access2007vba programming instrutorsedition

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A c c e s s 2 0 0 7 :

V B A P r o g r a m m i n g

Instructor’s Edition

NOT FOR PRINTING OR INSTRUCTIONAL USE


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Access 2007: VBA Programming

Series Product Managers: Charles G. Blum and Adam A. WilcoxWriter: Don Tremblay

Developmental Editor: Steve English

Copyeditor: Ken Maher

Keytester: Cliff Coryea

Series Designer: Adam A. Wilcox

COPYRIGHT © 2007 Axzo Press

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. No part of this work may be reproduced, transcribed, or used in any form or by any

means ⎯ graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping, Web distribution, or

information storage and retrieval systems ⎯ without the prior written permission of the publisher.

For more information, go to www.axzopress.com.

Trademarks

ILT Series is a trademark of Axzo Press.

Some of the product names and company names used in this book have been used for identification purposes only andmay be trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective manufacturers and sellers.

Disclaimer

We reserve the right to revise this publication and make changes from time to time in its content

without notice.

ISBN 10: 1-4239-5102-6ISBN 13: 978-1-4239-5102-5

Printed in the United States of America

1 2 3 4 5 GLOB 06 05 04 03



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C o n t e n t s

Introduction iii

Topic A: About the manual............................................................................... iv Topic B: Setting student expectations .............................................................. ix Topic C: Classroom setup.................................................................................xii Topic D: Support.............................................................................................. xvi

Visual Basic Editor 1-1 Topic A: Objects .............................................................................................. 1-2 Topic B: Object Browser ................................................................................ 1-13 Topic C: Collections....................................................................................... 1-18 Unit summary: Visual Basic Editor................................................................. 1-21

Programming basics 2-1

Topic A: Working with data ............................................................................ 2-2 Topic B: Scope ............................................................................................... 2-12 Unit summary: Programming basics ............................................................... 2-26

Control structures 3-1 Topic A: Decision structures............................................................................ 3-2 Topic B: Loop structures ................................................................................ 3-10 Unit summary: Control structures ................................................................... 3-19

ActiveX Data Objects 4-1 Topic A: Getting started with ActiveX Data Objects ...................................... 4-2 Topic B: Working with ActiveX Data Objects................................................ 4-6

Unit summary: ActiveX Data Objects............................................................. 4-19

VBA debugging tools 5-1 Topic A: Errors in code.................................................................................... 5-2 Topic B: Debugging techniques ......................................................................5-4 Topic C: Handling runtime errors................................................................... 5-20 Unit summary: VBA debugging tools............................................................. 5-23

Office integration A-1 Topic A: Automating Office 2007...................................................................A-2 Topic B: Working with Word from Access.....................................................A-3 Topic C: Working with Excel from Access.....................................................A-5

Course summary S-1 Topic A: Course summary ............................................................................... S-2 Topic B: Continued learning after class ..........................................................S-4

Quick reference Q-1

Glossary G-1

Index I-1



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ii Access 2007: VBA Programming



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iii

Introduction

After reading this introduction, you’ll know

how to:

A Use ILT Series training manuals in

general.

B Use prerequisites, a target student

description, course objectives, and a skillsinventory to set students’ expectations

properly for the course.

C Set up a classroom to teach this course.

D Get support for setting up and teaching this

course.



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iv Access 2007: VBA Programming

Topic A: About the manual

ILT Series philosophy

Our goal is to make you, the instructor, as successful as possible. To that end,

our training manuals facilitate students’ learning by providing structured interactionwith the software itself. While we provide text to help you explain difficult concepts,

the hands-on activities are the focus of our courses. Leading the students through these

activities will teach the skills and concepts effectively.

We believe strongly in the instructor-led classroom. For many students, having a

thinking, feeling instructor in front of them is always the most comfortable way to learn.

Because the students’ focus should be on you, our manuals are designed and written to

facilitate your interaction with the students and not to call attention to manuals

themselves.

