Bug Alert Patching Access 2013 Runtime to Fix "File Already In Use" Bug Step-by-step process to patch the 2021 Holiday Bug for Office/Access 2013. These same steps can be adapted to patch other versions, too.
Text-To-Speech Reading Text Aloud in Microsoft Access Want a quick way to get started with Text-to-Speech in your VBA application? This 4-line method gets the job done and requires no references!
Advanced The Microsoft Access Ternary Operator It's a function. It's a statement. It's an operator. It's a--what the heck do we call this short-circuit-evaluating IIf() thing and why does it even matter?
Form Design Modern Message Boxes in Access These modern message boxes from Kevin Bell will help set your Access applications apart from the crowd.
Form Design IslaDogs: Getting Creative with the Access Application Interface This one-hour video from Colin Riddington (aka IslaDogs) is jam-packed with API-based Access user interface hacks.
Intermediate The IIf() Function vs. The IIf() Statement They may look identical, but there is a very important difference in how they get evaluated.
twinBASIC Weekly Update twinBASIC Update: January 2, 2022 Highlights include a feature to generate missing implementations, minor improvements to the Reference List UX, and some spirited debates.
Form Design Two-Way Many-to-Many Form Presenting many-to-many relationships intuitively is tricky. I use this style of form when the two sides of the relationship have a small number of records.
Form Design Progress Tracker Form For recurring processes that have lots of required subtasks but with no dependencies among the subtasks, I turn to my Progress Tracker Form.
Form Design Form Design Gallery An ever-expanding gallery of Microsoft Access form design tips, techniques, and inspiration.
Bug Alert Partial Workaround for the "Could not lock file" Bug This experimental function could help you avoid the "Could not lock file" error when running the OpenDatabase method of a DBEngine object.
COM COM Server Types: In-Process vs. Local vs. Remote There are three basic types of COM servers: in-process, local, and remote. What do they have in common? What are the differences? Let's explore.
twinBASIC Weekly Update twinBASIC Update: December 26, 2021 Highlights include several improvements to the COM references list, a fix for the hidden dialog windows issue, and many discussions about possible tB features.
Holiday Merry Christmas "But the angel said to her, 'Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God. You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus.' "
SQL When to Use Right Outer Joins in SQL What's the difference between a RIGHT JOIN and a LEFT JOIN and why use one versus the other?
Code Library How to Remove Special Characters from a VBA String A simple function to remove special characters from a string in VBA. Useful for sanitizing file names, sheet names in Excel, and lots of other stuff.
Code Library Automatically Cleaning Up Temporary Files on Program Exit A dead-simple way to clean up temporary files without having to worry about waiting until they are no longer in use.
SQL Server Quick Way to Troubleshoot SQL Server ADO Connections This simple trick provides you with plenty of clues when debugging a failed SQL Server connection on a user's computer.
Code Library How to Check if VBA is Running in 64-bit Mode A simple function (or class property) that returns whether the VBA code is running under 32-bit mode or 64-bit mode.
twinBASIC Weekly Update twinBASIC Update: December 19, 2021 Highlights include support for importing VB6 project files (*.vbp), new MsgBox options, and a spirited discussion about what tB's design priorities should be.
Advanced JetShowPlan Manager The quickest and easiest way to get started analyzing Microsoft Access query performance is with IslaDogs' JetShowPlan Manager application.
Bug Alert Access Bug Alert: Errors When Opening Network Database Files If you started receiving the error "File in use" or "Could not lock file" in December 2021, you may be the victim of an Access bug. Here's how to fix it.
Basic How to Loop Through a List of Strings in VBA Looking for a quick and simple way to loop through a list of strings? These 4 lines of code are all you need.
Announcement Access NewsCast with Karl Donaubauer: Episode 1 The very first edition of Access News with Karl Donaubauer was released today. Catch up on the latest news and updates in this 30-minute video.