Microsoft Office

Access

Is there any way to automate the creation, sending and receiving of Emails through the Data Collection capability of A07 using VBA? The wizard is too complex for the users I am working with.

Here is the reply we got from the developer—it isn’t for the faint at heart…

There isn’t a straight-forward way to do this and it isn’t officially supported. It’s possible if you don’t mind a little reverse engineering… The key is that there are two places Data Collection uses to do its work. One is in a system table inside Access used to store information about the action, and the other is an XML file that Outlook uses when mails are received to identify Data Collection mails and associated databases.

The system table is called MSysDataCollection. There’s one entry for each data collection action that’s created in the database. A quick rundown of the fields:

Active – Controls whether the current Data Collection action should be run.
BasedOnType – This marks whether the data collection is based on a query or a table
CreatedDate – When was the data collection action originally started.
ExternalID – A unique GUID to identify the Data Collection action
FormName – Name of the form; appears in the e-mail subject
InfoPathForm – True if we sent out an InfoPath form, false if it was HTML
Mapping – An XML chunk that defines how fields in the table/query map to fields in the form. Your best bet is to create a few Data Collection actions similar to ones your users might create, and mimic the XML. Here’s some of the interesting bits

Access

Click the link above to get the templete links on Access Team Blog.

Here are some of the new tweaks:

Some of the modifications include:

* Updated color schemes,
* New getting started screen,
* Video’s to demonstrate how to use the database and modify the database,
* Improved some of the database functionality to make it easier to use and more consistent, and
* Expanded the Students database to make it easier to track meta data about guardians relationships with a many-to-many junction table.

For example, here is one of the templete know-how:

the Task Management Database template.

Prepare the database for use
When you first open the database, Access displays the Getting Started page. To prevent this page from displaying the next time you open the database, clear the Show Getting Started when this database is opened check box.
Close the Getting Started page to begin using the database.

To make sure all the database content is enabled, use the following procedure:
In the Message Bar, click Options.
In the Microsoft Office Security Options dialog box, click Enable this content, and then click OK.
For more information about enabling database content, see the article Decide whether to trust a database.
Collect data through e-mail
You can collect task information from e-mail users by sending them a data entry form in an e-mail message. When users return the completed form, the data can be processed and stored in your task list.

On the Task List form, click Collect Data.
Follow the instructions in the Collect data through e-mail messages wizard to collect data from the specified e-mail recipients.
Search for a task or contact
The Quick Search box lets you quickly find a task on the Task List form, or a contact on the Contact List form.

Type the text you want to search for in the Quick Search box, and then press ENTER or click Go.
Access filters the list to show only those records that contain the text you searched for. To return to the full list, click Show All Records.
Filter the Task List
On the Task List form, you can filter the list of tasks, and save your favorite filters for future use.

Apply filters by right-clicking the form and selecting the filters you want.
Click Save Filter.
On the Filter Details form, enter a filter name and description, and then click Close.
Use the Filter Favorites box to apply a saved filter, or click (Clear Filter) to remove the filter.
Show or hide columns
On the Task List form and the Contact List form, some fields (columns) are hidden by default. Click above to read more!

Microsoft Access file

In his article, he give three big steps:

System One: The things themselves

The system that held the files would give me data in comma-delimited text named as if it were an Excel file.

System Two: About those things…

Performance data about the articles was in a SQL Server database. Access talks to SQL Server, no problem.

System Three: The best-laid plans

Plans for new content live in a SharePoint list. Access, as it turns out, talks to SharePoint.

Ok, I have no idea how i’ll start my own process of transfer and whatnot, but it’d sure be nice to have a better format for that information than endless cells running sideways and up and down. With Steven’s accolades on Access and Excel working together, he gives me some interest in trying. If that is successful, I have another spreadsheet on recipes i’ve tried, with my own comments.

Think of the possibilies.

Microsoft Access

Courtesy of Access Team Blog:

Highlights of the updates:

Package Solution Wizard
A wizard that creates a Windows Installer Package (MSI) to install your database and any supporting files and optionally includes the Access 2007 Runtime, or prompts the user to download the Access 2007 Runtime.
Updated for packaging databases with international character file names. Some surrogate Unicode characters are not supported due to MSI technology limitations
Bug fix: Repairing an package install to a custom location will correctly install to the original user-specified location.
Source Code Control
Integration with Microsoft Visual SourceSafe or other source code control systems to allow check-in/check-out of queries, forms, reports, macros, modules, and data. You can also see the differences that have been made to your checked out objects.
This is the first release of the ADE that ships the source code control components in additional languages beyond English, Japanese, French and German.

