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Describing database creation and the creation/use of tables and queries.
Contents Pg. 1 Main Window, New Features, Getting Help Pg. 2 Terminology, Database Objects, Database Toolbar, Standard Toolbar Icons, Creating a Database Pg. 3 Creating a Database, Creating Tables, Table Design Toolbar: Unique Icons, Data Types
Pg. 4 Data Types, Common Field Properties, Primary Keys, Creating Queries Pg. 5 Creating Queries, Query Design Toolbar: Icons, Query Design, Specify Criteria Pg. 6 Specify Criteria, Table & Query Datasheet Toolbar: Unique Icons, Record Navigation Icons, Common Keyboard Shortcuts, Application Management, Viewing & Positioning Toolbars
Main Window 1. Menu Bar. The menus available in Access XP are displayed in this area. 2. Toolbars. Each toolbar provides fast access to many of the features and functions of Access XP. The toolbars can be customized. 3. Shortcut Bar. When a database is open, the Shortcut bar is displayed in this area of the window. The Shortcut bar provides quick access to the tables, queries, forms, pages, macros and modules which are defined within a database. To access the objects of a desired type, click the object type name, and the items available are displayed in the right pane of the window.
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4. Objects. The objects of a selected type in a database are displayed in this pane of the window. To display an object, double-click the item. 5. Status Bar. The current status of Access XP is displayed here. In the main database window, the status will typically be “Ready.” Instructions and other information may appear in this area in other views. 6. Database Toolbar. The tools available in the database window are displayed here. These include preview, design mode, new database object, delete, view by large icon, view by small icons, view as list and view details. 7. Ask a Question. Provides quick and easy access to the Help system.
New Features in Access XP
Getting Help
Access XP (also known as Access 2002 and Access 10) offers many new features over Access 2000. Some of the new and improved features are: • Application Recovery, a feature in all Office XP products, allows the application to be ended when it is unresponsive (crashed) using Start, Programs, Office Tools, Microsoft Office Application Recovery. If the application crashes, this feature automatically appears, giving the option to save the document and restart Access, then reopen the document. Either method preserves any workbooks that were open, and optionally alerts either IT or Microsoft of the crash. • A new file format that supports future enhancements without requiring the data format to change, as well as faster processing of large databases. It also can use the existing Access 2000 file format natively, allowing both programs to use the same database file. • Multiple levels of undo and redo are available in most design views. • A table is created that lists any conversion errors when previous versions are upgraded to Access XP, making it simpler to correct those errors. • PivotTable and PivotChart views are available, making it easier to analyze data for complex patterns. This is similar to the capabilities Excel has had for several versions. • Reports, forms, tables, and queries can be exported in XML format, making them easy to view with a standard browser. • Forms and reports can be saved as Data Access Pages, making it simple to convert existing databases to Web-based solutions. • The SQL Server 2000 Desktop Edition is included with Access XP, allowing database solutions to be designed with the eventual implementation using SQL Server as the back end without any modifications. • The Linked Table wizard makes it easy to seamlessly access data stored in SQL 7.0 and SQL 2000 databases. • SQL Server stored procedures can easily be created using Access’s query designer. This is especially useful for designing stored procedures that perform updates, deletes, etc. (similar to the action queries that Access supports). • Many updates and new features have been made that make it simpler for developers to programmatically manipulate data, manage passwords, integrate with Web servers, etc. Refer to the Access 2002 Product Guide for more information on these features.
Access XP offers an extensive help system that can be displayed by clicking the icon on the Standard Toolbar.
To use the Ask a Question feature: • Enter the question in the Type a question for help field (on the right side of the menu bar) and press <Enter>. • A window containing the results is displayed. Click the hyperlink for the desired article, and the help window for that topic will be displayed. This window contains two panes. The left pane lists additional topics within the help system that may be relevant to the question that was posed. The right pane of the window contains the contents of the selected topic. • To display the contents of additional topics, click the desired topic in the left pane of the window.
To display an index of the online help system: • Click the icon, select Microsoft Access Help from the Help menu, or press the F1 key, and the help window will be displayed. • Click the Index tab located at the top of the left pane of the window. • Choose a keyword from the keyword list or enter a word or phrase in the Type Keywords field. Once the word or phrase has been entered, click the Search button. • A list of topics that contain the word or phrase is listed in the bottom portion of the left pane of the window. • To display the contents of a topic, click the desired topic in the bottom portion of the left pane, and the contents will be displayed in the right pane of the window. Access XP provides a fast and convenient way to access the most up-to-date help information for Access XP on the Internet.
