Mike Wolfe

SQL Server

Trust But Verify

What Ronald Reagan's Words Can Teach Us About the Sample Code We Find on the Internet

VBA to T-SQL via TDD

How to Convert a VBA Function to a SQL Server Scalar Function

MS Access Developers Can Remove All the Risk From This Complex Process With These 3 Words

Basic

How to Customize the Access Ribbon on a Developer Machine

This step-by-step guide shows you how to customize the Microsoft Access ribbon and add missing commands.

Migration

Mystery of the Ancients

The Ultimate Guide to Recovering Password-Protected, Access 97 Format .MDB Files

Forms

Lazy Loading a Tabbed Form in Microsoft Access

How to use "just-in-time population" to dramatically decrease the load times of complex Access forms.

Hidden Features

How to Check if a User Clicked [Cancel] on an InputBox in VBA

It's possible to distinguish between a user clicking [OK] on an empty box or clicking [Cancel]. You just need to use this simple trick.

twinBASIC Weekly Update

twinBASIC Update: August 29, 2021

Highlights include Unit Testing support, conditional breakpoints, the Nz() function, and various IntelliSense improvements.

Bug Types

"It Runs On My Computer"

Here are the 7 most common reasons I've had to utter those words as an Access developer.

Intermediate

4 Ways to Automate Sending Emails from Microsoft Access

Manually sending a single email from an email client is easy. Automating email sending, by contrast, is deceptively hard.

Under 100

What is a Covering Index?

The concept of "covering indexes" explained in under 100 words. #Under100

Under 100

What is a Database Index?

The concept of database indexes explained in under 100 words. #Under100

Under 100

Much Ado About Little: The #Under100 Series

Brevity is the soul of wit.

Code Library

Quickly List the Properties of an Object in Access

Here's a quick and dirty procedure to iterate through an Access object's Properties collection.

twinBASIC Weekly Update

twinBASIC Update: August 22, 2021

Highlights include a sneak-peek at the forthcoming integrated unit testing framework, App.ThreadID, App.hInstance, and MSVBVM60.dll redirections.

Bug Types

Misunderstood Requirements (After You've Written the Code)

As you install the final piece of crown molding in the dog's second bedroom, you can't help but smile at the absurdity of it all.

Bug Types

Runtime Errors

It's impossible to predict every possible scenario that could befall our applications in the wild. But we need to at least try.

Bug Types

Logic Errors

The logic error is the most dangerous and insidious of all software errors.

Basic

What the Vancouver Stock Exchange Can Teach Us About Rounding Numbers in VBA

So you think you know how to round decimals. Do you, though? There may be more to it than you think.

Professional Development

The Gambler

The most consequential piece of business advice I ever received came from the fictional owner of Pritchett's Closets & Blinds.

Intermediate

How to Construct a Bit Mask in VBA

What's the safest way to construct a bit mask in VBA? Your preferred approach may be more dangerous than you realize.

twinBASIC Weekly Update

twinBASIC Update: August 15, 2021

Highlights include IntelliSense improvements, a 12-month twinBASIC roadmap, and a pure Win32 API GUI application written in twinBASIC.

Commentary

Access vs. Enterprise Software: A False Choice

Beware of strawman arguments against Microsoft Access.

Commentary

Evolution of a Business Application

Before you commission that custom web application project, it pays to validate that the business process even warrants such a significant investment.

Intermediate

Runtime Mode in Microsoft Access

There are two ways to force a full version of Access to run a front-end file in runtime mode: the /runtime switch and changing the extension to .accdr.

Combo Boxes

ComboBox .Undropdown Method

Combo boxes have a .Dropdown method. But what if you want the opposite: a .CloseDropdown method? This tip from Adam Waller has the answer.