Hidden Features - No Longer Set

AutoKeys: One of Access's Most Well-Hidden Secrets

How I used one of the least discoverable features of Microsoft Access to create a global help shortcut key integrated with wiki-based documentation.

Code Library

GetCtlAtMouse(): A Reliable Way to Return the Current Control Object Under the Mouse Cursor in Access

In this follow-up to my earlier article on the undocumented AccHitTest() method, we improve how we handle errors when the mouse is over an empty area of the form.

Form Design

Tab Controls with Hidden Tabs

This little-known and underused feature opens up some interesting design possibilities for creative Access developers.

Hidden Features

Concatenating Strings in VBA: Plus (+) vs. Ampersand (&)

Both the ampersand and the plus sign operators can be used to join strings in VBA. Clever developers can use this to their advantage.

Hidden Features

NEW & IMPROVED: The "Unset" Enum Item

This hidden feature of VBA lets you take advantage of my "Unset" enum item technique without cluttering up your IntelliSense.

Form Design

Pass Values Between Forms in Access Without Using a Hidden Global Form

Using a hidden "global" form is a common way to return user-entered data to your program, but there is a better way.

Hidden Features

Customizing the Quick Access Toolbar in Microsoft Access

Get back some of that pre-2007 Office toolbar goodness with the Quick Access Toolbar (QAT). Vote for your favorite QAT commands.

Hidden Features

3 Situations for Using Named Arguments in VBA

One of the lesser-known features of VBA is the ability to use named arguments in your calling code. Here are three situations just begging for named arguments.

Hidden Features

Quick & Dirty Block Comments in VBA

Everybody knows there's no block comment character in VBA, right? Or is there...

Hidden Features

Understanding the Access ColumnWidth VBA Property

The ColumnWidth property of an Access datasheet has some strange behavior, especially when it comes to its special values: Default Width and Size to Fit.

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.

Hidden Features

Dark Mode in VBA

VBA may not have a preset "Dark Mode" like other modern development environments, but it's not hard to create one yourself.

Hidden Features

Access End-User Shortcuts

Shortcut keys to toggle the dropdown state of a combo box, copy field values from the previous record, enter the current date and time, and more.

Hidden Features

Select Entire Module in VBA With Control + Click

Learn 4 different ways to select the entire contents of a VBA module, plus a bonus keyboard shortcut tip for switching between two active code modules.

Hidden Features

Select Entire Sub or Function in VBA with a Double-Click

Yet another hidden feature of the VBA editor that eluded me for more than fifteen years.

Hidden Features

WizHook: A Hidden Access Object With Intriguing Potential

Font-aware AutoFit of text and combo boxes, auto-bracketing of illegal field names, sorting an array of strings...the possibilities are finite!

Quick Tip

Adding References from VBA

Did you ever wish you could bypass the Tools > References dialog entirely when adding references in Access? Automate the process with some simple VBA.

Hidden Features

AccHitTest: Returns the Form Control the Mouse Clicked On

This undocumented form function can help you write a generic click event for label controls.

Hidden Features

VBA Immediate Window Line and Character Limits

Don't take my word for it (or anyone else's on the internet, for that matter). Prove the limits to yourself with some simple VBA.

Debugging

Breaking Down Windows Error Codes

Did you know there is a method to the madness behind those crazy-looking VBA error numbers like 0x80070005 or its decimal equivalent -2,147,024,891?

Hidden Features

HOW TO: Run Scheduled Tasks with Microsoft Access

This underused MS Access command-line argument opens up a whole new world of possibilities when it comes to scheduling recurring tasks in Access.

Quick Tip

Quick Tip: Set Next Statement with Mouse

Try this tip the next time you use the Edit & Continue feature when debugging. After more than 15 years of developing VBA, I'm still learning new things.