To display the Internet help: Select Office on the Web from the Help menu. The default Internet browser that is defined within the operating system will be launched and an Internet connection established. Once the Microsoft site is accessed, the Office XP Assistance Center (help) page will be displayed. 1
Access XP Terminology
Standard Toolbar Icons
Database. A database is a collection of related objects designed to be used together (for inventory management, scheduling, managing a list of recipes, etc.). In its simplest form, it is a basic structure of tables and fields where information can be organized and stored. Once the information is entered into a database, it can be analyzed, printed, sorted and retrieved. Access 2002 is a software application that assists in the creation and maintenance of databases. Drop Down Menu. A menu of choices that appears in dialog boxes and next to some icons; accessed by clicking the downward facing triangle as shown here . Flat File Database. A database format that does not allow elated tables to be used together. Very few database applications are flat file anymore; most flat file style databases are created in other applications, such as a spreadsheet, a text document, etc. instead of the format Access uses. Foreign Key. A field in a table that references an indexed field (usually the primary key) of another table. Hyperlink. Text that is linked to additional information such as another presentation, Office XP document or Internet Web site. Primary Key. A field that uniquely identifies each record. No two records can have the same primary key. They are often numbers, such as social security numbers, UPC codes, etc. Relational Database. A style of database that allows for defining relationships between information contained in multiple tables. This feature allows for extensive information manipulation, smaller databases and fewer data entry errors (due to decreased duplication of information). Access XP is a relational database application. Relationship. Link between two tables; for example a table with item numbers and descriptions and a table with sales of that item. ScreenTip. Text that appears when an icon, hyperlink, etc. is pointed at, but not clicked. The text “Save,” in the example at right. Toolbar. A toolbar is a bar located under the main Menu Bar that provides quick access to common features of Access XP.
The icons that vary from view to view will be described in their respective sections elsewhere in this chart. The following describes the common icons available in most Access views: View. Toggles between available views. For tables, Datasheet, Design, PivotTable, and PivotChart views are available; for queries, Datasheet, Design, SQL, PivotTable, and PivotChart views are available. Save. Saves the currently displayed object. When entering and modifying data, it is automatically saved when leaving the current record. Search. Allows searching for files that meet specified conditions (ex. containing a certain phrase) in specified locations and of specified types. Print. Prints the current object (all of the records) to the printer used last (or the default if one hasn’t been used yet). The printer will be displayed in parenthesis in the ScreenTip. Not available in Design view. Print Preview. Displays how the current object will look when printed on the screen. Useful in determining the number of pages that will be used. Not available in Design view. Spelling. Opens the spelling checker. Not available in Design view. Cut. Removes the currently selected text or record(s) from the table (in datasheet view) or removes the criteria or field(s) from the table or query (in design view) and places it/them on the clipboard for pasting. Copy. Copies the currently selected text or record(s) from the table (in Datasheet view) or copies the criteria or field(s) from the table or query (in Design view) and places it/them on the clipboard for pasting. Paste. Places the contents of the clipboard into the current field or record (in Datasheet view) or places the criteria or field in the table or query definition (in Design view). If one or more records are pasted, they are added to the end of the table. Undo. Reverses the last action (typing, formatting, deletion, etc.). Remembers the last 99 actions. Multiple items can be undone in order by repeatedly clicking this button. Be careful: multiple changes to a record can be undone when a record is undone with a single click of this button. The standard drop down of Undo actions is only available in Design view. Redo. Undoes the last Undo. Remembers the last 99 Undo actions. Multiple items can be redone in order by selecting them from the drop down menu (only in Design view). Not available in Datasheet view. Database Window. Displays the main database window (illustrated on the front cover) where any object type may be created, renamed, deleted, opened, etc. New Object. Creates a new object, including query, table, form, or report. The AutoForm and AutoReport features will build a form or report (respectively) based on the current table. All other choices create a new, empty object of the type selected. Microsoft Access Help. Opens Access Help.
Database Objects Databases are made up of objects. These are illustrated on the front cover of this chart. The following is a brief description of objects available in Access XP: Tables. Stores data in a table in rows and columns very similar to a spreadsheet. Queries. Locates and displays information based on user-defined criteria. Forms. Allows information from a table to be displayed in a user-defined format. Reports. Compiles, displays and prints information compiled by a query. Macros. Simple way to automate many tasks; can be used with forms, reports, and modules. Modules. For more information on Visual Basic see our Quick Study® Visual Basic guide.