We believe in the basic approach of setting expectations, then teaching, and providing

summary and review afterwards. For this reason, lessons begin with objectives and end

with summaries. We also provide overall course objectives and a course summary to provide both an introduction to and closure on the entire course.

Our goal is your success. We encourage your feedback in helping us to improve our

manuals continually to meet your needs.

Manual components

This manual contains these major components:

• Table of contents

• Introduction

• Units

• Appendix

• Course summary

• Quick reference

• Glossary

• Index

Each element is described below.

Table of contents

The table of contents acts as a learning roadmap for you and the students.

Introduction

The introduction contains information about our training philosophy and our manual

components, features, and conventions. It contains target student, prerequisite,

objective, and setup information for the specific course. Finally, the introduction

contains support information.



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Introduction v

Units

Units are the largest structural component of the actual course content. A unit begins

with a title page that lists objectives for each major subdivision, or topic, within the unit

Within each topic, conceptual and explanatory information alternates with hands-on

activities. Units conclude with a summary comprising one paragraph for each topic, and

an independent practice activity that gives students an opportunity to practice the skills

they’ve learned.The conceptual information takes the form of text paragraphs, exhibits, lists, and tables.

The activities are structured in two columns, one telling students what to do, the other

providing explanations, descriptions, and graphics. Throughout a unit, instructor notes

are found in the left margin.

Appendices

An appendix is similar to a unit in that it contains objectives and conceptual

explanations. However, an appendix doesn’t include hands-on activities, a summary, or

an independent practice activity.

Course summary

This section provides a text summary of the entire course. It’s useful for providing

closure at the end of the course. The course summary also indicates the next course in

this series, if there is one, and lists additional resources students might find useful as

they continue to learn about the software.

Quick reference

The quick reference is an at-a-glance job aid summarizing some of the more common

features of the software.

Glossary

The glossary provides definitions for all of the key terms used in this course.

Index

The index at the end of this manual makes it easy for you and your students to find

information about a particular software component, feature, or concept.



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vi Access 2007: VBA Programming

Manual conventions

We’ve tried to keep the number of elements and the types of formatting to a minimum

in the manuals. We think this aids in clarity and makes the manuals more elegantlooking. But there are some conventions and icons you should know about.

Instructor note/icon Convention Description

Italic text In conceptual text, indicates a new term or feature.

Bold text In unit summaries, indicates a key term or concept. In anindependent practice activity, indicates an explicit item

that you select, choose, or type.

Code font Indicates code or syntax.

Longer strings of ► code will look ►

like this.

In the hands-on activities, any code that’s too long to fit

on a single line is divided into segments by one or more

continuation characters (►). This code should be enteredas a continuous string of text.

Instructor notes. In the left margin, provide tips, hints, and warnings forthe instructor.

Select bold item In the left column of hands-on activities, bold sans-seriftext indicates an explicit item that you select, choose, or

type.

Keycaps likee Indicate a key on the keyboard you must press.

Warning icon.Warnings prepare instructors for potential classroom

management problems.

Tip icon.Tips give extra information the instructor can share with

students.

Setup icon.Setup notes provide a realistic business context for

instructors to share with students, or indicate additional

setup steps required for the current activity.

Projector icon.Projector notes indicate that there is a PowerPoint slide

for the adjacent content.



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Introduction vii

Hands-on activities

The hands-on activities are the most important parts of our manuals. They’re divided

into two primary columns. The “Here’s how” column gives short directions to thestudents. The “Here’s why” column provides explanations, graphics, and clarifications.

To the left, instructor notes provide tips, warnings, setups, and other information for the

instructor only. Here’s a sample:

Do it! A-1: Creating a commission formula

Here’s how Here’s why

1 Open Sales This is an oversimplified sales compensationworksheet. It shows sales totals, commissions,and incentives for five sales reps.

Take the time to makesure your studentsunderstand thisworksheet. We’ll be here awhile.

2 Observe the contents of cell F4

The commission rate formulas use the name“C_Rate” instead of a value for the commission

rate.

