Want to spice up my interface...

[Brad Pears]

I have an Access 2000 app that I want to freshen up - make it seem it little
more "graphical"...

One of the things is the menu area...

I currently have a "sub form" displayed on the main form where the user can
scroll up and down to select the appropriate option - which is simply a
series of command buttons - old stuff.... When the user clicks a partiucular
command button, I change the source object of yet another sub form on the
right side of the main form - that then displays data pertaining to the
option they selected. - kind of like windows explorer where you have the
left and right panes...

What I would like is a nice "graphical control" of some sort that I can
replace the menu "sub-form" with and use icons with the menu item
description written beside it (instead of command buttons) so that the user
can "hover" the cursor over the option or icon graphic, and then click to
display that particular option's form etc...

It would also be nmice if I could use some sort of a treeview control so
that sub items underneat the main item could be "exploded" by clicking on a
"+" or closed by clicking the "-".

I would really like it to have more of a browser look and feel - wiothout
have to do a ton of programming...

Are there a couple of nice controls that I could use to accomplish this type
of thing??

Thanks,

Brad

 

[Albert D.Kallal]

I find that using continues forms, or listboxes is quite nice. Here is some
screen shots of what I mean:

http://www.members.shaw.ca/AlbertKallal/Articles/Grid.htm

There is no question that several of the above examples that shows
information could be done with a treeview control (a treeview control is
likely what you are looking for when you want a drill down that expands).

ACC2000: How To Fill a TreeView Control Recursively
http://support.microsoft.com/?id=209891

The above gives you some ideas on how to use the treeview. The problem with
the above treeview is that you then need to ensure that the treeview, or
whatever other activeX control you use is properly registered on the target
pc.

For a listbox, or grid that can show a graphic in one column, and text in
the others...you could use what is called a listview control.

And, if you want really fancy..then you can purchase a commercial control
like tlist. This control also works with ms-access, and it is VERY nice.

There is some screen shots and info about it here:

http://www.bennet-tec.com/btproducts/tlist/tlist.htm

at the end of the day...I prefer using standard controls like my screen
shots above (and, with windows xp + a2003, the screens look quite modern).
However, there are alternatives....but they are more work...

 

[Access Resource]

Brad,

How about a custom menu at the top of the screen that gives you all the
options that your "subform" provides. For more information, send me an email
at (e-mail address removed).

 

[Brad Pears]

Very nice indeed... I will definately use some of that...

A couple of quick questions on what I saw...

1) I like the look of those command buttons. They look more "Modern" than
the std MS command button. How did you do that?

2) I use continuous forms quite often - but one thing I don't like about
them is that with the continuous controls, you can't disable a particular
control on a particular row. If you do this, all of the controls for each
row becomes disabled. Same if you wanted to use an unbound control like a
checkbox or something to perform some task when clicked - but you want it to
happen on that line only... As soon as you check or uncheck the check box,
all of the checkboxes for every record become checked or unchecked... Do you
know of any way around this? Likely to use a listview control or something
but does listview allow you to edit data?

Thanks,

Brad

 

[Albert D.Kallal]

A couple of quick questions on what I saw...

1) I like the look of those command buttons. They look more "Modern" than
the std MS command button. How did you do that?

If you are using ms-access 2003, you can turn on themed controls. This
simply means that the controls take on a windows xp look. Some people
actually do not like this feature, as sunken text boxes don't show. But, I
do like them. There is a series of screen shots with ONLY themes being
turned off, and turn on in ms-access. You can judge for your self, and much
of this stuff is really personal taste (However, I DO LIKE themed controls,
as it makes ms-access software look MUCH more modern). Anyway, here is the
screen shots

http://www.members.shaw.ca/AlbertKallal/Atheme/index.htm

(so, you need windows xp + access 2003, and at least sp1 installed for the
above to work - to turn on themes...it is option in the tools->options).

2) I use continuous forms quite often - but one thing I don't like about
them is that with the continuous controls, you can't disable a particular
control on a particular row. If you do this, all of the controls for each
row becomes disabled.

I actually don't mind the above behaviors at all. Take quick look at the
following screen shots, and INSTANTLY tell me what column is disabled
(pretend you are about to jump out of a airplane, and you need to look
at the parachute roster). The fact is that your brain can see INSTANTLY what
columns are disabled is actually quite nice.

http://www.members.shaw.ca/AlbertKallal/Articles/colu/index.htm

Note in the 2nd screen shot, the only thing done was to hit the down arrow
key, and note how other columns are now able to be used. I find this is VERY
easy on the users eyes. (in fact, I like it BETTER then the complex "checker
board" of enabled/disabled text boxes you would gets if we had that
feature!).

Further, take a look at the animated 3rd screen shot..and that again show
the "effect" of pressing a down arrow.

Same if you wanted to use an unbound control like a checkbox or something
to perform some task when clicked - but you want it to happen on that line
only

You can bind the check box to a function. Download and try the multi-select
example here:
http://www.members.shaw.ca/AlbertKallal/msaccess/msaccess.html

The above shows you how to have individual check boxes function