Database Toolbar The Database toolbar is automatically displayed when a database is opened. It is the view illustrated on the first page of this chart. The following describes the icons on the Database toolbar (when either the Tables or Queries tab is selected):
Creating a Database Unlike the other applications in the Office XP suite, Access XP (like all previous versions of Access) creates a database file on the disk as soon as the database is created. When the application is started, the New Database Task Pane is displayed, allowing both blank and wizard-assisted databases to be created.
Open. Opens the selected Table or Query object in datasheet view, allowing data to be viewed and usually edited.
New Database Task Pane
Design. Opens the selected Table or Query object in design view, allowing the table or query design to be viewed and modified.
The New Database Task Pane allows existing databases to be opened, and creates either a blank or a database with necessary tables, queries, forms, and reports for a given predefined scenario.
New. Opens a dialog that prompts for the method desired to create a new table (design or datasheet view or using the New Table, Import Table, or Link Table wizard) or Query (design view or Simple Query, Crosstab Query, Find Duplicates Query, or Find Unmatched Query Wizard) object desired.
Creating a blank database: • In the New Database Task Pane, select Blank Database under the New heading. • Select the desired location and file name for the file and click the Create button. • The main database window is displayed. Follow the instructions in this chart to create any necessary tables and queries.
Delete. Deletes the selected Table or Query object. Large Icons. Displays the icons representing the objects and the tabs using large icons. Small Icons. Displays the icons representing the objects and the tabs using small icons in multiple columns. List. Displays the icons representing the objects and the tabs using small icons in a single column (this is the view illustrated on Page 1).
Using the Wizards to create a database:
Details. Displays the icons representing the objects and the tabs using small icons in a single column (like List view) with the following added information: description, date & time of last modification, date & time of creation and type of object.
Access has many predefined databases and others are available on Microsoft’s Web site. These wizards will help create a database with all necessary objects. They can be modified as needed after the wizard finishes. 2
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Creating a Database continued
Table Design Toolbar: Unique Icons
Other templates are available from Microsoft’s Web site, but these are predefined templates with sample data, not wizards that prompt for design elements.
Insert Rows. Inserts a new row for a new field below the selected field. Delete Rows Deletes the selected field(s).
Using a Wizard to create a new database:
Using Design View
• Click the General Templates link under New from Template in the New Database Task Pane, and the Templates dialog box will open. • Select the Databases tab and the figure shown above will appear. • Select the desired purpose for the database from the list and click OK. • Modify the design of the tables and queries as described in this chart.
Creating Tables
To create a new field, name it and select the appropriate data type. Optionally, a description may be entered for the field to describe its purpose, its role in relationships with other tables, expected data, etc.
Tables are the key to storing information. Proper table design is beyond the scope of this chart, but the mechanics of how to do so are described here.
To create a table in Design view:
Using a Wizard
• In the main database window, click the Create table in Design view link. • Enter a name for each field (up to 64 characters long), select a data type for each field, and optionally enter a description for each field.
Many sample tables come with Access. These can be used as the basis for tables necessary for many purposes. A primary key will always be set or created when using the wizard (though it can be deleted later if not needed).
• When finished, click the
To create a table using a wizard:
icon to save it and begin entering data.
• In the main database window, double click Create table by using wizard. • The Table Wizard will appear. Select either the Business or the Personal radio buttons to choose tables designed for either home or business use. • Select the desired table from the list and the fields that may be appropriate for that type of table will be listed in the middle pane. Select the desired fields and click the button to add them to fields in the new table. • Optionally: Select a field in the Fields in my new table pane and click the Rename Field button to select a different name for the field. Rename the field as desired and click OK. • Click the Next button. • Enter the name for the new table in the What do you want to name your new table? field. • To have Access select the field to be used to uniquely identify each row, select the Yes, set a primary key for me radio button; to manually set the primary key, choose the No, I’ll set the primary key radio button. • Click the Next button. • If No, I’ll set the primary key was selected, select the key and type of data and click Next. • If the wizard detects (based on field names) a relationship to another table, it will be listed here; other relationships can also be manually configured as well. To configure the relationship, click the Relationships button and select how they are related. When finished, click Next. • To further modify the table’s design, click Modify the table design, otherwise select either Enter data directly into the table or Enter data into the table using a form the wizard creates for me and click Finish.