For these activities, we’ve provided a collection of data files designed to help students

learn each skill in a real-world business context. As students work through the activities

they modify and update these files. Of course, they might make a mistake and,

therefore, want to re-key the activity starting from scratch. To make it easy to start over,

students rename each data file at the end of the first activity in which the file is

modified. Our convention for renaming files is to add the word “My” to the beginning

of the file name. In the above activity, for example, students are using a file called

“Sales” for the first time. At the end of this activity, they save the file as “My sales,”

thus leaving the “Sales” file unchanged. If students make mistakes, they can start over

using the original “Sales” file.In some activities, however, it may not be practical to rename the data file. Such

exceptions are indicated with an instructor note. If students want to retry one of these

activities, you need to provide a fresh copy of the original data file.



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Introduction ix

Topic B: Setting student expectations

Properly setting students’ expectations is essential to your success. This topic will help

you do that by providing:

• Prerequisites for this course

• A description of the target student at whom the course is aimed• A list of the objectives for the course

• A skills assessment for the course

Course prerequisites

Students taking this course should be familiar with personal computers and the use of a

keyboard and a mouse. Furthermore, this course assumes that students have completed

the following courses or have equivalent experience:

• Windows XP: Basic or Windows Vista: Basic

• Access 2007: Application Development

Target student

The target student for this course should be familiar with Access 2007 and Visual Basicfor Applications. Students should be able to use various VBA programming elements.

Students get the most out of this course, if their goal is to become proficient in working

with objects and collections, and implementing ActiveX Data Objects.

Course objectives

You should share these overall course objectives with your students at the beginning of

the day. This approach gives the students an idea about what to expect and also helps

you identify students who might be misplaced. Students are considered misplaced whenthey lack the prerequisite knowledge or when they already know most of the subject

matter to be covered.

After completing this course, students will know how to:

• Work with objects, use Object Browser, identify collection objects, and use theControls collection.

• Manipulate data by declaring variables, combine data by using expressions, get

user input, create Sub and Function procedures, and call one procedure from

another.

• Use decision structures and use loop structures.

•

Identify ActiveX Data Objects (ADO) architecture and collections, connect to adatabase, work with a Recordset, and create a parameter query.

• Identify compile-time, run-time, and logical errors; use the debugging tools; and

write error-handling code.



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x Access 2007: VBA Programming

Skills inventory

Use the following form to gauge students’ skill level entering the class (students have

copies in the introductions of their student manuals). For each skill listed, have studentsrate their familiarity from 1 to 5, with 5 being the most familiar. Emphasize that this

isn’t a test. Rather, it’s intended to provide students with an idea of where they’re

starting from at the beginning of class. If a student is wholly unfamiliar with all the

skills, he or she might not be ready for the class. A student who seems to understand allof the skills, on the other hand, might need to move on to the next course in the series.

Skill 1 2 3 4 5

Work with objects, their properties, methods, and events

Use the Object Browser

Identify collection objects

Use the Controls collection

Examine data types and variables

Use operators and interaction functions

Observe modules and procedures

Examine procedure-, module-, and public-level scopes

Create and call a Sub procedure

Create and call a Function procedure

Use If…Then, If…Then…Else, and If…Then…ElseIf statements

Use the Select Case statement

Use the For…Next, For Each…Next, and Do While…Loop loops

Discuss ADO and ADO collections

Connect to a database

Create a Recordset object

Navigate a Recordset

Add records to a Recordset

Modify a record

Cancel changes to a record

Delete a record

Create a parameter query



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Introduction xi

Skill 1 2 3 4 5

Discuss types of errors

Discuss debugging tools

Set a breakpoint

Add and delete a watch expression

Use Step Into

Work with the Immediate window

Use the Locals window

Write error-handling code



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xii Access 2007: VBA Programming

Topic C: Classroom setup

All our courses assume that each student has a personal computer to use during the

class. Our hands-on approach to learning requires that they do. This topic gives

information on how to set up the classroom to teach this course. It includes minimumrequirements for the students’ personal computers, setup information for the first time

you teach the class, and setup information for each time that you teach after the first

time you set up the classroom.

