Cheryl Price and Julia Wix

Transcription

1 ISBN DESIGN DATABASES (ACCESS 2003) BSBITA401A by Cheryl Price and Julia Wix

2 Design databases (Access 2003) This book supports BSBITA401A Design databases in the Business Services Training Package. Copyright Millbank Investments Ltd Cheryl Price T.Dip.WP, T.Dip.T Julia Wix T.Dip.WP ISBN Disclaimer All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, scanning, recording, or any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from Millbank Investments Ltd, NZ. No patent liability is assumed with respect to the use of the information contained herein. While every precaution has been taken in the preparation of this book, the publisher and authors assume no responsibility for errors or omissions. Neither is any liability assumed for damages resulting from the use of the information contained herein. Software Publications Pty Ltd Head Office - Sydney Unit Gibbes Street Chatswood NSW 2067 Phone: (02) Fax: (02) Australia Toll Free Numbers: Phone: Fax: Web address: Published and printed in Australia

3 Creating a Form Although data can be entered directly into a database table, a form can make this task simpler by providing an easy to use layout. A form also allows a person with little knowledge of Access to enter data easily. Forms are used extensively for efficient data entry. There are several methods of creating a form. The simplest way is to use the AutoForm function. In the following exercise you will create a simple form and enter data. Remember that data entered into a form is stored in the table, not in the form. Exercise 29 1 Open Customer Database. Click on Forms on the Objects bar. 2 Click on. 3 In the New Form dialog box, select AutoForm: Columnar. Click on the and select tblcompany. 4 Click on OK. 5 Move the form to the centre of the screen by dragging on the title bar of the form window. 6 Click on the Save button and change the Form Name: to frmcompany. 42 SECTION 3

4 7 Click on OK to save the form, then close. Entering Data Exercise 30 1 Double click on the frmcompany form. 2 Enter the following data. Experiment with entering incorrect data formats into the Customer Code, Post Code, Phone and Fax fields to see how the input masks control data entry. There is no need to enter spaces when inputting phone and fax numbers as the input mask controls this formatting aspect. Customer Code OFFI1 BENT1 JACK1 Company Name Office Supplies Pty Ltd Bentley Printing Company Jackson s Graphics Street 16 Stokes Street 53 Douglas Street 1098 Botany Road Suburb TOWNSVILLE MILTON BOTANY State QLD QLD NSW Post Code Phone Fax Close the form. Understanding Subforms It is possible to create a form inside another form. The primary form is called the main form, and the form within it is called the subform. Subforms are useful when displaying data from tables with a one-to-many relationship, such as the relationship between the tblcompany and tblcontacts tables. Remember that the data in the tblcompany table is the "one" side of the relationship and data in the tblcontacts table is the "many" side of the relationship, because each company can have more than one contact. The main form displays data from the tblcompany table because it is the "one" side of the relationship. The subform displays data from the tblcontacts table because it is the "many" side of the relationship. The main form and subform will be linked so that the subform displays only records that are related to the current record in the main form. For example, when the main form displays a record relating to a customer Office Supplies Pty Ltd, the subform will display only contacts from that company. SECTION 3 43

5 Creating a Subform In the following exercise you will replace the Company form with a new form that includes a subform that is used to enter Contacts information. Exercise 31 1 With Forms selected in the Objects bar, double click on. 2 Click on to move all the Company table fields from the Available Fields: box to the Selected Fields: box. 3 Click on the in the Tables/Queries box and select Table: Contacts. 4 Click on to move all the Contact table fields from the Available Fields: box to the Selected Fields: box. 5 Click on Next. 6 Ensure the Form with subform(s) option is selected, then click on Next. 44 SECTION 3

6 7 Ensure the Datasheet option is selected, then click on Next. 8 With the Standard form style selected, click on Next. 9 Change the text in the Form: box to: frmcompany. 10 Change the text in the Subform: box to: frmcontacts. 11 Ensure the Open the form to view or enter information option is selected, and click on Finish. 12 Click on Yes to replace the previous frmcompany form. SECTION 3 45

