Access™ 2007 VBA Programmer's Reference

Chapter 10. Using VBA to Enhance Forms

First impressions are lasting, so be sure that your forms make it a great one. When you are providing a solution, forms are the first things that people see and use. So forms need to be as attractive as they are effective and intuitive.

Access 2007's out-of-the box features and controls replace many of the common tools and functions that required testing, error trapping, and add-ins. This is more than just a time saver; it builds in consistency and motivates you to deliver better solutions. Forms can be dressed up with subtle shading, colorful lines, and sleek new image controls.

Users like being able to scroll through data sheets, instantly see the details, and even update the record. They also appreciate how easy it is to assign a task to several people, particularly because they can add a person to the list without missing a beat. And there are unlimited opportunities for including attachments right in the database.

Those are just some of the features that you'll explore in this chapter.

If something already looks and works this good, then imagine how great your solution will be when you leverage it with VBA. That's what this chapter is all about. In addition to seeing how to use VBA with some of the new features, you'll also examine some of the important mainstays such as working with combo boxes, creating multiple instances of a form, and building a tree view control.