Access 2003 Power Programming with VBA (Paperback)

by Allen G. Taylor (Author), Virginia Andersen (Author) "Welcome to a new edition of the popular Power Programmming series, Access 2003 Power Programming with VBA..." (more)
Key Phrases: other command bars, new command bar, recordset reference, Visual Basic, Object Browser, Elie Edit (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review
Microsoft Access remains an important part of the Windows developer's environment, in that the doughty database management system represents a simple and relatively straightforward core for forms-based software modules. Access 2003 Power Programming with VBA is a resource for programmers (particularly novice ones) working with Access and its native tongue, Visual Basic for Applications (VBA). The emphasis in these pages falls on getting specific tasks done (examples include modifying a stock menu bar, connecting to data sources, listening for interface events, and exporting XML). Other coverage is more basic, and appropriate for Access developers in their novitiate stage. It deals with such fundamentals as declaring variables, establishing control structures (such as loops and case statements), and using the features of the Visual Basic Editor.

Will this book help you? Probably, to some extent. It's well-written and the authors have made wise decisions about which aspects of the Access universe to include and which to leave out (Access is a big subject). Their explanatory sections are clear and easy to follow, and their code is clever enough. On the other hand, the odds are small that you'll get all the information you need out of this book, unless the application you want to write is super-simple. Take this book as one step in a potentially long journey toward the application you want, and in an even longer one toward VBA mastery. --David Wall

Topics covered: The most important tools and techniques to be used in writing applications based on Microsoft Access 2003. Software design and the differences among the many Access releases are covered at first, and a clever section on Access development without VBA explains database schema development and the use of standard forms. Most of the book deals with VBA, though, including its capacity to create graphical user interfaces, connect to databases, integrate with other applications, and work with XML data. A chapter on multi-user applications (which has mainly to do with database locking) is helpful.

Product Description
* As part of the Power Pack family of books, this book gives programmers and advanced Access users the knowledge they need to master the power within Access-the world's most widely used database management system
* Shows how to use VBA to design efficient, user-friendly end-user applications in Access
* Starts with database concepts and event-driven programming, then covers VBA programming fundamentals, the Visual Basic Editor, VBA language elements, and code debugging
* Covers advanced Access programming techniques like connecting to databases with ADO and interacting with other applications
* Includes helpful discussions on compatibility issues and manipulating Visual Basic components
* Companion Web site includes all the code examples in the book

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Product Details

• Paperback: 792 pages
• Publisher: Wiley; 1 edition (October 15, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0764525883
• ISBN-13: 978-0764525889
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 7.4 x 1.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.3 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #157,829 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

61 of 61 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Solid Introduction to VBA, October 5, 2004

By	Spud (Bynum, NC USA) - See all my reviews

Here is a solid introduction to programming in Access, including how to use some of the built-in features that make VBA easier to use. If you've been using Access to make forms and run quieries you should be able to pick up this book and start programming. Power Programming tells you how to create procedures and functions. The code isn't very useful by itself, but the book explains how things work so you should be able to write your own procedures.

You can learn how to customize menus using built-in dialog boxes or build them programmatically (pretty useful.) There is a long chapter on database connectivity and there is about twenty pages about XML support. There's also a couple of pages about Access backwards compatability (or lack of!)

There isn't a CD with the book and I keep trying to find a place in the book that gives a website with the code. It would be helpful to have the code available for cutting and pasting since it's so easy to make a typo.

If you are an expereienced VBA programmer, You probably want to find another book. I was looking for a book that would help me transition from Access 2000 to Access 2003. This book does not do that. I wish I had read the editiorial review more closely especially the part that says "a resource for programmers (particularly novice ones)" Another good quote from the editorial review is "the odds are small that you'll get all the information you need out of this book, unless the application you want to write is super-simple." But then you can never get everyting out of one book anyway.

14 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars ADO templates don't work (Ch 15), July 20, 2005

By	Webtest (Carlisle, PA USA) - See all my reviews

This book is fairly decent, except that the template code for "Connecting to Databases with ADO" (Chapter 15) is riddled with errors. Most of this is probably due to problems with Access versions and configuration, but in any case, templates that don't work are frustrating and useless. There is absolutely no errata information for this book on the Wiley web site, and Wiley doesn't take inquiries, regardless of the notes in the front of the book. Find a different book for Client/Server study.

1 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Good Book for Programming assistance, December 6, 2007

By	Rebecca Wesenberg - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This is a good reference book for those of us who are not the best at programming.