7 Main form (frmcompany) Subform (frmcontacts) Entering Data using a Form and a Subform Exercise 32 In the main frmcompany form the first record, Bentley Printing Company, is displayed. 1 Click in the Title field of the frmcontacts subform and type: Mr 2 Press Enter and type: Joe 3 Press Enter and type: Bennett 4 Press Enter and type: Sales Manager 5 Press Enter three times to position the cursor in the Title field of a new, blank record in the subform. 6 Add the following contacts from Bentley Printing Company. Mrs Jeanette Adamson, Marketing Manager Mr Colin Jamieson, Administration Manager 7 Use the Navigation buttons at the bottom of the main form to add the following contacts for existing customers. Mr Joe Preston, Owner/Manager, Jackson s Graphics Miss Stephanie Black, Receptionist, Office Supplies Pty Ltd 8 Click on the New Record button at the bottom of the main form. 9 Add the new records below using the main form and subform. Customer Code CROW1 ASTL1 SHEL1 Company Name Crow Reprographics Astley Print Pty Ltd Shelby Design Co. Street 68 Marine Parade 104 Swallow Street 28 Coombes Drive Suburb SOUTHPORT CAIRNS PENRITH State QLD QLD NSW Post Code Phone Fax Contact 10 Close the frmcompany form. Ms Betty Beazley General Manager Mr Donald Anderson Purchasing Manager Mr Adam Crane Purchasing Officer Miss Emma Page CEO Miss Giselle Waite Personal Assistant 46 SECTION 3

8 Viewing Data in a Table Exercise 33 1 Click on Tables on the Objects bar. 2 Double click on tblcompany to open the table and maximise the window to view all the data. 3 Click on the at the left of the record for Crow Reprographics to view the Contacts from that company (entered on the subform). 4 Close the table. 5 Open and view the contents of the tblcontacts table, then close the table. Editing a Form Forms may be edited in Design View. Exercise 34 1 Click on Forms on the Objects bar and open the frmcompany form. 2 Click on the of the View button and select Design View. 3 Ensure the window is maximised to view all parts of the form shown on the next page. There are three sections to a form. Form Header Detail Form Footer The contents of this section appear at the top of every form. Displays records from the database. The contents of this section appear at the bottom of every form. Objects called Controls are contained in a form. Different types of controls are described below. Bound Controls An object connected or bound to a field in a table or query. The data in the field is displayed by the control. The data can be changed in Form View or in Datasheet View. Unbound Control Bound Control Unbound Controls An object that is not a field and is not attached to any table or query. Lines, text boxes and shapes are all examples of unbound controls. They are called unbound because they will always appear the same and will not change when data is updated. Calculated Controls An object that is a calculation. The object is connected or bound to an expression (formula). The data displayed is based on a calculation from other Example =[Unit Cost]*[Quantity] fields and will alter if the fields change. SECTION 3 47

9 Different parts of a form are displayed below. Formatting Toolbar (Form/Report Design) Form Design Toolbar Form Header Section Detail Section Bound Control Toolbox Form Footer Section Note The Toolbox may appear as a floating toolbar or may be docked at the top of the screen. (If it is not displayed choose [View] Toolbox.) Add a header as follows. 4 Position the mouse pointer between the Form Header bar and the Detail bar. The mouse pointer will change to a black double ended arrow. 5 Click and drag downwards to create a gap of about 1 cm in the Form Header section (use the vertical ruler to help). 6 Click on the Label tool. Position the mouse pointer in the top left corner of the Form Header section, and use the mouse pointer to draw a box that fills the Form Header. 7 A cursor will appear in the Form Header. Type: Customer Details 8 Click in the dark area at the right of the Form Header, then click once on the Customer Details text. Handles (black boxes) will appear around the box containing the text. 9 Click on the Font and select Arial. Click on the Font Size and select 18. Click on the Bold button to apply bold to the form heading. Note Formatting will apply to all the text in a label. 10 If the Customer Details heading is not fully displayed, drag the Detail bar downwards then click and drag downwards on the bottom middle black handle of the Customer Details box. 48 SECTION 3

10 The header will be displayed as shown below. 11 Save the form. 12 Click on the View button to see the Customer Details heading at the top of the form. 13 Click on to return to Design View. Working with Controls Moving a Control A unbound and bound control box can be moved. They can be moved together when the mouse pointer is over a control and changes to a hand as shown at the right. The two controls can be moved separately when the mouse pointer is over the large handle at the top left corner of either control (changes to a hand with pointed finger) as shown at the right. A subform is a control, and it has more controls inside it. Subform control selector Examples of controls inside a subform Modifying the Content of a Control When a control is selected you can change the content of the control using any of the methods below. Start typing to activate edit mode and append to the existing content. Press F2 to activate edit mode. Click once more inside the control to activate edit mode. The mouse pointer will change shape when it moves across the control in edit mode. SECTION 3 49