Automating Microsoft Access with VBA [Paperback]

Mike Sales Gunderloy (Author), Susan Sales Harkins (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0789732440 | ISBN-13: 978-0789732446 | Publication Date: September 24, 2004 | Edition: 1

If you use Microsoft Access in your every day business life but haven't learned to fully exploit the program, now's your chance. Automating Microsoft Access with VBA is a thorough introduction to programming Microsoft Accessing using Visual Basic for Applications (VBA). With this book, you will gain a working knowledge of VBA and be able to customize your Microsoft Access databases. You will cover topics that include:

• Operators and functions
• Debugging and error handling
• Menu commands
• Forms and reports
• Jet databases
• DAO object model

Save money by learning to use VBA to customize your databases instead of paying someone else to do it for you!

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Susan Sales Harkins is an independent consultant with an expertise in Access. SQL: Access to SQL Server, her latest book, was released in January 2002. Currently, Susan writes for a number of publishers including Element K Journals, PC Magazine, builder.com and devx.com, and she has contributed to Woody's Access Watch newsletter.

Mike Gunderloy is an independent developer and author who has been working with computers for 25 years. He's been using databases since the release of PC-File for DOS and has been writing and speaking about Microsoft Access ever since version 1.1 was released in 1993.

Product Details

• Paperback: 408 pages
• Publisher: Que; 1 edition (September 24, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0789732440
• ISBN-13: 978-0789732446
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 7.5 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.5 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #256,510 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #53 in Books > Computers & Technology > Microsoft > Development > VBA

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

52 of 57 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Quick Lesson for the Non-programming Professional, October 19, 2004

By 

John Matlock "Gunny" (Winnemucca, NV) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Automating Microsoft Access with VBA (Paperback)

With Microsoft Access you automatically get a lot of capabilities to do forms and reports based on the data to be put into or taken out of the database you create. You also get a macro capability so that a limited amount of manipulation of this data can be done automatically. Used less frequently but which is far more powerful is the programming language Visual Basic for Applications or VBA. Built into each copy of Access for several versions VBA is there and available for use whenever needed. All that's needed is the skill to write the programs.

This is a relatively small book for one on computer software, it's hardly 400 pages. The intent of the book is to get you up and running in a short period of time. It's aimed at the computer professional who use Microsoft Access in a business setting. You are not expected to be a programmer, but by the end of the book you'll be able to program using VBA and to do so quickly.

When you know VBA for Access, you'll also be well on your way to knowing VBA for the rest of the Microsoft office suite. The various forms of VBA do have some changes that relate to the underlying structure of the application. But the basic structure of the language itself is the same.

There's only one thing I'd like to see added in the next revision of the book, that is a list of the reserved words used by the Access database. Not knowing these has gotten me in trouble a couple of times.

44 of 52 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Table of Contents, March 5, 2005

By 

B. Boxbangieleroerrwwerevrwrer III "inre-" (Seattle, WA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Automating Microsoft Access with VBA (Paperback)

"Here's the TOC I got from another site in case it helps."

Automating Microsoft Access with VBA
By Susan Sales Harkins, Mike Gunderloy

Publisher : Que
Pub Date : September 14, 2004
ISBN : 0-7897-3244-0
Pages : 408


Copyright
About the Authors
Acknowledgments
We Want to Hear from You!
Introduction
Who This Book Is For
What's in This Book
Conventions Used in This Book
The Sample Code for This Book
Contacting the Authors

Part I: Laying the Foundation
Chapter 1. Why Access? Why VBA?
Understanding the Place of Access in Office
Understanding Access Programming Choices

Chapter 2. Getting Around in the Visual Basic Editor
Your First Glance at the Visual Basic Editor
Introducing the VBA Modules
Entering and Running VBA Code
Getting Help on Code
Establishing Good Habits in Coding

Chapter 3. Using Variables, Constants, and Data Types
Declaring Variables and Constants
VBA Data Types
Referencing Syntax

Chapter 4. Using Procedures
Understanding Procedure Types
Declaring Procedures as Public or Private
Passing Arguments
Giving a Function a Data Type
Implementing Error Handling
Debugging Code

