Descriptions for Table

[KrispyData]

Happy Friday everyone!

In Design View, Access allows us to provide a description for the Field
Name. Is there a way to include a description for the entire table? That
way a new user can take a glimpse and now what each of my tables mean.

Thanks for any help!

 

[fredg]

Happy Friday everyone!

In Design View, Access allows us to provide a description for the Field
Name. Is there a way to include a description for the entire table? That
way a new user can take a glimpse and now what each of my tables mean.

Thanks for any help!

On the main database folder, right-click on the table name.
Select Properties.
You can enter the table description in the big white Description box.

Alternatively, in Table design view, right-click in any column and
select Properties. Enter the description on the Table Description
line.

To display the property on the main folder, click on View + Details.

 

[KrispyData]

Thanks!
Is there a way to display the description under the table name in the
shutter bar/navigation pane?

 

[Jeff Boyce]

NOTE: having your users see/use your tables is ... "risky". Unlike a
spreadsheet, where that's the only thing they have to work with, Access
provides forms for the display (and editing) of data.

Access tables store data -- Access forms display it. Use the forms, Luke!

Regards

Jeff Boyce
Microsoft Office/Access MVP

 

[KrispyData]

Thanks for the warning Jeff! Actually, the only users on this database will
be internal users. Here's the reason why I want to display the table
descriptions. I am a beginning Access user and I inherited a database with
over 50 tables. It was so frustrating figuring the data sources of these
tables, why the tables were created, etc. In building my own database, I
want to save the next person the pain i had to go through and provide
descriptions for table. Do you thikn this is good practice?

 

[fredg]

Thanks for the warning Jeff! Actually, the only users on this database will
be internal users. Here's the reason why I want to display the table
descriptions. I am a beginning Access user and I inherited a database with
over 50 tables. It was so frustrating figuring the data sources of these
tables, why the tables were created, etc. In building my own database, I
want to save the next person the pain i had to go through and provide
descriptions for table. Do you thikn this is good practice?

Personally, I think it's a fine idea.
You can always hide the table from user view by setting it's Hidden
attribute to true.
Right-click on the table name. Select Properties.
Place a check in the Hidden attribute box.
When you need to view the tables, to un-hide the table, click on Tools
+ Options + View.
Place a check in Show Hidden Objects.

Remember to then uncheck the box to re-hide the table.

 

[Jeff Boyce]

I agree!

Jeff B.

Personally, I think it's a fine idea.
You can always hide the table from user view by setting it's Hidden
attribute to true.
Right-click on the table name. Select Properties.
Place a check in the Hidden attribute box.
When you need to view the tables, to un-hide the table, click on Tools
+ Options + View.
Place a check in Show Hidden Objects.

Remember to then uncheck the box to re-hide the table.

 

[JulieS]

In Access 2007, right click on the Navigation bar to show the
shortcut menu. Choose View By > Details to show the descriptions
in the pane.

Julie

 

[KrispyData]

Hi JulieS,

I tried your suggestion, but for some reason it does not show the table
properites. It only shows Date Created and Date Modified. Is there a
setting I have to change in my database properties?

Thank you so much!

 

[JulieS]

Sorry to say, but SP-2 for Access has somehow removed descriptions
from the details. Like you, I now only see Date created and
modified. You may be able to uninstall SP-2 (see the control panel)
but I'm not sure it's worth undoing other fixes to other products.

Julie

 

[KrispyData]

Darn, I guess I will have to learn to live without it!

Thank you, JulieS!
Have a great week!

 

[JulieS]

You're welcome and thanks for the feedback.
Julie