Mike Wolfe - No Longer Set (Page 42)

Signal vs. Noise: ShowPlan.out Edition

Reading showplan.out files can be intimidating for new and experienced Access developers alike. This simple rule will help get you started.

Advanced

DISTINCT vs. GROUP BY: Microsoft Access Speed Test

The GROUP BY and DISTINCT clauses can both be used to generate identical results. But which one is faster in Access? And--more importantly--why?

AutoHotKey

Toggle ODBC TraceSQLMode with an AutoHotKey Script

Traditional methods of enabling and disabling ODBC TraceSQLMode are a pain in the neck. This AutoHotKey script makes it as easy as pushing a button.

twinBASIC Weekly Update

twinBASIC Update: March 13, 2022

Highlights include another sneak peek of the upcoming twinBASIC IDE and a special announcement regarding Access DevCon Vienna 2022.

Debugging

Troubleshooting Access Hanging When Switching to Design View

How I used two low-level tools--ProcMon and WireShark--to figure out why Access was taking forever to switch to design view in forms and reports.

Advanced

Details about the Mark-of-the-Web (MOTW)

Microsoft announced that VBA will be blocked soon in all files from the web. Let's dive into how Windows manages this "Mark of the Web."

VBA

Avoiding Overflow Errors When Defining Calculated Constants

Overflow errors are usually straightforward. But what about when you get an overflow assigning a value of 1 to a Long integer?

Announcement

Access DevCon Vienna 2022

Mark your calendars and register for Access DevCon Vienna! The event will be held virtually via MS Teams on April 28 and 29, 2022, from 10 AM - 4 PM EDT.

SQL Server

Making Sense of SQLOUT.TXT

You've enabled ODBC Trace SQL Mode and created a sqlout.txt file. But do you know what to do with it now? Let's explore.

COM

The IUnknown Interface

All COM objects are required to support at least one interface: the IUnknown interface. In this short article, we explore the three methods of IUnknown.

twinBASIC Weekly Update

twinBASIC Update: March 6, 2022

Highlights include a sneak peek at the new twinBASIC IDE (currently under development) and a brief comparison between RAD Basic and twinBASIC.

Under 100

What is COM?

The concept of COM explained in under 100 words. #Under100

SQL Server

Editing Data Directly in SSMS

Query results in SQL Server Management Studio are read-only by default. Follow these steps to edit SQL Server table data directly inside SSMS.

Debugging

Find the Yellow Highlighted Line When Debugging in VBA

Did you ever lose your place while debugging in VBA? Here's an easy way to find it.

Tools

3 Ways to Find sqlout.txt

Finding ODBC TraceSQLMode's sqlout.txt file can be deceptively difficult. Here are three approaches to make it easy. At least one is guaranteed to work.

Quick Tip

Preventing Line Break After Debug.Print Statement

Every time you call Debug.Print in VBA it outputs to a new line in the Immediate Window. ... But what if it didn't?!?!

Debugging

Troubleshooting SQL Server Connection Errors

"SQL Server does not exist or access denied." One error. Dozens of possible causes. Read on for a bunch of practical troubleshooting tips.

twinBASIC Weekly Update

twinBASIC Update: February 27, 2022

Highlights include multiple form designer improvements and a *BIG* announcement about the future of the twinBASIC IDE.

Defensive Programming

A Safe Way to Add Temporary Code

A quick tip to ensure your temporary code disappears when the sun sets.

Commentary

Expect the Unexpected

Getting ready to start a complex project? Stressing about what might go wrong? Here's some advice to help lower that stress level.

Hidden Features

Declaring and Initializing Variables in the Same Line in VBA

You can't declare and initialize a variable in a single code *statement* in VBA, but you can do it in a single *line* of code with this handy trick.

Hidden Features

Inspecting the End of a Long Variable Value in VBA

You know how VBA cuts off the right side of a really long variable when inspecting its value via mouse hover? Did you know you can show the right side instead?

Code Library

How to Return the Precision and Scale of a Decimal Field in Access

There's no way to use DAO to return the scale and precision of a Decimal field in Access. Luckily, there's an easy workaround using ADO.

Hidden Features

Quick and Dirty For Loops in the Immediate Window

Did you know that you can write and execute entire For Loops in the VBA Immediate Window?

twinBASIC Weekly Update

twinBASIC Update: February 20, 2022

Highlights include checkbox-style list boxes, native Winforms progress bar and image controls, and an option to align controls to grid in the form designer.