The Windows operating system and the Microsoft Office 2007 suite are subject to

continual updating by Microsoft. The versions of each that you install are by definition

different from the versions that we used to prepare this course in February 2007. The

setup process described here may vary slightly from what you encounter. This also

applies to activities and screen shots throughout the course.

Hardware requirements

Each student’s personal computer should have:

• A keyboard and a mouse

• Pentium 500 MHz processor (or higher)

• 256 MB RAM (or higher)

• 2 GB of available hard drive space

• CD-ROM drive

• SVGA at 1024 × 768, or higher resolution monitor

Software requirements

You need the following software:

•

Windows XP, Windows Vista, or Windows Server 2003• Microsoft Office 2007

Network requirements

The following network components and connectivity are also required for this course:

• Internet access, for the following purposes:

– Updating the Windows operating system and Microsoft Office 2007 at

update.microsoft.com

– Downloading the Student Data files (if necessary)



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Introduction xiii

First-time setup instructions

1 Install Windows XP on an NTFS partition according to the software

manufacturer’s instructions.

Note: You can also use Windows Vista or Windows Server 2003, but the screen

shots in this course were taken using Windows XP, so students’ screens will

look somewhat different.

2 If the operating system is Windows XP, then launch the Control Panel, open theDisplay Properties dialog box and apply the following settings:

• Theme — Windows XP

• Screen resolution — 1024 by 768 pixels

• Color quality — High (24 bit) or higher

3 If Windows was already loaded on this PC, verify that Internet Explorer is the

default Web browser. (If you installed Windows yourself, skip this step.)

a Click Start, All Programs, Internet Explorer.

b Choose Tools, Internet Options.

c Check “Internet Explorer should check to see whether it is the default

browser.”d Click OK to close the Internet Options dialog box.

e Close and re-open Internet Explorer.

f If a prompt appears, asking you to make Internet Explorer your default

browser, click Yes.

g Close Internet Explorer.

4 Create an Internet account for the student. Web access is required, an e-mail

account isn’t.

5 Open Internet Explorer and navigate to update.microsoft.com. Update the

operating system with the latest critical updates and service packs.

6 Install Microsoft Office 2007 according to the software manufacturer’sinstructions, as follows:

a When prompted for the CD key, enter the code included with your

software.

b Select the Customize installation option and click Next.

c Activate the Installation Options tab.

d For Access 2007, Office Shared Features, and Office Tools, click the

dropdown arrow and choose Run all from My Computer.

e Set all but the following to Not Available: Access 2007, Office Shared

Features, and Office Tools.

f Click Install Now.

g On the last screen of the Office 2007 installer, click Go to Office Online.Internet Explorer displays the Office Online Web site, and the installer

window closes.

h On the Office Online Web page, activate the Downloads tab.

i Download and install any available updates.

j Close Internet Explorer.



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xiv Access 2007: VBA Programming

7 If you don’t have the data CD that came with this manual, download the Student

Data files for the course. You can download the data directly to studentmachines, to a central location on your own network, or to a disk.

a Connect to www.courseilt.com/instructor_tools.html.

b Click the link for Microsoft Access 2007 to display a page of course

listings, and then click the link for Access 2007: VBA Programming.

c Click the link for downloading the Student Data files, and follow theinstructions that appear on your screen.

8 Create a student data folder on each student’s computer, and copy the Student

Data files to that folder.

9 Start Access 2007.

a Activate the software. After activating, the Welcome to the 2007 Microsoft

Office System dialog box appears.

b On the Privacy Options screen, verify that “Search Microsoft Office Online

for Help content when I’m connected to the Internet” is checked.

c Verify that “Download a file periodically that helps determine system

problems” is cleared.

d Verify that “Sign up for the Customer Experience Improvement Program”is cleared.

e Click Next.

f Select “I don’t want to use Microsoft Update.”

g Click Finish to close the dialog box.

