Mike Wolfe

Code Library

Listing External Table Sources

Using the Parse() function to list linked tables by source. Use this when you want to refer to Linked Table Manager info while writing code.

Code Library

Part and Parse()-l

Take the Tag property and OpenArgs argument to the next level. This function makes it easy to assign and extract multiple values from a single string.

Commentary

Cruft Sale!

Everything must go!!! Dead code, obsolete reports, and bunches of binary backups! No offer too big or too small!

Code Library

Don't Settle for the "Status" Quo

Wherein I wrap Access's built-in status bar functions inside a class module for more readable code.

Code Library

Environmentally Friendly Access

Using the Windows Registry to manage Production, Development, and Testing environments in #VBA and #MSAccess.

Code Library

Why so lazy, Access?

Introducing FormIsOpen() and ReportIsOpen(), two simple functions to help deal with Access's laziness.

Code Library

Filling in the Blanks

One of the keys to being a good developer is to make the *easy way* also be the *right way*. Exhibit A: the ControlIsBlank() function.

Code Library

My Dirty Little Secret

I don't use Me.Dirty = False in my #msaccess code. I wrap it up and call it from a "guard clause" instead.

AutoHotKey

Size Matters

Testing your program for small screens? You could change your own monitor's resolution, but that gets annoying real fast. Here's a better way.

AutoHotKey

Expand Your Access Palette

Use AutoHotkey to bring consistency to your Access color schemes and save time when designing forms.

Signal vs. Noise

Signal vs. Noise

My approach to software development in four words: Less noise. More signal.

Code Library

Code Library Updates

Q: How do you manage updates to code library modules? A: Version control and backward compatibility zealotry.

AutoHotKey

A Mind-Reading Script

What if you could highlight any text, press a hotkey, and have Windows do what you want almost every time? You'd have my top productivity hack.

AutoHotKey

Debugging VBA with no Break Key

Ever use a keyboard without a Pause/Break key? It's no big deal for most people, but if you develop in VBA it's a huge deal.

Hidden Features

Blast From the Past

Why use keyboard shortcuts from Access 2003 when developing in 2020? Because starting with Access 2007, the new shortcuts suck.

Intermediate

Cleaner IntelliSense

How to clean up your object's auto-complete dropdown list when it starts to look like that of the MacBook Wheel.

Intermediate

Dependency Injection (sort of)

For a few common dependencies, we can cheat by using a singleton class. Within that class, we'll type those dependencies as interfaces.

Intermediate

Cookie Cutter Forms

How do you reuse a form with external dependencies in multiple projects? Interfaces.

Intermediate

Backward-Compatible Refactoring

How can you completely change the way you interact with a class without breaking backward compatibility? Interfaces.

Intermediate

Interfaces, Practically

A real world example using Active Directory lookups.

Intermediate

Interfaces, Conceptually

Interfaces can be a difficult concept to grasp conceptually. To help make sense of the concept, consider these real world examples.

Hidden Features

VBA Alchemy: Turning Methods Into Properties

One can check the status of screen painting in Excel, but not in Access. This turns out to be an important shortcoming. Let's remedy it.

Code Library

Creating Optional Dependencies

Using conditional compilation to avoid the "Dependency Train" problem.

Code Library

The Dependency Train

Let's torture a train metaphor to illustrate the dangers of dependency chaining.

Commentary

The Golden Rule of Data Migrations

The fastest and most reliable way to run a migration is to repeat it many times. I call this the "Repetition Paradox."