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Access Application Navigation

The Microsoft Access 2010 user interface provides a host of tools for working with any supported database object. But often it is desirable to build custom navigation into an Access database application for any number of reasons. Moreover, in some cases, custom navigation is required to operate the database application. This lesson provides an overview of building custom application navigation and some examples of how these methods can be applied.

LESSON SETUP

Before beginning this lesson, it is assumed that you have at least some knowledge of the different types of database objects available in a database, as well as the Access 2010 UI tools, such as the Navigation Pane and the Ribbon. This lesson discusses the considerations of building custom navigation into your database applications, but does not necessarily require an in-depth knowledge of any particular type of database object.

APPLICATION NAVIGATION CONSIDERATIONS

When any database file, say an ACCDB file, is opened, the Access program is already doing a lot of work for you and it is all too easy to take these tools for granted. For example, the Navigation Pane automatically displays all the objects in the database (or some other custom view that the Navigation Pane provides). You can open, close, create, save, and modify all of the database objects using the Ribbon and the various Access designers. You can even set properties on the database file by using the Access Options dialog. But, ...

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