10 To prevent students from receiving a security warning when they open files in

Access 2007, designate the student data folder as a Trusted Location:

a Click the Office Button and choose Access Options to open the Access

Options dialog box.

b On the Trust Center page, click Trust Center Settings. The Trust Center

dialog box opens.c Navigate to the Trusted Locations page.

d Click Add new location. The Microsoft Office 2007 Trusted Location

dialog box opens.

e Click Browse and navigate to the student data folder.

f Click OK to close the Browse dialog box.

g Check Subfolders of this location are also trusted.

h Click OK to close the Microsoft Office 2007 Trusted Location dialog box.

i Click OK to close the Trust Center dialog box.

11 Make the student data folder the default file location.

a In the left panel of the Access Options dialog box, choose Popular. b Under Creating databases, click Browse, and navigate to the student data

folder.

c Click OK to close the Default Database Path dialog box.

d Click OK to close the Access Options dialog box.

e Close Access 2007.



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Introduction xv

Setup instructions for every class

Every time you teach this course, you need to perform the following steps to set up each

student computer.

1 Delete the contents of the Student Data folder, if necessary. (If this is the first

time you’re teaching the course, create a folder named Student Data at the root

of the hard drive.)

2 Copy the data files to the Student Data folder. (See the download instructions in

the preceding section.)

3 Open Internet Explorer and navigate to update.microsoft.com. Update the

operating system and Office 2007.



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xvi Access 2007: VBA Programming

Topic D: Support

Your success is our primary concern. If you need help setting up this class or teaching a

particular unit, topic, or activity, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us.

Contacting us

Please contact us through our Web site, www.axzopress.com. You will need to provide

the name of the course, and be as specific as possible about the kind of help you need.

Instructor’s tools

Our Web site provides several instructor’s tools for each course, including course

outlines and answers to frequently asked questions. To download these files, go to

www.axzopress.com. Then, under Downloads, click Instructor-Led Training and

browse our subject categories.



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1–1

U n i t 1

Visual Basic Editor

Unit time: 65 minutes

Complete this unit, and you’ll know how to:

A Work with objects, their properties,

methods, and events.

B Use Object Browser to get information

about objects.

C Identify collection objects and use the

Controls collection.



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1 – 2 Access 2007: VBA Programming

Topic A: Objects

Explanation Visual Basic for Applications, or VBA, is a programming language that comes as a partof the Microsoft Office suite and is shared among Office applications.

You can decide to gofurther into OOP astime allows.

VBA is based on Object Oriented Programming (OOP). In OOP , all the elements of a

program are considered objects. Objects constitute a way of organizing and relatingvariables, data, and procedures. Objects can be visible things, such as forms, command

buttons, and text boxes, or more conceptual elements, such as reports, queries, or even

entire applications. The details of OOP are outside the scope of this unit, but a basic

understanding is sufficient to start programming.

An object has certain characteristics and behavior. These characteristics are the object’s

properties and can be set at either design time or run time of a project. Design time is

when you design forms, place controls in the form, set properties, and write code for the

project. Run time is when the project is executing. You can write VBA code to

manipulate forms, reports, command buttons, and other controls. Visual Basic Editor

(VBE) is the environment in which you write, edit, and test VBA code. The VBE helps

you manipulate object properties and methods. For example, you can change text in a

text box and also hide the text box by writing code in VBE. You can access VBEthrough any Microsoft Office application.

Each Office application has its own set of objects or object model. For example, Word

contains document and paragraph objects, and Access contains table and form objects.

An object’s method is a behavior or action that’s performed by the object and can be

used to accomplish specific tasks. For example, Rename is a method that changes the

name of an object. An application consists of two types of objects, individual objects

and collection objects. A collection object is an arranged group of items that can be

treated as a unit. For example, the Forms collection includes all currently open form

objects.

An object can respond to events. For instance, some events occur when a form opens, a

button is clicked, or a text box loses focus. You can write code that runs when an eventoccurs.

Access objects

Tables, queries, and forms in an Access application are themselves individual. In Accessand other Office applications, one object can contain other objects. For instance, a form

object contains controls, such as buttons and check boxes, and a table object contains

objects, such as fields and indexes. In VBA, the applications themselves are also

objects.