To edit a table’s design: • In the main database window, select the desired table, then click the button. • Make all desired modifications. • When finished, click the
icon to save it and remain in Design view or the
icon to save it and enter or edit data.
Data Types Data Type
Subtype
Text Memo Byte
Integer Long Integer
Number
Single
Table Design Toolbar: Unique Icons Double
The most common icons used in Table Design view (in addition to the standard icons already described) are: Primary Key. Sets the primary key to the selected field. Indexes. Opens a dialog box where indexes can be created and modified, including sort order, making the index the primary key, forcing all records in the field to be unique, and ignoring (in the index) NULL (blank) values. A
icon to save it and remain in Design view or the
Decimal
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Purpose Fixed length text and numbers not used in calculations, such as names, phone numbers, and zip codes. 1-255 characters. Variable length text and numbers, such as notes on a customer. Up to 65,535 characters. Whole numbers from 0-255. Used for small values, such as number purchased or as a key for small sets of data, such as days of the week. -32,768 to +32,767 with 0 digits to the right of the decimal. Numbers from -2,147,483,648 to + 2,147,483,647 with 0 digits to the right of the decimal. Commonly used when linking fields. Numbers from –3.40282338 to –1.401298–45 for negative numbers and from +1.401298–45 to +3.40282338 for positive numbers with 7 digits of precision to the right of the decimal in scientific notation. Numbers from –1.79769313486231308 to –4.94065645841247–324 for negative numbers and from +4.94065645841247–324 to +1.79769313486231308 for positive numbers with 7 digits of precision to the right of the decimal in scientific notation. Stores numbers from -1028 to +1028 with up to 28 digits to the right of the decimal.
Data Types continued Data Type
Purpose
Date/Time
Dates (from 100-9999 A.D.) and times.
Currency
Used for financial and other mathematical calculations with 1-4
Primary Keys
characters after the decimal point. Faster than single or double data types if 1-4 decimal places needed as fixed-point math used instead of floating point math. Accurate to 15 characters to the left of the decimal and 4 after it. AutoNumber
Unique, sequential number, typically incremented by 1 for each new record. Used often in relationships between tables.
Yes/No
Simplest data type; can contain only yes or no, true or false, on or off, or checked or unchecked data.
OLE Object
Data linked from another application (up to 1 GB in size), such as
Hyperlink
Link to a URL (on the Internet, for example) or a UNC path
a picture, Word document, etc. (location on the network). Lookup Wizard
Creates a combo (drop down) menu used to select data from another table. Typically, text data (such as customer names) is displayed in the list, but the underlying primary key for the record (ex. customer ID) is stored in this table, not the longer textual form.
Most tables have a primary key. It uniquely identifies each record in a table. The primary key is often a field with “ID” in the field name and is often an AutoNumber field. For example, in the figure above, the Products table contains all the information about each product. Each product has a product ID associated with it that is the primary key for that table. The Orders table contains the “header” information for an invoice - who it was sold to, where to ship it, PO number, etc. The Order Details table lists each item ordered, how much it costs, any discount, etc. In this example, the Orders table is linked to the Order Details table by OrderID. OrderID is the primary key in the Orders table and a foreign key in the Order Details table. Likewise, ProductID is the primary key in the Products table and a foreign key in the Order Details table. Referencing ID fields in other tables reduces errors and makes data entry faster. All but the simplest of databases should have tables with primary keys defined; they are very useful when creating queries.
Tip: When choosing a number type, the simplest type that will meet the requirements, will be processed faster in calculations and won’t take as much space to store in the database. The number formats are listed in the table above from simplest/smallest to most complex/largest.
