Custom Menu specific to .mdb

[Can Of Worms]

How do I associate a custom menu with a specific .MDB file?

I recently distributed a copy of a database I created to several users.
Within the database I had created a custom menu, and attached it to the
default toolbar.

Apparently however, the menu remains on my system, and was not distributed
with the .MDB file I copied. I would like to keep it with the existing
toolbar, and not rebuild everything on the toolbar.

 

[Tom van Stiphout]

On Tue, 22 Jan 2008 17:59:26 -0800, Can Of Worms

Oh yes it was. It may not be visible, but it's in there. Where else
would it be?
Now if you created a new database and copied only some objects over,
the menu may not be there. But you would be more careful than that,
right?

-Tom.

 

[Rick Brandt]

How do I associate a custom menu with a specific .MDB file?

I recently distributed a copy of a database I created to several users.
Within the database I had created a custom menu, and attached it to the
default toolbar.

Apparently however, the menu remains on my system, and was not distributed
with the .MDB file I copied. I would like to keep it with the existing
toolbar, and not rebuild everything on the toolbar.

Did you really "create" a menu bar or modify an existing one? Modifications to
built in menus are specific to the installation of Access. They appear only on
the machine where the mods were done and all MDB files opened on that machine
will see the modifications.

Totally NEW menus are stored in the MDB file, will show up on any PC that opens
that file, and will not be seen in any other MDB file unless they are imported
into them.

 

[Can Of Worms]

Did you really "create" a menu bar or modify an existing one? Modifications to
built in menus are specific to the installation of Access. They appear only on
the machine where the mods were done and all MDB files opened on that machine
will see the modifications.

Totally NEW menus are stored in the MDB file, will show up on any PC that opens
that file, and will not be seen in any other MDB file unless they are imported
into them.

Thank you. Although the menu I created was new, I did place it on the
original toolbar, so this probably counts as a 'modifying an existing'
toolbar.

I moved it to it's own toolbar and this corrected the issue.

-CoW

 

[Tom van Stiphout]

On Wed, 23 Jan 2008 12:33:16 GMT, "Rick Brandt"

I didn't know that first part. Where are such modifications to
built-in menus stored? Presumably in the registry? If so they could
potentially be shipped with the app?

-Tom.

 

[Can Of Worms]

From my understanding, when you open an Access database, you actually have 2
files open.... MSACCESS.EXE and the <filename>.MDB.

Wha tI had done was techincally just modify the existing toolbar (as per
Rick Brandt), which is specific to the MSACCESS.EXE file, not the .MDB. So
when I distributed the .MDB, the toolbar did not go with it, and was not
visible on other user's machines, since they were using their own
MSACCESS.EXE file.

Rick suggested the correct solution, moving it to it's own, and new,
toolbar, which is then specific to the .MDB file, and it was distributed
successfully.

-CoW

 

[Rick Brandt]

On Wed, 23 Jan 2008 12:33:16 GMT, "Rick Brandt"

I didn't know that first part. Where are such modifications to
built-in menus stored? Presumably in the registry? If so they could
potentially be shipped with the app?

Slightly different per version, but on my PC with Access 97...

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\8.0\Access\Settings\CommandBars]

This not only contains mods, but also docking, position, show/hide, etc..
Deleting everything in that registry folder is the same as resetting all menus
and toolbars to their original default configuration.

I suppose you could copy those registry entries onto another machine, but since
they are Access wide, rather than file specific it would be a bit presumptuous.
Sort of like changing their screen resolution to suit one Access app.

 

[Tom van Stiphout]

On Thu, 24 Jan 2008 01:54:32 GMT, "Rick Brandt"

Thanks. I agree, better to have a custom menu bar, which you
suggested and the OP implemented.
I love the ribbon for A2007. I'm already looking forward to an even
more powerful rendition of that in the next version.

-Tom.

On Wed, 23 Jan 2008 12:33:16 GMT, "Rick Brandt"

I didn't know that first part. Where are such modifications to
built-in menus stored? Presumably in the registry? If so they could
potentially be shipped with the app?

Slightly different per version, but on my PC with Access 97...

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\8.0\Access\Settings\CommandBars]

This not only contains mods, but also docking, position, show/hide, etc..
Deleting everything in that registry folder is the same as resetting all menus
and toolbars to their original default configuration.

I suppose you could copy those registry entries onto another machine, but since
they are Access wide, rather than file specific it would be a bit presumptuous.
Sort of like changing their screen resolution to suit one Access app.