Form to allow enduser to customize reports

[Bob in Tampa]

Hello,

Currently, I have an app that my last button on my Main Switchboard is
predictably "Goto Reports" which brings me to a report submenu of
pre-designed reports. This works fine, but intuitively, I feel that I
should be able to develop a form of report options that the enduser can
choose the specific type of report they would like to see. (Choose Data,
Sort By, Group by, Filter, etc, etc).

I do not write code (would love to learn). My current level of knowledge
could be demonstrated by what I do, and don't do, routinely in Access:
1. Forms / Tables with subforms / subtables;
2. Queries - simple from wizard (in fact, I use wizards for almost
everything);
3. Understand, but have never implemented the consept of modules;
4. Pages - What's that?!
5. My current database is split (FE BE) - newly acquired concept;
6. I do utilize a standard naming policy using tbl, qry, frm, rpt, etc.

I think you get the picture!

I am a motivated learner, and I am seeking advice, resources, tutorials,
books, etc. I just bought "Access 2000 Programming Weekend Crash Course"
which appears to be a primer on writing VBA code. Am I on the right track?

Thanks in advance,
Bob Loder
Tampa, FL

 

[Bob in Tampa]

Thanks for the kind words - and direction.

I saw the tome "Access 2000 Developers Handbook" and was intimidated. Now
that I am a couple of chapters into my current book (course), I'm convinced
that the handbook will make an excellent resource.

Needless to say, there's tons of books on SQL, so I'll get started there as
well.

Thanks again for being a part of such an excellent newsgroup.

Now if we could only get rid of all of the "worm postings"!!

Bob Loder
Tampa, FL

 

[MacDermott]

Although I don't know that particular book, I think you're on the right
track; you'll definitely need VBA for what you propose.

You might start by learning to use the "criteria" argument of
DoCmd.OpenReport to filter the data in your report.
Sorting is another level up, and grouping beyond that.

HTH
- Turtle

 

[Bob in Tampa]

Thanks, Turtle. I'll get there!!

Bob Loder
Tampa, FL

 

[Ben]

Bob-
I would say you are well on the right track. This is how I learned Access,
which led to learning VBA, VB6, VB.Net, Java, C#....you get the idea. I
would recommend you look at the Access 2000 Developers Handbook (I beleive
Ken Getz is one of the authors), there are some sample chapters on MSDN
under Office Development. Additionaly, if you are ready to start doing these
things in code, you would do well to look at your query objects in SQL view
so you become familiar with SQL syntax. Often it is more convenient to build
SQL strings 'on the fly' than to use a stored query object.

This works fine, but intuitively, I feel that I
should be able to develop a form of report options that the enduser can
choose the specific type of report they would like to see. (Choose Data,
Sort By, Group by, Filter, etc, etc).

This is harder than it sounds. You can effectively offer the user some
choices, but a general, all purpose report writer is complicated, it is
Access reports & queries! It is tough to improve on or simplify what you can
do with the Access report designer without severely limiting the
capabilities. At the same time, it would certainly be a good learning
project.

I do not write code (would love to learn).

You will. Its both fun and frustrating. Below are some links I have found
particularly useful.

http://www.lebans.com/
http://www.mvps.org/access/

HTH - have fun!
Ben