Common Field Properties There are, for most data types, the additional properties listed below. While they vary from data type to data type, each data type has its own combination of properties. The common ones are:
Property
Purpose
Field Size
For text, the maximum number of characters allowed; for numbers, the number type (byte, integer, etc.). For text, force to upper or lower case, require a minimum number of characters, etc. For numbers, the display of the numbers (scientific notation, currency, percent, etc.). For date/time, the format of the date and/or time (formats are defined in the Regional Settings control panel). For yes/no, whether to display yes/no, true/false, or on/off. For numbers and date/time, custom formats can be defined. The number of digits that will be displayed to the right of the decimal point. Caution: The actual value will be used in all calculations involving the field, not the number of digits displayed. Often used with text fields to format the display of data for specific purposes, such as Zip codes, phone numbers, social security numbers and passwords. Can also be used with date/time fields to format dates and times. The value automatically placed in the field for all new (but not existing) records. For example, the current date, a common title or an area code. Used as the field (column) heading in datasheet view for queries and tables and as the default label for a field on a form. The default is the field name. Data which is required to be entered in the field when a new record is created or an existing record is edited. Data is commonly required for things like names, phone numbers and so on. An index makes data retrieval and relationships to other tables faster and more efficient. Creating indexes on other fields “with few, often repeated values [such as 6] or in frequently used field” generally decreases performance. Three settings are available: No [no index for the field; the default], Yes (Duplicates OK) [the field is indexed, but there may be more than 1 record with the same value, such as for a last name], and Yes (No Duplicates) [the field is indexed; no 2 records can have the same value in the field, such as employee ID number or social security number]. The primary key is always Yes (No Duplicates).
Format
Decimal Places
Input Mask
Default Value
Caption
Required
Indexed
A
Creating Queries Queries make databases useful. Data is stored in tables and is just that – raw data. Queries turn the raw data from the tables into useful information. Queries take the form of questions you need answered (such as “What are the names and phone numbers of everyone in the marketing department?” or “What are the top selling products?”). Most queries are created in Design View, but a query that returns all the records for selected fields and a query that generates summary data (such as total units sold or average selling price) have been automated in wizards. A few complex tasks can also be accomplished with specialized wizards.
Creating a Query Using a Wizard The Simple Query Wizard is the wizard that appears when Create query by using wizard is selected in the main database window. The other queries that wizards can be used to create are available by clicking the button and selecting from the list. They are : Crosstab Query Wizard (used to analyze sales by month, for example), Find Duplicate Query Wizard (useful in finding duplicate records, such as phone numbers, especially when data from multiple sources are merged together), and Find Unmatched Query Wizard (used to find items in one table that don’t have matching entries in another, for example orders without an associated customer). These wizards are beyond the scope of this chart.
To use the Simple Query Wizard: • In the main database window, click the Create query by using wizard link. • Select the table or query that contains the desired fields from the drop down menu. Select the desired fields and click the button to add them to the Selected fields pane. Optionally, repeat this step for any additional tables or queries desired. • Click the Next button. • Optionally: If any of the selected fields are numeric, the next step will prompt for summary or detailed output. Detail will show all records, but only those fields selected. If Summary is selected, click the Summary Options button to display another dialog box. In the Summary options dialog box, all numeric fields will be displayed and you will be prompted for which calculations (sum, average, minimum, or maximum) should be performed. Check the appropriate boxes for the appropriate fields and click OK. Click the Next button. • Enter a name for the query then click the Finish button to complete the wizard and open the query. 4
Creating Queries continued
Query Design To create a functioning query, several steps must be followed in order. They are: 1. Add one or more tables to the query. 2. If multiple tables are used, specify any relationships between the fields (if necessary). 3. Add the fields to the query grid to add them to the output of the query. 4. Optionally, specify any desired criteria.
Using Design View Design view allows you great control over the design of a query. There are many advanced capabilities offered; the most common will be described here. Design view also allows criteria to be specified, which is the most important reason for queries.
To create a query in Design view: 1
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• In the main database window, click the Create query in Design view link. • In the Show Table dialog box, select the desired table(s) and/or query(ies) to be the source of data for the new query and click the Add button. • Click the Close button to close the show table design dialog box. • Create any necessary query and/or table relationships, add the desired fields and enter any necessary criteria. • When finished, click the icon to save it and remain in Design view or
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the
icon to view the results of the query.
To edit a query’s design: • In the main database window, select the desired query then click the button. • Make all desired modifications. • When finished, click the icon to save it and remain in Design view or
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the
icon to view the results of the query.
Adding/Removing Tables
1. *. Represents all fields in the table. 2. Table Name. Name of the table. 3. Relationship Lines. Denote the relationships between the fields in the table. In the screenshot, OrderID in the Orders table is related to OrderID in the Order Details table and ProductID in the Order Details table is related to ProductID in the Products table. 4. Tables in the query. This area shows all the tables involved in the query. 5. Field List. Displays a list of fields in the table. 6. QBE Grid. The QBE (Query By Example) Grid displays all of the fields in the query and any criteria that have been set. 7. Sort direction. Can be Ascending (A-Z), Descending (Z-A), or blank (not sorted). If multiple fields are sorted, they are sorted in the order listed in the QBE grid from left to right. 8. Show. If checked, the field is in the output of the query; if not, it is only for specifying criteria. By default, all new fields are checked when added to the QBE Grid. 9. Criteria. All criteria specified on the same row is ANDed together (all conditions must be met); criteria on different rows is ORed. In other words, all the criteria on row 1 must be met OR all the criteria on row 2, etc. May not be specified for the * field (as it represents all fields).
