No Longer Set (Page 28)

3 Techniques for Programming Reversible Processes

How would you recover from a large accidental UPDATE operation? You'd better be able to answer that question *before* it happens.

Intermediate

5 Types of Settings for Microsoft Access Applications

How you store settings in Microsoft Access depends on their scope. Understanding the scope of your settings is critical to ensure you store them the right way.

Quick Tip

Quick Tip: 4 Ways to Select the Bottom Control in a Stack

There are many situations that call for two (or more) controls to be stacked on top of each other. In those situations, how does one select the bottom control?

twinBASIC Weekly Update

twinBASIC Update: January 29, 2023

Highlights include an updated roadmap and v1 release date, new UserControl events support, and several new tB sample projects from fafalone and Ben Clothier.

Week in Review

Weeks in Review: January 28, 2023

I'm back! Highlights from the past two weeks include using web APIs in Access, Rubberduck 3.0 news, using the registry from VBA, and more on ChatGPT.

Archive

Archive Collection: Humor

I'm on vacation (shh...don't tell anyone)! I'll be back soon, but until then enjoy today's curated collection of articles from the archive. Today's topic: Humor.

Archive

Archive Collection: Form Design

I'm on vacation (shh...don't tell anyone)! I'll be back soon, but until then enjoy today's curated collection of articles from the archive. Today's topic: Form Design.

Archive

Archive Collection: Defensive Programming

I'm on vacation! I'll be back soon, but until then enjoy today's curated collection of articles from the archive. Today's topic: Defensive Programming.

Archive

Archive Collection: Tools

I'm on vacation (shh...don't tell anyone)! I'll be back soon, but until then enjoy today's curated collection of articles from the archive. Today's topic: Tools.

Archive

Archive Collection: Test-Driven Development

I'm on vacation! I'll be back soon, but until then enjoy today's curated collection of articles from the archive. Today's topic: Test-Driven Development (TDD).

Archive

Archive Collection: twinBASIC

I'm on vacation (shh...don't tell anyone)! I'll be back soon, but until then enjoy today's curated collection of articles from the archive. Today's topic: twinBASIC.

Archive

Archive Collection: Bug Types

I'm on vacation (shh...don't tell anyone)! I'll be back soon, but until then enjoy today's curated collection of articles from the archive. Today's topic: Bug Types.

Archive

Archive Collection: Hidden Features

I'm on vacation (shh...don't tell anyone)! I'll be back soon, but until then enjoy today's curated collection of articles from the archive. Today's topic: Hidden Features.

Debugging

Debug Documentation: Signal vs. Noise Edition

Debugging an issue can generate a lot of content. This technique helps you keep track of and find the parts that really matter.

Quick Tip

How to Duplicate a Line of Code in VBA

It's not quite a single shortcut key, but it's nearly as efficient.

Quick Tip

Micro-Efficiency: Duplicating Line(s) of Code in VBA

With this technique, you'll save enough time to steal two and a half extra glances at your watch each day. Use it wisely.

Defensive Programming

Guard Clauses

Guard clauses are one of my favorite low-friction defensive programming tools.

twinBASIC Weekly Update

twinBASIC Update: January 15, 2023

Highlights include a new VBCCR-based GUI project type, a VBCCR TWINSERV package, and a discussion about support for block-level scope in twinBASIC.

Week in Review

Week in Review: January 14, 2023

Highlights include using an ActiveX control to collect handwritten signatures, multiple options for getting special folders in VBA, and managing old data.

Error Handling

Showing User-Friendly Error Messages for Missing Data on Bound Forms in MS Access

Here are two ways to show custom error messages on a bound form using (1) the Form_BeforeUpdate event or (2) the Form_Error event.

SQL Server

5 Tips for Making Changes on Live SQL Server Databases

Making database changes on production? These 5 tips will make one of the most dangerous programming activities a little bit safer.

VBA

Block-Level Scope in VBA...Does Not Exist

VB.NET and VBA may look the same, but there are some important differences. This is a little-known feature of VB.NET that I really wish was available in VBA.

Basic

All About Indenting

Do you obsess over the smallest details of the code-writing process? If not, you might want to skip this article. Don't say I didn't warn you...

VBA

Choosing the Proper Lifetime of Variables in VBA

Some values should be calculated every time you need them. Others should be stored for performance reasons. But how do you decide which way to go?

twinBASIC Weekly Update

twinBASIC Update: January 8, 2023

Highlights include .vbp UserControl import support, a twinBASIC VBCCR demo project, live variable hover tips in the IDE, and a discussion of post-v1 breaking changes.