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20072007
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Automating Access with Macros
11
* Learning to automate with macros* Programming without coding* Creating a Switchboard* Using a macro group* Putting on the finishing touches
Stations Along the Way
Adding Macros to Your Toolkit
Macros… Help you perform repetitive tasks Work with Access forms, reports, queries,
and tables Have a base in Visual Basic for
Applications (VBA) Automatically interface with VBA
(programming savvy not required!) Are easy to build and use
Anatomy of a Macro Macro
ComponentMust
Have?What It Is / Does
Action Yes Identifies purpose
Arguments Yes Identifies objects involved
Condition No Sets a filter or limitation
Comment No Describes the macro’s action
Name Yes Names the macro within a group
Types of Macros
Embedded: o Are part of a form or report
o Often appear as command buttons
Stand-alone:o Exist as independent database objects
o Can be executed from a form, report, or control
o Appear in the left navigation pane
The Classic Switchboard
Acts as the database’s index page
Usually consists of a form with buttons
Offers user navigation to all other forms and reports
Typically opens with the database
Can contain an Exit button
Building a Switchboard
Start with the Switchboard Manager under Database Tools
Add action-related buttons as Switchboard entries
Avoid too many entries on one Switchboard form
Design to separate entries by function
Edit like any other form in Layout View or Design View
Embedded VersusStand-Alone Macros
Use Embedded Use Stand-Alone
For one-off situations On multiple forms or reports
When you copy forms or reports to other databases
When you execute outside of forms or reports
To create macro groups
Multi-Step Macros
Can be embedded or stand-alone
Are single macros that perform multiple, sequential steps
Require a defined data source
Macro Groups
Contain named, stand-alone macros Save related macros in a single file Organize macros by function or
usage Require a group plus individual
naming convention
Group_Name.Macro_Name
Macro Finishing Touches
Close Access: Adds a professional touch
RunApp: Runs an external application from within Access
AutoExec: Automatically executes when a database opens
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