It's not that hard to set a startup form. Open the database, then click
Tools > Startup. Select a form as the startup form (Display Form/Page), and
clear the check box for Display Database Window. There are some other
options you can select, but most of them have to do with menus and toolbars.
If you are using default menus and toolbars you probably don't need to
change anything there. The Application Title is what shows up in the title
bar at the top of the screen. I'll get to the Special Keys option in a
moment.
The Database Window is the box that shows up when you open a database. It
has tabs for Tables, Queires, Forms, etc. Tables, queries, forms, etc. are
known in Access as Objects. If you have several forms, reports, etc. this
may be the way you switch from one to another. However, it would be better
to use a command button on the form to open another form or a report. This
way the users can't tinker with things. The wizard can get you started with
this. Open the toolbox, click the wizard icon (the magic wand), click the
Command Button icon, and click onto the form. Follow the prompts to open
another form, report, etc.
This can be done on any form. If you want to give users an option upon
starting the database to open a form, report, etc. you can use an unbound
form as your Startup form. Command buttons on that form can open other
objects, or print reports, or any number of options.
Back to the Special Keys option I mentioned. If you uncheck the box for
Show Database Window, the database window will be hidden. If the Special
Keys option is selected you can still open the database window by pressing
the F11 key. There are some other special keys, but this is probably the
main one for your purposes.
If you do not select the Special Keys option you can still open the database
(a copy would be best) so that you can work on it. Press and hold the Shift
key while opening the database, and it will open with the familiar database
window.
It is more complicated in some ways than Word or Excel, because with Access
you are actually creating an Application each time you make a database. In
Word, for instance, you are presented with a blank document (unless you have
customized your default options) when you start the program. In Access you
have nothing until you add it. If you need a place to store data (which you
probably do, since it is the point of a database), you first create a table.
After that you create any needed relationships, and the forms and other
elements of the user interface. Templates are avalailabe to get you started
on some projects, but the concept remains the same in any case.
Allen Browne has assembled on his web page quite a few helpful articles. Go
to:
http://allenbrowne.com/tips.html
Check the Tips for Casual Users. There is quite a good tutorial there, as
well as some helpful concepts clearly and concisely explained. Also, at the
right side of the page is a Links link, which will take you to a listing of
articles, tutorials, and so forth.
