Access 2007: The Missing Manual (Paperback)

by Matthew MacDonald (Author)
Key Phrases: property sheet, field list, input mask, Visual Basic, Boutique Fudge, Print Preview (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
Compared to industrial-strength database products such as Microsoft's SQL Server, Access is a breeze to use. It runs on PCs rather than servers and is ideal for small- to mid-sized businesses and households. But Access is still intimidating to learn. It doesn't help that each new version crammed in yet another set of features; so many, in fact, that even the pros don't know where to find them all. Access 2007 breaks this pattern with some of the most dramatic changes users have seen since Office 95. Most obvious is the thoroughly redesigned user interface, with its tabbed toolbar (or "Ribbon") that makes features easy to locate and use. The features list also includes several long-awaited changes. One thing that hasn't improved is Microsoft's documentation. To learn the ins and outs of all the features in Access 2007, Microsoft merely offers online help.

Access 2007: The Missing Manual was written from the ground up for this redesigned application. You will learn how to design complete databases, maintain them, search for valuable nuggets of information, and build attractive forms for quick-and-easy data entry. You'll even delve into the black art of Access programming (including macros and Visual Basic), and pick up valuable tricks and techniques to automate common tasks -- even if you've never touched a line of code before. You will also learn all about the new prebuilt databases you can customize to fit your needs, and how the new complex data feature will simplify your life. With plenty of downloadable examples, this objective and witty book will turn an Access neophyte into a true master.

About the Author
Matthew MacDonald is an author, educator, and programmer extraordinaire. He's the author of over a dozen books about .NET programming, and the author of Excel: The Missing Manual. In a dimly remembered past life, he studied English literature and theoretical physics.

Product Details

• Paperback: 751 pages
• Publisher: Pogue Press; illustrated edition edition (May 11, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0596527608
• ISBN-13: 978-0596527600
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 7 x 1.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.3 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars See all reviews (25 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #3,364 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

105 of 112 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Detailed information & instruction on the latest version of Access, January 11, 2007

By	calvinnme "Texan refugee" (Fredericksburg, Va) - See all my reviews (TOP 10 REVIEWER)

This book teaches you how to design and maintain databases, search them for information, and build attractive forms using the new version of Access. There's also material on Access programming for automating common tasks. Access 2007 is quite a bit different from previous versions, and has a brand new interface. Once you master Access's new style, you'll be able to build databases rather quickly. The problem is that with Office 2007, you get no printed user guide at all. To learn about the thousands of features included in the software, Microsoft expects you to read the online help. The Microsoft help screens are helpful if you're looking for a quick description of something. If you're seeking information more on the art than science of Access, such as chart creation, you'll find nothing of real use there. This book excels at teaching aspects of Access that involve more wisdom than dictionary definition. This book is divided into seven parts, each containing several chapters:

Part One: Storing Information in Tables. In this part, you'll build your first database and learn how to add and edit tables that store information. Then you'll pick up the skills you need to stop mistakes before they happen, browse around your database, and link tables together.
Chapter 1. Creating Your First Database
Chapter 2. Building Smarter Tables
Chapter 3. Mastering the Datasheet: Sorting, Searching, Filtering, and More
Chapter 4. Blocking Bad Data
Chapter 5. Linking Tables with Relationships

Part Two: Manipulating Data with Queries. In this part, you'll build queries, apply changes, and summarize vast amounts of information.
Chapter 6: Queries That Select Records
Chapter 7: Essential Query Tricks
Chapter 8: Queries That Update Records
Chapter 9: Analyzing Data with Crosstab Queries and Pivot Tables

Part Three: Printing Reports. This part shows you how to use reports to take the raw data in your tables and format it into attractive printouts, complete with fancy formatting and subtotals.
Chapter 10: Creating Reports
Chapter 11: Designing Advanced Reports

Part Four: Building a User Interface with Forms. In this part, you'll build forms, which are customized windows that make data entry easy, even for those new to Access.
Chapter 12: Creating Simple Forms
Chapter 13: Designing Advanced Forms
Chapter 14: Building a Navigation System

Part Five: Programming Access. Shows how to use macros and Visual Basic programming to automate complex tasks and solve common challenges.
Chapter 15: Automating Tasks with Macros
Chapter 16: Automating Tasks with Visual Basic
Chapter 17: Writing Smarter Code

