In just 24 sessions of one hour or less, the reader picks up all the skills
needed to increase the effectiveness and reliability of Access applications.
Using a straightforward, step-by-step approach, each lesson builds upon the
previous one, allowing the reader to quickly learn the essentials of Access
programming from the ground up. The book helps the reader to understand the
fundamentals of the Access architecture, gain fast knowledge of the new features
that Access offers, learn how to effectively use the latest tools and features
of Access by following practical, real-world examples, and get expert tips from
the best-selling author, Alison Balter. This book is designed for the way
readers learn. They can go through each step-by-step chapter or just choose the
lessons that interest them the most.
Table of Contents
Introduction.
Conventions Used in This Book.
I. INTRODUCTION TO RELATIONAL DATABASES AND ACCESS 2003.
Hour 1. Relational Databases and Office
Access 2003 Introduced.
What Is a Relational Database? What Types of
Things Can I Do with Microsoft Access? Starting Microsoft Access. Opening an
Existing Database. The Access Desktop. The Database Window. A Preview of the
Database Components. Closing an Access Database. Summary. Q&A. Workshop.
II. WORKING WITH EXISTING DATABASES AND OBJECTS.
Hour 2. Tables Introduced.
Viewing and Navigating Table Data. Editing Table
Data. Adding Records to a Table. Deleting Records. Finding and Replacing
Records. Filtering Table Data. Modifying the Appearance of a Datasheet.
Correcting Errors by Using Spell Check and AutoCorrect. Summary. Q&A.
Workshop.
Hour 3. Queries Introduced.
What Is a Query and When Should You Use One?
Opening a Query in Datasheet View. Opening a Query in Design View. Running a
Query. Adding and Removing Fields. Modifying the Sort Order of a Query. Working
with Simple Criteria. Modifying the Datasheet View of a Query. Saving a Query.
Printing Query Results. Closing a Query. Summary. Q&A. Workshop.
Hour 4. Forms Introduced.
Uses for Forms. Opening a Form. Working with
Data in a Form. Sorting Records. Filtering the Data Underlying a Form. Viewing
the Design of a Form. Closing a Form. Using the AutoForm Feature. Using the Form
Wizard to Build a Form. Using the Conditional Formatting Feature of a Form.
Summary. Q&A. Workshop.
Hour 5. Reports Introduced.
Opening and Viewing a Report. Printing a Report.
The AutoReport Feature and the Report Wizard. Viewing the Design of a Report.
Closing a Report. Printing Database Objects. Summary. Q&A.
III. CREATING YOUR OWN DATABASE AND OBJECTS.
Hour 6. Using Wizards to Create a Database.
Using a Database Template to Create a Database.
Creating a Database from Scratch. Building a Table by Using a Wizard. Building a
Query by Using a Wizard. Building a Form by Using a Wizard. Building a Report by
Using a Wizard. Summary. Q&A.
Hour 7. Designing Databases.
Task Analysis. Data Analysis and Design.
Prototyping. Testing. Implementation. Maintenance. Summary. Q&A.
Hour 8. Creating Tables.
Building a New Table. Selecting the Appropriate
Field Type for Data. The All-Important Primary Key. Summary. Q&A. Workshop.
Hour 9. Creating Relationships.
Introduction to Relational Database Design.
Establishing Relationships in Access. Establishing Referential Integrity. The
Benefits of Relationships. Summary. Q&A. Workshop.
Hour 10. Creating Queries.
Query Basics. Ordering Query Results. Refining a
Query by Using Criteria. Updating Query Results. Building Queries Based on
Multiple Tables. Creating Calculated Fields. Getting Help from the Expression
Builder. Summary. Q&A. Workshop.
Hour 11. Creating Forms.
Creating a Form in Design View. Working with the
Form Design Window. Selecting the Correct Control for the Job. Conditional
Formatting. What Form Properties Are Available, and Why Should You Use Them?
Summary. Q&A. Workshop.
