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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.

SQL Server

SQL Server Connectors in 2022

To get access to the latest features--especially security features--be sure you're using the latest ADO provider and ODBC driver for SQL Server.

Quick Tip

Quick Tip: Force IntelliSense to Appear When Writing VBA

Does the IntelliSense dropdown ever disappear when you're writing VBA? Do you backspace and re-type the dot to get it back? There's a better way.

Commentary

Yes, VBA-Enabled Office Docs are a Significant Threat

VBA-enabled documents are commonly used to open the door for more virulent malware.

SQL Server

How Access Reads Data From SQL Server

How does Microsoft Access pull data from SQL Server? You'll be amazed when we pull back the curtain to expose how Access interacts with SQL Server.

Combo Boxes

Dealing with Inactive Items in a Combo Box Row Source

There are many ways to deal with inactive RowSource items in combo boxes. Here's a no-code technique that I find myself coming back to time and again.

Deployment

Adding a Machine-Wide Trusted Location in MS Access

Let me show you how to add a Trusted Location for every user on a device even if that device doesn't have a full copy of Microsoft Access.

twinBASIC Weekly Update

twinBASIC Update: February 13, 2022

Highlights include a new Settings filter bar and WinForms Controls Package updates included by default with future twinBASIC extension updates.

Announcement

Office to Disable All VBA Code in Files from the Internet

Beginning in April 2022, users will no longer have the option to manually enable VBA code in Office files downloaded from the internet.

Tools

3 Ways to Find Showplan.out

Finding Jet ShowPlan's showplan.out file can be deceptively difficult. Here are three approaches to make it easy. At least one is guaranteed to work.

Tools

Using ProcMon to Troubleshoot Registry Calls

Finding the correct registry keys for JetShowPlan and ODBC TraceSqlMode can be tricky. Let ProcMon take the guesswork out of the process.

Announcement

Upcoming Presentation: Troubleshooting Query Performance

Join me online on Thursday, March 17, for my presentation, "Troubleshooting Query Performance," to the Denver Area Access User Group.

Commentary

Is Microsoft Access a Good Development Platform in 2022?

Microsoft has embraced the mantra of "move fast and break things." For Access, though, Microsoft is only delivering on the latter part of that promise.

Class Modules

Caching Object Instances in VBA Classes

Simplify the object initialization code in your class modules without sacrificing performance using this easy technique.

twinBASIC Weekly Update

twinBASIC Update: February 6, 2022

Highlights include the milestone release of WinForms functionality, control inheritance, ReadOnly class properties, and twinPACK updating documentation.

Bug Alert

Bug Alert: Cannot Open Any More Tables/Databases

Check out the latest bug release from Microsoft: "Cannot open any more tables/databases.", .laccdb file remains, msaccess.exe hangs, and more...

Ribbon

Icon Dimensions in the Office Ribbon

Custom ribbon icons look sharpest when they are displayed at their native resolution.

Quick Tip

Inserting a Blank Line in the VBA Immediate Window

Did you know you can insert a newline character in the Immediate Window without executing the current line of code?