Part Six: Sharing Access with the Rest of the World. In this part, you'll learn how exchange data between Access and files such as text documents and Excel spreadsheets. You'll also see how to use Access to interact with some of Microsoft's server software such as SQL Server and SharePoint Server.
Chapter 18: Sharing a Database with Multiple Users
Chapter 19: Importing and Exporting Data
Chapter 20: Connecting Access to SQL Server
Chapter 21: Connecting Access to SharePoint

Part Seven: Appendix. This book wraps up with an appendix that shows how to customize the Quick Access toolbar to get easy access to your favorite commands.

I found this manual to be head and shoulders above all of the cheap "shovelware" books on such subjects that often have all the information you need, but are disorganized. I haven't seen any of the new versions of the "Que" books that always come out on Access, but I haven't been that satisfied with them in the past. I recommend this book for anybody planning on using Access 2007.

24 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Easy to understand and written in an interesting manner., September 10, 2007

By	Judy L. (Marengo, Il. USA) - See all my reviews

I have a number of years of programming and system experience, but had not been exposed to Access. I decided to rewrite my business systems using Access to convert them from the Paradox system that I had used for years. Using this book and Microsoft Office Access(TM) 2007 Inside Out (Microsoft Office Access Inside Out), I have already rewritten more than half of my systems in a couple of weeks, working on them for a couple of hours each evening. Granted, I am still not an expert, but I have been able to write Virtual Basic macros, designed and completed a number of tables for my data base, forms using multiple subforms, selection boxes, and functional buttons, and a number of professional looking reports. The use of these two books has greatly shortened my learning curve and helped me to be productive in much less time than it would have taken without them.

50 of 59 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Access 2007: The Missing Manual , March 15, 2007

By	Frederick J. Eccher Jr. (St Louis MO) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Title: Access 2007: The Missing Manual
By: Matthew McDonald
First Edition: December 2006
Series: The Missing Manuals
ISBN 10: 0-596-52760-8
ISBN 13: 9780596527600
Pages: 751

This book is light reading. The style is light and easy to enjoy. The author is definitely a wordsmith and has total control over the tone of the book. Some of the chapters start with non issues to people interested in Access, but this seems to be his writing style: a neutral or buffered start so you do not bolt before you get into that chapter.

This book is heavy reading. After a few paragraphs of light introduction, each sentence is packed with actions to take, issues to ponder, tables to study, and much more. The actions to take could not be done in one night. Look forward to a week, at least.

Annoying things for me:
1. His use of 's.
Code's means "code is" and not "code's use" in the sentence [not the possessive but the contraction].

This happens all the way through the book, so heads up.

2. His use of double negatives.
I found it harder to concentrate on the meaning when there was no evidence that it was not found [see what I mean?]. "no reason you can't get a little fancier" [page 531]. Why not just say:
You could get a little fancier?
You could get a little fancier within reason?

This happens all the way through the book, so heads up.

I liked the following chapters quite a bit:
Chapter 4 blocking bad data
Chapter 15 automating tasks with macros
Chapter 16 automating tasks with visual basic
Chapter 17 writing smarter code

Part Six was the best
Chapter 18 sharing a database with multiple users
Chapter 19 importing and exporting data
Chapter 20 connecting access to sql server
Chapter 21 connecting access to SharePoint
These last two chapters were the very best in the book, depending on whether you were more interested in the sql server database or the collaborative issues surrounding SharePoint.

On page 640, one of the top reasons to switch to Sql Server: Real security

So does Access have Unreal Security? Not enough of a fine grained model? That is real reassuring...

OK, so I did read it, scrutinize it, check the fine points. When I mention that it is worth 5 stars and every penny you might have to spend to get it, that takes everything into account. The book asks questions like: Can you trust Microsoft? [Page 641], so some balanced point of view is being used by the author. Well done.

I really like Access 2007 and find it to be a quantum leap forward. Try it, you'll like it.

Frederick J Eccher Jr
MBA
M.S. Management of Information Systems
A.B. Psychology
B.A. Biology
CIO, Community Partners
President, Board of Directors, Saint Louis Visual Basic Users Group
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