Code Library - No Longer Set

How to Safely Hide Controls in Microsoft Access

I *never* set the Visible property of a form control directly. Instead, I use a convenience function so that I don't have to worry about run-time error 2165.

Code Library

Fix for the error: "You can't hide a control that has the focus" in Microsoft Access

The DefocusIfActive() procedure shifts the focus away from a control so that it may be hidden or disabled.

Convenience Functions

The TrySetFocus Convenience Function

The TrySetFocus function attempts to set focus to a control. If the operation succeeds, it returns True; otherwise, it returns False.

Code Library

How to Highlight the Current Record in a Continuous Form

Step-by-step instructions for applying a custom highlight to the currently selected record in a continuous form in Microsoft Access.

Code Library

The One Function Every VBA Developer Needs in a WithEvents Class

Your WithEvents event handlers will only run if you set the event property to "[Event Procedure]." Here's a safe and easy way to do that.

Combo Boxes

Combo Boxes and Target Sizes

Just like in darts, it's easier to hit a larger target when using the mouse. With this in mind, let's make our combo boxes more user-friendly.

SQL Server

Pushing Field Comments to SQL Server

A VBA routine that takes field comments from a front-end linked table and pushes them to the corresponding back-end table in SQL Server.

Code Library

weArrowKeyNav Class

Do you want the up and down arrow keys to move to the previous and next records in a continuous Access form? Here's how to do that with only two lines of code.

Code Library

Get Top Form By Control

How do you return the top form for an arbitrary control instead of the first subform that comes your way?

Code Library

Microsoft Access: Check if Form Object is a Subform

How do you check if the form object is a subform in Access without triggering a runtime error? Hint: this is a trick question.

Code Library

Get Form By Control

Let's use recursion and the TypeOf...Is expression to get the first form parent of any control on our form.

Events

The ArrowKeyNav Routine

Enable Excel-like navigation in your continuous forms by overriding the default behavior of the up and down arrow keys.

Code Library

Getting a Temporary File Name with VBA

Here is a simple function to generate an unused temporary file name in VBA.

Code Library

Finding the Temporary Folder with VBA

Be a good steward of your users' file system. If you are creating temporary files, be sure to create them in the designated temporary folder.

Code Library

Nothing To See Here

Introducing InformNoData(), a simple function to improve the user experience when there is no report data to show.

Reports

PreviewReport Function

This custom function is the simplest and safest way to preview reports in any Microsoft Access application.

Code Library

Watch This!

Did you ever want to set a breakpoint inside of an executing query? How about inside a form event property? This trick lets you do it.

Code Library

Looping by Month: Loop Until with DateAdd

Reader Francesco Foti writes in with his own solution to the Looping by Month challenge.

Code Library

Looping by Month: Lookup Table

Have I ever used this method? No. Can I imagine a situation where it could be useful? Maybe. Should I write an article about it? Sure, why not.

Code Library

Creating a Monthly Lookup Table

Having a table where each record represents a single month can come in quite handy. Let's create such a table.

Code Library

Looping by Month: Custom Functions

By using a couple of custom functions, we can write very readable loops that iterate one month at a time.

Code Library

Looping by Month: DateSerial

The first approach to looping by month uses only the builtin VBA functions DateSerial() and DateDiff().

Code Library

Sticky Wicket: Looping by Month

Some programming problems are difficult to solve. Others are difficult to solve clearly.

Code Library

RegOp Quick Tip

Be respectful of your user's registry. Store all your applications' settings in a dedicated publisher subkey.

Code Library

RegOp Class for 64-bit VBA

Updating a classic VBA registry reading and writing class module for 64-bit compatibility.