Hour 12. Creating Reports.
Types of Reports. The Anatomy of a Report.
Creating a Report in Design View. Working with the Report Design Window.
Selecting the Correct Control for the Job. Report Properties and Why to Use
Them. Summary. Q&A. Workshop.
Hour 13. Creating Macros.
The Basics of Creating a Macro. Running an
Access Macro. Modifying an Existing Macro. Documenting a Macro: Adding Comments.
Testing a Macro. When You Should Use Macros and When You Shouldn't. Converting a
Macro to VBA Code. Creating an AutoExec Macro. Creating an AutoKeys Macro.
Summary. Q&A. Workshop.
IV. POWER ACCESS TECHNIQUES.
Hour 14. Power Table Techniques.
Working with Field Properties. Working with
Table Properties. Using Indexes to Improve Performance. Summary. Q&A.
Workshop.
Hour 15. Power Query Techniques.
Adding Calculated Fields to Select Queries.
Applying Advanced Filters. Creating and Running Parameter Queries. Creating and
Running Action Queries. Using Aggregate Functions to Summarize Numeric Data.
Working with Outer Joins. Refining Queries with Field, Field List, and Query
Properties. Summary. Q&A. Workshop.
Hour 16. Power Form Techniques.
The Other Properties of a Form. Control
Properties and Why to Use Them. Bound, Unbound, and Calculated Controls. Using
Expressions to Enhance Forms. The Command Button Wizard: Programming Without
Typing. Building Forms Based on More Than One Table. Basing Forms on Queries:
The Why and How. Summary. Q&A. Workshop.
Hour 17. Power Report Techniques.
Other Properties of a Report. Control Properties
and Why to Use Them. Inserting Page Breaks. Bound, Unbound, and Calculated
Controls. Using Expressions to Enhance Reports. Building Reports Based on More
Than One Table. Working with Sorting and Grouping. Basing Reports on Stored
Queries or Embedded SQL Statements. Summary. Q&A. Workshop.
V. ADVANCED TOPICS.
Hour 18. Sharing Data with Other
Applications.
Importing, Linking, and Opening Files: When and
Why. Exporting to Another Access Database. Exporting to an Excel Spreadsheet.
Exporting to ASCII. Importing from Another Access Database. Importing
Spreadsheet Data. Importing ASCII Data. Linking to Tables in Another Access
Database. Linking to Another Type of Database. The Linked Table Manager.
Summary. Q&A. Workshop.
Hour 19. Access and the Internet.
Saving Database Objects as HTML. Linking to HTML
Files. Importing HTML Files. Exporting Data to XML. Importing XML Data into
Access. Creating and Modifying Data Access Pages. Saving PivotTables and
PivotCharts to Data Access Pages. Summary. Q&A. Workshop.
Hour 20. Database Administration.
Backing Up a Database. Compacting and Repairing
a Database. Encrypting and Decrypting a Database. Converting a Database to
Another Version. Creating an MDE File. Using the Database Splitter. Summary.
Q&A. Workshop.
Hour 21. Database Documentation.
Preparing an Application to Be Self-Documenting.
Using the Documenter. The Object Dependencies Feature. Summary. Q&A.
Workshop.
Hour 22. Security Introduced.
Implementing Share-Level Security: Assigning a
Database Password. Establishing User-Level Security. Summary. Q&A. Workshop.
Hour 23. VBA Introduced.
VBA Explained. Access Class Modules, Standard
Modules, Form Modules, and Report Modules. Working with Variables. Adding
Comments to Code. Using the Line Continuation Character. Using the VBA Control
Structures. Passing Parameters and Returning Values. The DoCmd Object:
Performing Macro Actions. Working with Built-in Functions. Summary. Q&A.
Workshop.
Hour 24. Finishing Touches.
Adding Custom Menu Bars, Toolbars, and Shortcut
Menus. Creating an Application Switchboard. Setting Startup Options. Summary.
Q&A. Workshop.
Index.