switchboard w/ 2007 beta?

[jasonshohet]

I'm kinda new to Access switchboards - and am trying it out on the
Access 2007 beta #2. Basically - I just want this:
Users (except me - developer) should see only Forms & Reports. NO
tables / queries.

If anyone has Access 2007 beta, can you explain how to do this, in
Access-newbie terms

Rgds
Jason Shohet

 

['69 Camaro]

Hi, Jason.

If anyone has Access 2007 beta, can you explain how to do this, in
Access-newbie terms

The beta version is for evaluation purposes only, and is intended for
experienced users and developers. If you're new to Access, then you
shouldn't be learning on a beta version of the software. Some features may
not work correctly. (If you've never used a feature before, then how would
you know how it's supposed to work, and therefore compare it with previous
versions?) Other features that work in the beta version may be removed from
the final version of the software or altered significantly, because these
features interfere with other, more important, or required features.

Do you have another version of Access available to learn on? I ask because
Office 2007 is going to be limited on which operating systems it can be
installed on, which means that there isn't going to be widespread adoption
of Office 2007 until at least two years from now. Access 2007 has some
radical changes from the earlier versions, so if you only know how to
accomplish a task in the Access 2007 version, you may be totally lost in the
earlier versions that you may be required to work in until Access 2007 is
deployed in your organization. Access has a fairly steep learning curve, so
you don't want to add any extra hurdles unnecessarily.

HTH.
Gunny

See http://www.QBuilt.com for all your database needs.
See http://www.Access.QBuilt.com for Microsoft Access tips and tutorials.
http://www.Access.QBuilt.com/html/expert_contributors2.html for contact
info.

 

[jasonshohet]

Gunny i don't need your criticism - just how to do it. I won't use a
previous version. I know what Access can do and have used it in the
past, but not consistently. I have experience programming w/ Oracle,
J2EE, .NET etc - I WILL know when it works right. That being said -
can any one help me to get to a state where when the User opens access
- he / she only sees Forms and Reports. However I can see the database
tables / queries. Ideally - the user shouldn't even see that they're
available, otherwise they'll get upset "Why can't I see the tables..."


Thanks for the advice.

 

[Jeff Conrad]

Jason,

Please see my reply to your thread in the general Access questions forum.

 

['69 Camaro]

Hi, Jason.

Gunny i don't need your criticism

If I had criticized you, you'd feel one inch small right now. Trust me on
this. I gave you fair warning about learning Access on a beta version,
because you're in for a lot of frustration. Trust me on that, too.

I know what Access can do and have used it in the
past, but not consistently. I have experience programming w/ Oracle,
J2EE, .NET etc - I WILL know when it works right.

You're making unwarranted assumptions, because Access doesn't work like
Oracle or Java, and the .Net CLR you've worked with thus far is designed to
produce managed code to automate and control the pro 2003 versions of Excel
and Word, but not Access 2003 just yet. Access is designed so that even
computer novices can get a simple application to work without too much
difficulty, whereas Oracle, Java, and .Net are designed for IT professionals
to produce powerful software solutions.

I just might have an inkling of how you expect things to work, because I'm a
former C and Java software engineer and a current Oracle DBA. Access is
bass-ackwards from what you'd expect, but when you become well-versed in
Access, you'll realize that it's how Access was designed that produces much
of the head scratching episodes you are about to encounter. Access newbies
don't yet know these things, so it might help to listen to the advice of
others who have already been down this road.

That being said -
can any one help me to get to a state where when the User opens access
- he / she only sees Forms and Reports.

Don't expect a quick answer on this, as most of us experienced in Access and
signed up as beta testers are busy installing, activating, and playing with
the beta at the moment to see what it'll do. Or perhaps many are getting
ready to go out of town for the long holiday weekend. Perhaps I can get
back to you on this by tomorrow.

In the meantime, you just need to set a form to automatically open on start
up and make the Database Window not visible at start up. The steps are
probably similar in Access 2007 as they are in previous versions. Try the
Tools -> Startup... menu to open the Startup dialog window. Select your
startup form in the "Display Form/Page" combo box and uncheck the "Display
Database Window" check box. You can experiment with the other combo boxes
and check boxes in this dialog window, but make sure that you make a backup
of this file before you start experimenting. Access 2007 has a "lock down"
feature, which you may not want to use until you're comfortable with how to
unlock your settings.

