Not making any progress in Access 2007

[Fly Boy 5]

I have several databases in 2003 but I'm just not getting anywher in 07.
What book or training would you suggest. I'm at the point of switching to
File Maker if something don't give soon.

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

 

[John W. Vinson]

I have several databases in 2003 but I'm just not getting anywher in 07.
What book or training would you suggest. I'm at the point of switching to
File Maker if something don't give soon.

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Microsoft Press is just coming out with a new book, "Microsoft Access 2007
Inside Out" by the redoubtable John Viescas and his enthusiastic acolyte Jeff
Conrad (both MVP's and frequent contributors to these newsgroups). All I've
seen suggests that this will be a very comprehensive and valuable reference to
the program.

Try checking out other references to 2007 at:

Jeff Conrad's resources page:
http://www.accessmvp.com/JConrad/accessjunkie/resources.html

The Access Web resources page:
http://www.mvps.org/access/resources/index.html

John W. Vinson [MVP]

 

[Larry Linson]

I have several databases in 2003 but I'm just not
getting anywher in 07. What book or training would
you suggest. I'm at the point of switching to
File Maker if something don't give soon.

The Big Question Is: Why do you feel it's necessary to switch to _anything_
different?

If Access 2003 is working OK for you, why change?

In fact, I'm not yet recommending to clients that Access 2007 is
sufficiently mature to be installed in their production machines. Access
2003, according to Microsoft's support policy, is going to be "in support"
for some time to come. There are some nice features that were added to
Access 2007, but unless you have a particular need for some of them (for
example, having your users update your central database via e-mail), you
aren't likely to find them "compelling".

In addition to the Viescas - Conrad book, which I expect to be outstanding,
I have been pleased over the years with Microsoft Press' Step-by-Step
Series, as a "gentle intro" to Access for novices, or an equally "gentle
intro" to a new version for more experienced users -- there is an Access
2007 version of that. And, at a more in-depth level, there's a book coming
out from Wrox, Access 2007 VBA Programmer's Reference by Teresa Hennig, Rob
Cooper, Geoffrey L. Griffith, and Armen Stein (Paperback - due May 7, 2007).
I expect it to be great, because I know two of the authors and am familiar
with their previous writing.

Larry Linson
Microsoft Access MVP

 

[Zac Woodall]

The Big Question Is: Why do you feel it's necessary to switch to _anything_
different?

IfAccess2003 is working OK for you, why change?

In fact, I'm not yet recommending to clients thatAccess2007is
sufficiently mature to be installed in their production machines.Access
2003, according to Microsoft's support policy, is going to be "in support"
for some time to come. There are some nice features that were added toAccess2007, but unless you have a particular need for some of them (for
example, having your users update your central database via e-mail), you
aren't likely to find them "compelling".

In addition to the Viescas - Conrad book, which I expect to be outstanding,
I have been pleased over the years with Microsoft Press' Step-by-Step
Series, as a "gentle intro" toAccessfor novices, or an equally "gentle
intro" to a new version for more experienced users -- there is anAccess2007version of that. And, at a more in-depth level, there's a book coming
out from Wrox,Access2007VBA Programmer's Reference by Teresa Hennig, Rob
Cooper, Geoffrey L. Griffith, and Armen Stein (Paperback - due May 7,2007).
I expect it to be great, because I know two of the authors and am familiar
with their previous writing.

Larry Linson
MicrosoftAccessMVP

Larry! Not compelling? Surely you jest!!
There are a ton of new features in Access 2007. For the first time in
many versions, the Access team devoted almost all of our resources to
reinvesting in the core semantic of what makes Access Access...
tracking data. Access 2007 is dramatically easier to get started
tracking data with, and simple scenarios that should always have been
easy, such as creating rich grouped printed reports, finally are
easy. There are also some great new features to help users share
Access database solutions over the Internet by using a hosted
SharePoint service, such as Office Live. We've added easier control
layout on forms, and the ability to natively create PDF & XPS
documents. Larry, are you saying PDF is not compelling? We even
finally fixed the scroll wheel in the VBE .

If you're int he market for a quick rundown of new features in 2007, I
just finished writing a book entitled The Rational Guide to Access
2007 Templates that touches on a good part of our new feature work.
You can purchase it from Amazon here:
http://www.amazon.com/Rational-Microsoft-Office-Access-Templates/dp/1932577386

Zac Woodall
Program Manager
Microsoft Access

 

[Zac Woodall]

Larry! Not compelling? Surely you jest!!
There are a ton of new features inAccess2007. For the first time in
many versions, theAccessteam devoted almost all of our resources to
reinvesting in the core semantic of what makesAccessAccess...
tracking data. Access2007is dramatically easier to get started
tracking data with, and simple scenarios that should always have been
easy, such as creating rich grouped printed reports, finally are
easy. There are also some great new features to help users shareAccessdatabase solutions over the Internet by using a hosted
SharePoint service, such as Office Live. We've added easier control
layout on forms, and the ability to natively create PDF & XPS
documents. Larry, are you saying PDF is not compelling? We even
finally fixed the scroll wheel in the VBE .

If you're int he market for a quick rundown of new features in2007, I
just finished writing a book entitled The Rational Guide toAccess2007Templates that touches on a good part of our new feature work.
You can purchase it from Amazon here:http://www.amazon.com/Rational-Microsoft-Office-Access-Templates/dp/1...

Zac Woodall
Program Manager
MicrosoftAccess- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

BTW: My book is just ~250 pages, and should be a pretty quick read.

 

[Preston]

Well that's the sales spiel. Meanwhile, back in the real world, we
freelancers will continue to recommend our customers to avoid Access 2007
until it's had a service pack or two, and we will continue to repeat the "if
it ain't broke don't fix it" mantra to customers who are thinking of
upgrading for no good reason. Access 2003? Heck, I still recommend folks
to stay on Access 2 if their system still does what they need!!!

You need to remember that upgrading costs real people real money (and I
don't mean the cost of the licences!). You may be very proud of the new
features and doubtless some of them are very good but, as Larry says, unless
someone has a particular need for them they are just toys and not worth
spending money on.

wow that was pretty sweet.
i agree.... microsoft would sell an ice cube to an eskimo if the occasion
presented itself. good reply baz