To add a table or query to a query: • Click the button to display the Show Table dialog box. • Select the desired table(s) and/or query(ies) to be an additional source of data for the new query and click the Add button. • Click the Close button.
To delete a table or query from a query: • Select the Title bar
of the desired table and press the
key.
Relating tables As shown and described in the Primary Keys section of this chart, tables are often related to each other. For the query to return valid results, the relationship between the tables must be specified. If the related fields have the same name in each table, relationship lines between the fields will automatically be created. If they are named differently, the relationship must be manually specified.
To manually relate two fields: • Select the related field in one table and drag it to the associated field in the second table.
To delete a relationship between two fields: • Select the relationship line “making thicker” and press the key.
Adding Fields to the QBE grid: • Select one or more fields from the field list (to select multiple fields, use the key while clicking on fields). • Drag them to the QBE grid. Fields will be inserted at the position of the cursor when the mouse button is released; any existing fields will be shifted right.
Query Design Toolbar: Unique Icons
Specify Criteria
The icons that are available in Query Design view (in addition to the standard icons already described) are: Query Type The default type is a Select Query, which means that data may be viewed (and in some cases, modifications made), but no bulk changes to data are made. Action Queries, of which there are 4 (Delete, Update, Append, and Make Table) change underlying data. The first 2 delete or update records that meet the criteria, respectively. An Append Query appends records that meet the criteria to another table (optionally in another database). The Make Table Query copies those records that meet the criteria into another table. Tip: Always execute any action query as a select query first to verify the correct records are selected. The results of an action query can’t be undone. Run Executes the query. Show Table Allows additional tables and/or queries to be added to the query. Totals Allows fields to be totaled and grouped. Many statistical options are available. Top Values Displays either all records that meet the criteria, or the top 5, 25, or 100 records, or the top 5% or top 25% of records that meet the criteria.
Most queries are not designed to return a subset of the fields for all records, but rather to answer one or more questions. The questions are asked by specifying criteria. In the figure shown to the top left, the criteria limits the results to orders in the 1st quarter of 2001 for product 153200 and to those orders for product 124856 for more than 15 units each. Notes: • Criteria may not be specified for the * field (as it represents all fields). • Dates must be surrounded by the # symbol if the data type of the field is Date/Time. • Numbers are entered as is, without any symbols around them. • Text is entered in quotation marks. AND vs. OR All criteria specified on the same row is ANDed together (all conditions must be met); criteria on different rows is ORed. In other words, all the criteria on row 1 (Between #1/1/2001# And #3/31/01# AND ProductID=153200) must be met OR all the criteria on row 2 (ProductID=124856 AND Quantity > 15) must be met, etc. Within a given field, the AND and OR operators may be specified as well, though typically multiple rows are used instead. This is a useful shortcut, however, when all the criteria in all other fields is the same. 5
Specify Criteria continued
Common Keyboard Shortcuts
* The asterisk stands for 0 or more characters. In other words, the criteria “*a” would match all of the following: Apple, Star Fruit, and Banana.
When entering data into a table or query, the following keyboard shortcuts can greatly speed up the process: • <ESC>: Using it once undoes any change to a field, twice undoes all changes to the record. • +Semicolon (;): Inserts the current date. • +<SHIFT>+Colon (:): Inserts the current time. • ++<SPACE>: Enters the field’s default value (if specified [in design view for the table for that field]). • +Apostrophe (‘): Copies the same value for field from previous record. • +Plus (+): Adds a new record (at the end of the table). • +Minus (-): Deletes current record.
Like The Like keyword is used when searching for a partial match, such as all products that start with the letter A (Like “A*”), end with “ing” (Like “*ing”), or have the word “oil” anywhere in the product name (Like “*oil*”). When entering the criteria, the word “Like” is not required; Access XP will automatically add it.
NOT Negates the condition specified, such as “NOT Cherry” returns all products that are not cherry.
