Switching to VB on the FE

D

DS

How hard would it be to switch all of my Front End to VB and keep the
Access Back End that I have, everything is done.
Thanks
DS

PS
Do I lose all of Access reporting? Because Access has the best Reports
or does VB use Crystal Reports?
 
A

Allen Browne

It's a major job.

You will need a different reporting engine, such as Crystal Reports.

The forms don't have the events that the Access forms do, and you lose
subforms.

The controls don't have the same validation events, and they are not
data-centric. For example, VB does not have the distinction between a
controls Value (after validation) and Text, and does not automatically
reject inappropriate values (such as a date 13/32/2005.)

So, essentially you are writing a new interface almost from scratch, to use
the same data.
 
D

DS

Allen said:
It's a major job.

You will need a different reporting engine, such as Crystal Reports.

The forms don't have the events that the Access forms do, and you lose
subforms.

The controls don't have the same validation events, and they are not
data-centric. For example, VB does not have the distinction between a
controls Value (after validation) and Text, and does not automatically
reject inappropriate values (such as a date 13/32/2005.)

So, essentially you are writing a new interface almost from scratch, to use
the same data.
Click to expand...
I see, No Subforms, Inferior Reports, Etc...A lot of downsides already!
OK, I'll fess up. The big reason why I was thinking of doing this is
because of that Print Dialog box that pops up everytime I print. I
tried the hide method but it doesn't hide it quick enough,,,Anyway of
changing it to what I want or Customizing it, both looks and content?
Thanks
DS
 
A

Albert D.Kallal

I see, No Subforms, Inferior Reports, Etc...A lot of downsides already!
OK, I'll fess up. The big reason why I was thinking of doing this is
because of that Print Dialog box that pops up everytime I print. I tried
the hide method but it doesn't hide it quick enough,,,Anyway of changing
it to what I want or Customizing it, both looks and content?
Thanks
DS
Click to expand...

It is not clear what you mean here, but you might start a new post.

Are you saying you want to send the report you are viewing to the printer
without printer dialog prompt?

If you got a custom menu bar for your report like I do, then ALL OF my
reports have an option to print (with no printer dialog), and then a option
print, and the printer dialog appears.

Here is a screen shot of the menu bar.

http://www.members.shaw.ca/AlbertKallal/test/bu.htm

So, if I click on the print to default printer...no dialog appears.

The code used for these menu bars options is as follows:

The select object command is needed to fix a "focus" bug if you have a form
with a timer function.

For the code that pops up the printer dialog (so the user can change
printers etc).

You can use:


On Error Resume Next
DoCmd.SelectObject acReport, Screen.ActiveReport.Name
DoCmd.RunCommand acCmdPrint

The select object command is needed to fix a "focus" bug if you have a form
with a timer function.

The code to print right to the printer while in preview mode can be:

On Error Resume Next
Dim strReportName as string
strREportName = Screen.ActiveReport.Name
DoCmd.SelectObject acReport, strReportName
DoCmd.PrintOut acPrintAll

So, the 2nd code example does NOT prompt with a printer dialog..

I used the above for years and years. So, just have your menu buttion run
either of the above code routines.....
 
A

Albert D.Kallal

DS, I think there might be some confusing here.

Are you trying to suppress the access box that pops up and displays the
printing progress (page 1 of 20)..and disappears on its own?

Or, are you taking about the standard print dialog that asks you for what
printer, number of copies etc.?

The above two issues are complete different, and there exists solutions to
both......
 
D

DS

Albert said:
DS, I think there might be some confusing here.

Are you trying to suppress the access box that pops up and displays the
printing progress (page 1 of 20)..and disappears on its own?

Or, are you taking about the standard print dialog that asks you for what
printer, number of copies etc.?

The above two issues are complete different, and there exists solutions to
both......
Click to expand...
Yep the first one The box that pops up and says printing 1 of whatever
then disappears. Thats the one. I need to get rid of it or make a box
of my own.
Thanks
DS
 
A

Albert D.Kallal

Yep the first one The box that pops up and says printing 1 of whatever
then disappears. Thats the one. I need to get rid of it or make a box of
my own.
Thanks
DS
Click to expand...

Hum, strange request. I don't know if you need this for a whole bunch of
reports, or the number is very limited. I suppose one could launch the
report in preview mode, (set the report to not visible)...grab the number of
pages...and then pop up you own custom dialog with the number of pages..and
then send the report to the printer. (and, use the above given api to hide
the printer dialog). I am still at a loss here as to why one needs to
replace the built-in dialog however? If you need to get the number of pages
and display it, then opening up the report (and not displaying it) is
certainly possible. .I can see the need for determining the number of
pages...but replacing that "printing" dialog box yields little if any
benefit to a application. (I can't imagine why it is a problem....).
 
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