Expert Access™ 2007 Programming

Chapter 7. Managing Data

The primary function of a relational database application, let alone an Access application, is to manage data. Data is our bread and butter, and is probably a big reason behind the work that you're doing. Regardless of the amount of data that you have, it should be easy to work with. Finding it should be not only fast, but easy as well.

The Jet database engine that was used with Access from the beginning is now included with Access 2007 and known as the Microsoft Office Access database engine. This updated version of the database engine includes some pretty interesting new features, such as new multiple-value data types that make very simple many-to-many relationships easier to use, as well as introduce new features such as append-only memo fields and attachments.

In this chapter, we look at a wealth of different techniques for working with your data, including strategies and techniques to:

• Locate specific records that match criteria

• Position and manipulate the cursor in a recordset

• Implement custom sorting solutions

• Work with Append-Only Memo fields

• Work with Attachment fields

Finding Data

Access provides three different techniques for locating data within your database. The Find methods enables you to locate records that match one or more criteria you specify. This is analogous to a cursor in the SQL Server/Oracle world because it provides procedural access to data in a recordset. Find searches through each record in a recordset in order, and tests each row to ...