrive or SharePoint to collaborate on files with your team, this tip will help you provide a uniform way to access data across all devices.

Form Design

Tabbed Master-Detail Form

The tabbed master-detail form is the heart of my Access applications. The first tab has record details, while the other tabs provide subforms for one-to-many relationships.

Tools

Setting a Common Path to Sharepoint Site Folders on Multiple Devices

This quick tip will help you create consistent development environments across multiple devices and users.

SQL Azure

Configuring Firewall Settings on Azure SQL Server

The simplest way to configure access to Azure SQL Server is via IP4-based firewall rules. We'll explore the pros and cons of a few different approaches.

twinBASIC Weekly Update

twinBASIC Update: January 23, 2022

Highlights include the introduction of TWINPACKs and the TWINSERV package manager, IntelliSense improvements, and easier reporting of twinBASIC bugs.

Code Library

Convert CIDR Notation to IP Address Range in VBA

A VBA function to convert from CIDR notation (192.168.1.1/24) to the corresponding IP range (192.168.1.0 - 192.168.1.255).

SQL Azure

Creating Your First Azure SQL Database: The Basics

Part 2 in my series on SQL Azure for Access Developers takes you step-by-step through the process of creating a new Azure SQL Database.

Hidden Features

Access Error Number Message Lookup

Did you ever come across an error number in your Access code--maybe in an If or Select Case statement--and wonder what it was for? Wonder no longer.

SQL Azure

SQL Azure Pricing Overview

Figuring out SQL Azure pricing is straightforward. As in, it's just as pleasant as if you were to drive your car straight forward into a wall.

Bug Alert

Bug Alert: Can't Access Shared Folders via UNC Alias

UNC aliases are a great way to set up development environments for Access applications that rely on UNC paths. It's too bad Microsoft broke them.