Chapter 5. Choosing the Right VBA Function
Introducing VBA's Built-in Functions
Converting Data Types with VBA Functions
Working with Date Functions
Using Mathematical and Financial Functions
Using String Functions
Using the Format Function
Using the Is Functions for Flawless Processing
Interacting Functions

Chapter 6. Using Flow-of-Control Statements
Branching and Looping
Using If...Then...Else
Using Select Case
Using For...Next
Using Do Loops
Using GoTo

Chapter 7. Working with Arrays
Introducing Array Variables
Declaring an Array Variable
Understanding the Array's Index
Working with Array Elements
Arrays with Multiple Dimensions
Expanding to Dynamic Arrays

Chapter 8. Understanding Objects
Introducing Objects
Reading and Setting Properties
Invoking Methods
Working with Collections
Working with an Object Model
Creating Your Own Objects
Working with Events

Chapter 9. Understanding Scope and Lifetime
What's Scope?
Measuring the Lifetime of a Variable or Constant
Using Static Variables

Part II: Working with the Access User Interface

Chapter 10. Working with Forms
Opening and Closing Forms
The Form Module and Event Handling
Performing Common Tasks
Handling Errors at the Form Level
Working with Multiple Form Instances

Chapter 11. Analyzing the Access Event Model
Responding to Events
The Event Sequence for Controls
Data Events
The Event Sequence for Forms
The Event Sequence for Reports
Canceling Events

Chapter 12. Working with List and Combo Boxes
Populating a List Control
Adding to the List-or Not
Working with Multiselect Controls
Considering Callback Functions

Chapter 13. Working with Other Controls
Working with Text Boxes
Using Controls in Option Groups
Working with Subforms
Working with the Tag Property

Chapter 14. Working with Reports
Introducing the Report Module and Events
Opening and Closing Reports
Passing Arguments Using OpenArgs
Populating the Report
Handling Report-Level Errors
Using VBA to Determine Group Properties

Chapter 15. Working with the Application Collections
Investigating the Application Collections
Retrieving Lists of Objects
Working with Object Properties
Programmatically Determining Dependencies

Part III: Working with Access Data

Chapter 16. Retrieving Data with ADO
What's ADO and Why Do You Need It?
Using the ADO Connection Object
Working with Command Objects
Understanding the Different Types of Recordsets
Creating and Opening a Recordset
Filtering Recordsets
Using the Recordset Property

Chapter 17. Manipulating Data with ADO
Moving Through a Recordset
Finding Data in a Recordset
Adding Data Using a Recordset
Deleting Data in a Recordset
Updating Data in a Recordset
Using Transactions to Commit Groups of Records-or Not

Chapter 18. Creating Objects with ADOX
What Is ADOX?
Creating Tables
Securing Objects

Chapter 19. Performing Advanced Data Operations
Coding for Concurrency
Retrieving a User Recordset
Using Other Schema Recordsets

Part IV: Using Advanced VBA Techniques in Access

Chapter 20. Working with Data Files
Understanding File I/O
Opening Files
Reading from Files
Writing to Files
Printing to Files

Chapter 21. Automating Other Applications
Understanding Automation
Setting Object References
Creating Objects in an Automation Server
Talking to Excel from Access
Talking to Word from Access

Chapter 22. Working with XML Files
An Introduction to XML
Using ExportXML
Using ImportXML

Chapter 23. Using the Windows API
Declaring API Calls
Using API Calls
API Calls That You Can Use From Access
Knowing When to Use the Windows API

Part V: Appendix
Appendix A. Review of Access SQL
An Introduction to SQL
SQL Structure and Syntax
Retrieving with SQL SELECT
Modifying with SQL UPDATE
Deleting with SQL DELETE
Appending With SQL INSERT INTO
Making Tables With SQL SELECT INTO
Creating a Crosstab Query with SQL TRANSFORM
Index

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars My Favorite VBA Book So Far, November 9, 2006

By 

Jenna B. (Seattle, WA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Automating Microsoft Access with VBA (Paperback)

This book has become my favorite VBA reference book so far. It's great for those with an intermediate knowledge of Access and little-to-no knowledge of VBA. It includes practical examples of how to use the code provided in each lesson and concise explanations of why/how the code works.

The sections on SQL Structure and Syntax and If/For...Else Statements are very informative, and easy to understand.

I've also bought the "Forms, Reports and Queries" book of this series, and would highly recommend them both.