= CHAPTER 3 Access More Skills 14 Create Macros A macro is a set of saved actions that you can use to automate tasks. For example, a macro can open several database objects with a single click, or display a message whenever a form or report is opened. Macros are created in the Macro Builder an object tab with prebuilt commands that you can select and modify to build a macro. To complete this database, you will need the following file: a03_results You will save your files as: Lastname_Firstname_a03_Results Lastname_Firstname_a03_Results_Snip1 Lastname_Firstname_a03_Results_Snip2 1. Start Access. Locate and open the file a03_results. Save the file in your Access Chapter 3 folder as Lastname_Firstname_a03_Results If the security message displays, enable the content. 2. On the Create tab, in the Macros & Code group, click the Macro button to display the Macro Builder and the Macro Tools Design tab. Compare your screen with Figure 1. Macro Tools Design tab Macro builder The Macro Builder displays an area for adding actions and the Action Catalog lists common macro actions prebuilt sets of instructions that perform tasks when the macro is run. Action Catalog Figure 1 Create Forms Microsoft Access Chapter 3 More Skills: SKILL 14 Page 1 of 8
3. In the Action Catalog, under Actions, expand Filter/Query/Search, and then doubleclick OpenQuery. Compare your screen with Figure 2. When you add an action to the Macro Builder, the action displays in a box with its action arguments additional instructions that determine how the macro action should run. The OpenQuery action has three arguments: Query Name, View, and Data Mode. OpenQuery action Action arguments Filter/Query/Search actions 4. In the OpenQuery action, click the Query Name arrow, and then, from the list, click Stage Results. Figure 2 Create Forms Microsoft Access Chapter 3 More Skills: SKILL 14 Page 2 of 8
5. In the OpenQuery action, click the View arrow, and then click Design. Compare your screen with Figure 3. The action arguments specify that the Stage Results query should open in Design view when the macro is run. Action arguments changed Figure 3 6. Click Save. In the Save As dialog box, type Open Stage Results Query and then click OK. In the Navigation Pane, notice that the saved macro displays in the Macros group. 7. On the Design tab, in the Tools group, click the Run button. In the Stage Results query, notice that the year criterion specifies the year 2011. Scroll to the right, and notice that the Bracket criteria limit the results to the male and female professional brackets. 8. In the Results group, click the Run button. In the first record, change the names Earnest and Wallaert to your own first and last name, and then Close the query. 9. With the Macro Builder displayed, Start the Snipping Tool, click the New button arrow, and then click Full-screen Snip. Save the snip your Access Chapter 3 folder as Lastname_Firstname_a03_Results_Snip1 and then Close the Snipping Tool mark-up window. 10. Close the Macro Builder. In the Navigation Pane, under Reports, double-click Stage Results to display the results of the Stage Results query in the report. 11. Switch to Layout view. In the Controls group, click the Button (Form Control) button. Create Forms Microsoft Access Chapter 3 More Skills: SKILL 14 Page 3 of 8
12. Position the pointer in the blank column to the right of the report. When the orange line displays, as shown in Figure 4, click the mouse button to insert the button into the layout s summary row. Button will be inserted into summary row Figure 4 13. With the orange selection border still around the button, click the button one time to enter Text Editing mode. Select the existing text, and then type Open Query 14. With the button still in Text Edit mode, on the Design tab, in the Tools group, click the Property Sheet button. Create Forms Microsoft Access Chapter 3 More Skills: SKILL 14 Page 4 of 8
15. Click the property sheet Event tab. Click the On Click arrow, and then click Open Stage Results Query. Compare your screen with Figure 5. The Open Stage Results Query macro will run whenever the button is clicked. On Click property changed Figure 5 16. Close the property sheet, click Save, and then switch to Report view. 17. In the report, click the Open Query button. In the query, in the Year column Criteria box, change the year to 2012 Save, and then Close the query. 18. Close the Stage Results report, and then open the report in Report view to display the results for 2012. Create Forms Microsoft Access Chapter 3 More Skills: SKILL 14 Page 5 of 8
19. Switch to Layout view. On the Design tab, in the Tools group, click the Property Sheet button. Click the Selection type arrow, and then click Report to display the report properties. Compare your screen with Figure 6. Report selected Figure 6 20. In the property sheet, click the On Load box, and then click the displayed Build button. In the Choose Builder dialog box, be sure that Macro Builder is selected, and then click OK. 21. In the Stage Results : Report : On Load object tab, click the Add New Action arrow, and then, from the list, click Beep. The Beep action has no arguments. 22. Below the Beep action just inserted, click the Add New Action arrow, and then, from the list, click MessageBox to insert the MessageBox action. The MessageBox action has four action arguments: Message, Beep, Type, and Title. 23. If necessary, in the Message Box action, click in the Message box. Type If you need to update the Stage Results query, click the Open Query button, and then reopen this report. 24. Click the Type arrow, and then from the list, click Warning?. Create Forms Microsoft Access Chapter 3 More Skills: SKILL 14 Page 6 of 8
25. In the Title box, type Does the query need to be updated? Compare your screen with Figure 7. Beep and MessageBox actions added MessageBox action arguments changed Figure 7 26. Click the Add New Action arrow, and then click Beep. 27. Click Save, and then compare your screen with Figure 8. Three macro actions Figure 8 Create Forms Microsoft Access Chapter 3 More Skills: SKILL 14 Page 7 of 8
28. Start the Snipping Tool, click the New button arrow, and then click Full-screen Snip. Save the snip in your Access Chapter 3 folder as Lastname_Firstname_a03_Results_Snip2 and then Close the Snipping Tool mark-up window. 29. In the Close group, click the Close button. In the report, Close the property sheet, and then click Save. Unlike the macro created previously, this macro will not display in the Navigation Pane when you save it. This macro is saved as part of the report and cannot be used in other forms or reports. 30. Close, and then reopen the report. Compare your screen with Figure 9. The MessageBox arguments that you define in the Macro Builder display in a message box. Here, the title bar, icon, and message are defined by the action arguments. Title Message box Warning? icon Message 31. Read the message displayed by the macro, and then click OK. Figure 9 32. In the report, click the Open Query button that you inserted. In the query, change the Year column Criteria box to 2011 Save and then Close the query. 33. Close, and then reopen the report. In the message that appears, click OK. If your instructor asks you to print this project, print the report. 34. Close the report, and then Exit Access. 35. Print the snips or submit the files as directed by your instructor. You have completed More Skills 14 Create Forms Microsoft Access Chapter 3 More Skills: SKILL 14 Page 8 of 8