NULL
Application Management
The keyword NULL is used to find fields that are blank (a single space is not considered a blank field, though it appears empty). Often used with the NOT keyword to find fields that are not empty as well.
Toolbars Access XP provides the ability to customize the features and functions that appear in the toolbars.
Ranges of Data To specify a range of data, the keyword Between is used. The range is inclusive of both values specified, for example “Between 5 and 10” returns all values from 5 through 10 and “Between #1/1/2001# and #3/31/2001#” returns all values from January 1, 2001 and March 31, 2001.
To customize a toolbar: • Select Toolbars from the View menu and a submenu will be displayed. From the submenu, select Customize. • Click the Commands tab. • Click the menu name to which the command will be added in the Categories pane of the window. • Locate the command you wish to add in the Commands pane of the window. To view a description of the command click the Description button. • Drag the desired button from the right-hand (Commands) pane to the desired location on any toolbar. • Follow the steps outlined above to add additional commands to toolbars. • Once all the desired commands have been added, click the Close button.
Prompting for Criteria at Run time If data needs to be prompted for when the criteria is executed, enter the prompt to be posed to the user in the criteria field in square brackets, like this: “Between [Enter a starting date] And [Enter an ending date]”. This is a very useful way of prompting the user for the criteria needed to answer a specific question without redesigning the query each time.
Table & Query Datasheet Toolbar: Unique Icons
To view ScreenTips:
The icons available in Datasheet view for both tables and queries (in addition to the standard icons already described) are: Sort Ascending. Sorts the table/query in ascending (A-Z) order based on the currently selected field. If multiple fields are selected, they are sorted in the order they appear, left to right, without regard to the order selected.
• Point at (but do not click) any toolbar button and the name of the button will be displayed. This works also for comments and hyperlinks. ScreenTips look like this:
Sort Descending. Sorts the table/query in descending (Z-A) order based on the currently selected field. If multiple fields are selected, they are sorted in the order they appear, left to right, without regard to the order selected.
Viewing and Positioning Toolbars Access XP provides the ability to view any number of toolbars and to locate them where it is most convenient for you. This can be on an edge of the screen (known as a docked position) or as a floating window.
Filter by Selection. Hides (filters out) all records that have different values then the currently selected field. Filter by Form. Displays all fields with a drop down menu listing all unique values for the field. Only one value at a time per field may be selected.
To view a toolbar: • Select Toolbars from the View menu and select the desired toolbar from the list. OR • Right click on any toolbar and select the desired toolbar from the list.
Apply/Remove Filter. If criteria have been specified using the Filter by Form method, click this button to apply the criteria. Once criteria have been applied (using either filter method), click the button again to remove the filter and display all records.
To dock a toolbar:
Find. Displays the standard Find dialog box. Data can also be changed, if desired. Individual fields may be searched or all fields of the table/query may be searched.
• Position the cursor on the Move Handle and drag it to its new position on one of the sides of the screen. OR • If it is a floating toolbar, double click the toolbar’s name in the title bar and it will dock on the top of the screen.
New Record. Adds a new record to the end of the database. Data is always appended to the end of the table, regardless of indexes, primary keys, etc. until the table/query is closed and reopened or manually sorted. Delete Record. Deletes the current (or selected) record(s). Confirmation will be prompted for, and if given, the action cannot be undone; the data is permanently lost.
Screen representations may vary depending on the version of the software installed. This guide is based on the software version shipping at the time of publication and is accurate to that version. Author: John Hales For specific changes to a software application, see Layout: Dominic Thompson the Read-Me file provided with the software application. Screen Customer Hotline # 1.800.230.9522 representations appear We welcome your feedback so we can maintain courtesy of Microsoft and exceed your expectations. Corporation, Redmond, Washington.
Record Navigation Icons 1
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1.First Record. Moves to the first record in the table/query (if filtered, the first record that matches the criteria) and makes it the current record. 2. Previous Record. Moves back a record (relative to the current record) in the table/query (if filtered, the 1st record before the current one that matches the criteria). 3.Current Record. Displays the current record number. A specific record can be made from the current record by typing its number in the text box. 4.Next Record. Moves forward a record (relative to the current record) in the table/query (if filtered, the 1st record after the current one that matches the criteria). 5.Last Record. Moves to the last record in the table/query (if filtered, the last record that matches the criteria). 6. New Record. Adds a new record to the end of the table; an alternate to the button.
© 2002 BarCharts, Inc. Boca Raton, FL June 2002
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