Click the link above for more and the download siet.

Access Bug Database Templete

Free Bugs application available for download

Haven’t used Access much myself, although have been wanting to build a database of Writing Contests. Currently, I’ve been using Excel, and the spreadsheet is unwieldy. Access has the ability to take a transfer from Excel files and make the necessary changes.

Anyway, my point is, for those Access users, this bug templete will be a great help.

From the Access Team Blog:

A few months ago we solicited feedback about a new bug tracking template that was in development. We got lots of great feedback and I’m happy to announce the template is available in the Access Getting Started screen in the business category and on Office Online..

Let us know how this helps you and your work/business.

Issues fixed include:

You experience slower performance than you did in previous versions when you share a database file over a network.
You may notice your database file increase in increments of 4 KB without any user interaction when the database is open.
You may see a sub-form become blank after you set the main form’s recordset. You may also receive the following error: “Run-time error 2467 – The expression you entered does not exist”.
When you make a change in a code module in an Access 2007 database under source code control, the changes are not saved if you do the following:
Close the Visual Basic Editor without saving the changes
Check the Object back in
Use the Get Last Version feature to view the latest changes.
These fixes are available at http://support.microsoft.com/kb/960307.

Access 2007 helps you effectively track, report, and share information in a manageable environment, to make more informed business decisions. With a library of pre-built tracking applications (database solutions) and the Microsoft Office Fluent user interface, Access 2007 does not require deep database knowledge or programming skills. Information can be shared through Microsoft Windows SharePoint Services lists, where it can be audited and backed up easily.

Quickly get started tracking information
Start working immediately with the results-oriented features in Office Access 2007:

Prebuilt solutions. The new Getting Started screen includes a variety of prebuilt database solutions. Use these applications right out of the box to track contacts, events, issues, assets, tasks, and more — or treat them like templates, and enhance and refine them to accommodate the kind of information you want to track or the way in which you want to track it. As other application templates become available from Microsoft Office Online, they will be advertised in the Getting Started screen.
Office Fluent user interface. Office Access 2007 has been updated with a fresh look that makes it easier to create, modify, and work with tracking applications (Access database solutions). The Office Fluent user interface (UI) is context-sensitive and optimized for efficiency and discoverability. From the nearly 1,000 available commands, the Fluent UI displays only those relevant to the task you are performing at any given moment. In addition, the tabbed windows view and a new status bar, scroll bars, and title bar give applications built on Office Access 2007 a very modern look.

From Database blog on About.com: o, you’d like to learn more about Microsoft Access 2007 and you don’t know where to begin. I’ve selected five of my favorite introductory-level Access books for your perusal.

1. Microsoft Access 2007 Step by Step
“”Microsoft Press
Microsoft Press’ foray into the world of Access tutorial books makes you wonder why they don’t have the same team working on their product documentation. This book should be included in the box when you purchase Access. Unfortunately, it’s not. Similar to the product above, this book offers and illustrated look at the program’s features.

2. Special Edition Using Microsoft Office Access 2007
“”Que
This is my absolute favorite Access reference book. I’ve ranked it number three because its 1460 pages are jam-packed with technical detail that might intimidate the beginner. However, if you’re a brave soul looking for a book that will grow with you, Roger Jenning’s book is the best choice.

3. Microsoft Access 2007 Bible
“”Wiley
Another 1400+ page tome that offers an amazingly complete reference to the entire Access product. This book is often used as a textbook in Access courses and it includes a free CD-ROM that enables you to easily follow along with the examples. There’s also a 32-page QuickStart guide to get you up and running quickly.

4. Access 2007 for Dummies
“”Wiley
You don’t have to be a dummy to appreciate Access 2007 for Dummies. This book, written in the world-famous Dummies style provides readers with a gentle introduction to the world of databases and Microsoft Access. It’s chock full of examples and sure to please the novice user.

5. Rational Guide to Access 2007 Templates
“”Mann Publishing
Zac Woodall’s book provides an excellent introduction to creating and sharing Microsoft Access database templates. It’s a wonderful reference for anyone who needs to occasionally or regularly design or develop Access templates.

From the Access Blog: A new hotfix for Access 2007 is now available at http://support.microsoft.com/kb/957690.