Try using the shift bypass to open Access without the startup settings
running, so that you can see the Database Window when the application opens
and do your development work. Keep in mind that if you can bypass the
startup settings, your users can, too, so you'd have to get a little more
complex on your security strategy if you want to lock users out of seeing
things that they aren't supposed to.

HTH.
Gunny

See http://www.QBuilt.com for all your database needs.
See http://www.Access.QBuilt.com for Microsoft Access tips and tutorials.
http://www.Access.QBuilt.com/html/expert_contributors2.html for contact
info.

 

[Jeff Conrad]

in message:

Hi Gunny,

In the meantime, you just need to set a form to automatically open on start up and make the
Database Window not visible at start up. The steps are probably similar in Access 2007 as they
are in previous versions. Try the Tools -> Startup... menu to open the Startup dialog window.
Select your startup form in the "Display Form/Page" combo box and uncheck the "Display Database
Window" check box. You can experiment with the other combo boxes and check boxes in this dialog
window, but make sure that you make a backup of this file before you start experimenting. Access
2007 has a "lock down" feature, which you may not want to use until you're comfortable with how to
unlock your settings.

Actually, it is way, way, way different in 2007. There are no menus and
toolbars in Access 2007. The new Ribbon UI has replaced those elements.


You can however, customize the new Navigation Pane to accomplish this goal.

 

['69 Camaro]

Hi, Jeff.

You can however, customize the new Navigation Pane to accomplish this
goal.

So you're saying all those custom command bar buttons I already built in
previous versions are going to have to be translated for a new object model?
Oh, boy! Let the head banging begin . . . ! ;-)

Gunny

See http://www.QBuilt.com for all your database needs.
See http://www.Access.QBuilt.com for Microsoft Access tips and tutorials.
http://www.Access.QBuilt.com/html/expert_contributors2.html for contact
info.

 

[Jeff Conrad]

in message:

Hi Gunny,

So you're saying all those custom command bar buttons I already built in previous versions are
going to have to be translated for a new object model? Oh, boy! Let the head banging begin . . .
! ;-)

Have a paper bag handy when you first open Access 2007 in case you hyperventilate; Access 2007 has
seen LOTS of changes.
<vbg>

If you open the file in 2002-2003 format (and do a few things other things) your custom menu bars
and toolbars will be there. If you convert the file to 2007 format you cannot use any custom menu
bars and toolbars. They simply will not exist. You will need to customize the new Ribbon.

 

[Gary J. Dikkema]

Tell me more?


message
Access 2007 has a "lock down"

 

['69 Camaro]

Hi, Gary.

Tell me more?

First, it's a bad idea to tag onto someone else's question, because you're
at the mercy of whoever is following that thread, since old posts tend to
get buried in the hundreds of questions that get posted every day in the
Access newsgroups. If you post your tag question more than a day or two
after the thread began, you run the risk that whoever you'd like to reply is
either no longer following the thread or doesn't have the time to answer
questions in the newsgroup on the day you need help. However, if you post
an entirely new question, everyone can see it, and those who know the answer
can help out, often within minutes.

As to more information about locking down the database application, please
see the Access blog for what the Access team has posted on the latest
version. In particular, you'll find a little info on LockNavigationPane on
the following Web page:

http://blogs.msdn.com/access/archive/2005/11/01/488022.aspx

HTH.
Gunny

See http://www.QBuilt.com for all your database needs.
See http://www.Access.QBuilt.com for Microsoft Access tips and tutorials.
http://www.Access.QBuilt.com/html/expert_contributors2.html for contact
info.

 

[Gary J. Dikkema]

Thanks for everything.

Hi, Gary.


First, it's a bad idea to tag onto someone else's question, because you're
at the mercy of whoever is following that thread, since old posts tend to
get buried in the hundreds of questions that get posted every day in the
Access newsgroups. If you post your tag question more than a day or two
after the thread began, you run the risk that whoever you'd like to reply
is either no longer following the thread or doesn't have the time to
answer questions in the newsgroup on the day you need help. However, if
you post an entirely new question, everyone can see it, and those who know
the answer can help out, often within minutes.

As to more information about locking down the database application, please
see the Access blog for what the Access team has posted on the latest
version. In particular, you'll find a little info on LockNavigationPane
on the following Web page:

http://blogs.msdn.com/access/archive/2005/11/01/488022.aspx

HTH.
Gunny

See http://www.QBuilt.com for all your database needs.
See http://www.Access.QBuilt.com for Microsoft Access tips and tutorials.
http://www.Access.QBuilt.com/html/expert_contributors2.html for contact
info.