Need a lead for layout change in mde, if possible

A

Alp Bekisoglu

Hi Experts, back again.

I was wondering if there is a way to give the opportunity of a report layout
alteration (maybe named as on-the-fly?) in an mde DB to the user. Is this at
all possible?

Thanks in advance,

Alp
 
R

Rick B

I think that the whole point of an MDE is to NOT allow the users to modify
the objects.

I don't think you can do this. You could give the user options and include
code in the report design to put in place their desires. But you can't just
let them have modify.

Rick B
Hi Experts, back again.

I was wondering if there is a way to give the opportunity of a report layout
alteration (maybe named as on-the-fly?) in an mde DB to the user. Is this at
all possible?

Thanks in advance,

Alp
 
A

Alp Bekisoglu

Hi Rick and thanks for the response. Well, yes I know the purpose of the mde
format. What I had in mind was to find (if exists or write if possible) a
code that will act as an WYSIWYG GUI so the user can drag, enlarge, etc.
portions (or textboxes) and the code will manipulate the report according to
the new coordinates...
In short, the coordinates of each control on the report would be based on
variables that can be changed according to the final position of each. ???
Am I dreaming the impossible dream?

Alp
 
A

Alp Bekisoglu

I have just thought of giving this option via a link to a secondary file (an
mdb) but would still need to find some leads as to how to get this done. :-(

Alp
 
L

Larry Linson

It is possible to change control dimensions at runtime in an MDE from code,
but what you describe "drag, enlarge, etc." are manual design view
operations and those are not available for reports in an MDE. So, yes, that
is "the impossible dream" with MDEs as defined and implemented in all
versions of Access through 2003.

Larry Linson
Microsoft Access MVP
 
L

Larry Linson

Yes, you could link an MDB to the tables in your application (though the
application should probably be split, in any case, with tables in an MDB
separate from the MDE that is the user interface) and let the users have
design change permissions on reports.

Larry Linson
Microsoft Access MVP
 
A

Alp Bekisoglu

Thank you Larry for the details.

The main intention is to somewhat give the user an option to modify the
start(left-top), width and maybe the font used during run-time for a total
of 3 textbox controls.
Drag, etc was used to give the user a feeling of such. Thus the code (if I
can ever firnd a starting point!) will be kind of following a rectangle on
the form for its coordinates and inserting the resulting figures into the
relevant variables. Then the report should print using this new location.
Rather than entering the values.
Is it still the impossible?

Alp
 
A

Alp Bekisoglu

Thank you again Larry.

Is there any code you know of, that I can refer to at least as a starting
point?

Alp
 
L

Larry Linson

Access doesn't do "drag and drop" very handily. It can, with some effort, be simulated "after a fashion" -- I've never found it worth the effort. Some common alternatives are to use a ComboBox to allow the user to select from a list, or two List Boxes (as is done in Report Wizards) to allow building a list. But, you can't "pull, stretch, and shrink" boxes on the report itself.

As for "sizing" Text Boxes, there are CanGrow and CanShrink properties that automatically adjust size to content. Just be sure to check that the corresponding properties of the Section in which the Controls reside are also set to match.

None of my clients for Access work, and I've been doing it since 1993, would ever have paid me a nano-cent to implement user choice of fonts on a report -- I know at least a couple who warned against "glitz and glitter". I believe, however, with a little research you might find how to use the Windows Common Dialog or some other API to show the font names and possibly a sample. I'd start at the Microsoft Knowledge Base, http://support.microsoft.com.

Larry Linson
Microsoft Access MVP
 
L

Larry Linson

I don't know what "code" you need. You create the MDB, and use File | Get External Date | Link to link the tables. If you need to change the links later, use the Linked Table Manager that is built in to Access. The users, of course, must have retail Access installed on their machine, if they are to modify the design of Reports.

Larry Linson
Microsoft Access MVP
 
Top