Issues fixed:
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When you open a form by using a macro, the form opens in a small reduced mode. You will see this behavior when you create a form by:

1. Specifying the following property values on the form: Property
Value

Modal
Yes

Pop Up
Yes

Auto Resize
No

2. Opening, updating, and saving the record source of the form. When you open the form by using a macro, the form opens in a small reduced mode.

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When you export a report to an .rft file format in Access 2007, the export process is very slow compared to the same process in Access 2003.

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You create a macro by specifying the RunMacro action in Access 2007. You specify the Repeat Expression parameter of the RunMacro action to run a second macro at least two times. The second macro contains the StopMacro action. When you run the macro and the second macro stops running because of the StopMacro action, the macro also stops running, even if the expression evaluates to True. However, in Access 2003, the macro stops for the current iteration, and then continues to run until the expression evaluates to False.

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You have a text file that contains a column of date values that are not delimited. When you try to link to the text file or import the column from Access 2007, you encounter the following problems:

· If you link to the text file by specifying the column as the Date/Time data type, the column values are displayed as #Num! in Access 2007.

· If you import the column by specifying the column as the Date/Time data type, the column values are not imported. In the ImportErrors table, you receive the following error message on the Error column:

Type Conversion Failure

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Subforms based on a parameter value do not refresh to reflect the data in the parameter. You create a form in Access 2007. You also create two subforms that are bound to Access queries or to stored procedures in Microsoft SQL Server. Additionally, Access 2007 populates data into the subforms by using parameter values. The first subform also sets the parameter value of the second subform. You update the first subform. In this scenario, the second subform does not update.
Note This problem does not occur in Access 2003.

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You create linked tables in an Access 2007 database. Additionally, you create a form and add controls that display data from the linked tables. When you operate on these controls, you experience very slow performance compared to Access 2003.
Note This problem does not occur if you use imported tables.

From the Access Team Blog: Years ago I spoke at the AUG National Seminar in the UK. The folks out there do a great job putting on a conference with really good sessions. The next conference will be on the 13th November 2008 at Microsoft’s Office in Reading, UK with the following presentations:

Visual Studio 2008, LINQ and the Implications for Access Developers
Adding Business Intelligence to your Access/SQL Server Projects
SQL Server Reporting Services for Access Developers
What’s New for Access Developers in SQL Server 2008
Using Enhanced Graphical Components in Access Forms
See Access User Group National Seminar for the full agenda.

To book please email margaret@gordonassociates.co.uk or call 01242 529820. £135.00 + VAT for members. Non-members welcome also - please ask for details.

From the Access Team Blog: Today’s guest writer is Liam Cavanagh from the Sync Framework and SQL Services team. They are doing some cool stuff that allows Access developers to store their app and data in the cloud using SQL Server Data Services. Liam is looking for people that want to beta test an upcoming release early next year. –Clint

Today at PDC we are announcing Codename “Huron”, a set of synchronization experiences built on top of the sync functionality in SQL Data Services’ cloud database and the Microsoft Sync Framework to provide business database sharing. Business database sharing offers a simple way to scale data to large numbers of users while not parting from the investment made in current technologies. It also enables users to subscribe and then edit the data locally in the format of their choice whether that is Office Access, SQL Server Express or SQL Server Compact and then push changes into SQL Data Services. The first end-to-end experience we will provide is for Office Access and will allow users to:

Publish databases to the cloud along with reports, forms and objects
Subscribe to published data and automatically configure the local database for sync
Make online changes through SQL Data Services and propagate those changes to subscribed users once they connect
Enable scheduled and background synchronization of data changes through SQL Data Services and then on to other subscribed users
Backup and restore of database applications to the cloud
If you are interested in joining our early beta, please email DataLabs@Microsoft.com with “Huron beta” in the subject. For more information on Codename “Huron”, please visit http://msdn.microsoft.com/sync

Microsoft Sync Framework is a comprehensive synchronization platform that enables collaboration and offline access for applications, services and devices. It features technologies and tools that enable roaming, sharing, and taking data offline. Using Microsoft Sync Framework, developers can build sync ecosystems that integrate any application, with any data from any store using any protocol over any network.

A key aspect of the Microsoft Sync Framework is the ability to create custom synchronization providers. A provider is a software component that represents a replica for synchronization. A replica is a particular repository of information to be synchronized, such as a file system on a handheld device. When representing a data source, a provider enumerates changes from its replica. When representing a destination, a provider applies changes to its replica. If the data at the source and destination differ in type or schema, each provider performs any necessary mapping or transformation.