Fixing Access Annoyances

Introduction

“I have been at this for two months already. So far nothing seems to work.”

—Seen in an Access newsgroup

The first time I used Access, I tore my hair out. I’d volunteered to help one of my favorite nonprofits (http://www.earthdance.net) fix their database, figuring that it would be a piece of cake for a “seasoned” pro like me. Instead, it was a nightmare. Every time I tried something that I knew should work, it didn’t quite work.

Since that first wrestling bout, I’ve used Access many times in my job as a software developer. Once you know its pathways and tricks, it’s almost indispensable—but it’s as frustrating as it is useful. In fact, at one point when I was talking to O’Reilly Executive Editor Robert Luhn about doing such a book, he asked if Access had enough “annoyances.” I shot back, “How many volumes did you have in mind?”

Access is a goulash of pitfalls and idiosyncrasies. Sometimes its user interface seems well designed and easy to use, and sometimes it seems to be a maze of narrow, twisty paths that dead-end. Some things in Access “just work,” while others require a secret hand-shake. (Don’t get me started on the Help system.)

For this book, I have been really fortunate to collaborate with Microsoft veteran Evan Callahan, who’s been working with Access since Version 1.0. We’ve drawn on our own experience as developers and teachers, and we’ve scoured newsgroups, user groups, and online communities to identify the Access features, practices, and glitches that cause ...