Generic object types

You can use Generic object types when you aren’t sure what type of object you want to

work with. Both Access and VBA provide generic object types. For example, Object is

a generic object type that VBA provides and Access provides Control as its generic

object type. You can assign any type of object or control to this generic object type.



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Visual Basic Editor 1 –3

Do it! A-1: Discussing objects

Questions and answers

1 What’s an object?

An object is an entity that has specific characteristics and behavior. In Access, tables,

forms, and controls are objects.

2 Is VBA shared among Office applications? If so, why?

Yes, VBA is shared by all Office applications because it’s part of the Microsoft Office suite.

3 Is Access an object in VBA? If so, why?

Yes, Access is an object, because applications are also objects in VBA and can be programmed or manipulated.

4 When do you use generic object types?

You use generic object types when you aren’t sure what type of object or control you need touse.

5 What generic object types are available in VBA and Access?

VBA provides the Object type and Access provides the Control type.

If time allows, havestudents think of othersimple objects to modeland list the relevant properties, methods, andevents.

6 Consider modeling a real-world object – a toaster. What are its properties,

methods, and events?

Answers will vary. Properties: plugged in (a true/false property), color, size, number of slots,toasting time. Methods: toast bread, change toasting time, pop toast up. Events: lever

pushed down, toasting time dial changed, lever manually popped up.



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Object properties

Explanation You can modify properties and methods. You can also attach code to the events of anobject to change its appearance, behavior, and the action it performs. You can also use

VBA objects to create procedures that perform more complex tasks than simply

executing a set of recorded actions. A procedure is a block of VBA program code that

performs a specific task.

The Properties window

The Properties window displays the name of the object, its properties, and the current

value of the properties, as shown in Exhibit 1-1. The two tabs in this window are

Alphabetic and Categorized tabs. The Alphabetic tab displays the properties of the

selected object alphabetically, whereas the Categorized tab displays the properties for

the selected object by category, such as Data, Event, Format, and Other. For example,

properties, such as Caption, BorderStyle, and AutoCenter are in the Format category.

Object box

Property names Property values

Exhibit 1-1: The Properties window



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Do it! A-2: Examining the Properties window


1 Start Access Choose Start, All Programs, Microsoft Office,Microsoft Office Access 2007.

2 Open Objects From the current unit folder.Help students navigate tothe current unit folder.

3 In the Navigation Pane, display

Forms

If necessary.

4 Open frmOrder in Design view (Right-click it and choose Design View.) You’llexamine the properties of this form.

5 On the Design tab, click (The View Code button is in the Tools group.)To open the Visual Basic Editor window. Thecode windows for other forms are also

displayed.

6 In the Object box list in theProperties pane, select frmOrder

(If necessary.) To select the properties for thefrmOrder form.

In the Properties window, observe

the Name property

(You can resize the pane to be able to see all the

property names.) It’s at the top of the list. This is

the name assigned to the form object.

Tell students to scrolldown.

7 In the Properties window, observe

the Caption property of the form

This is the name that appears on the object tabwhen the form is opened in Access.

Tell students to scroll toview the tasks.

8 In the Properties window, activate

the Categorized tab

To view the properties grouped according to thetasks they perform.

9 Observe the Properties window The properties are categorized based on thetasks, such as Data, Event, Format, and Other.

10 In the Properties window, activate

the Alphabetic tab

To view the properties in alphabetical order.



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Changing properties

Explanation You can change option properties, such as changing the caption of a form to reflect thedata it contains.

You change a property of an Access object by selecting the object and then editing the

property value in the Properties window. The object immediately reflects the change.

Some properties have a list of predefined values from which you can select. This listappears in the value column of the Properties window. For example, you can select a

value for the BorderStyle property of a form, such as 0-None or 2-sizable.

Do it! A-3: Modifying the object properties


Tell students that theymight need to scroll up.

1 In the Properties window, observe

the Caption property

The caption frmOrder appears as the property

value.

2 Click (The View Microsoft Office Access button is onthe Standard toolbar of the VBE window.) To

switch to the Microsoft Access window.

Switch to Form view (The Form view button is on the status bar at thelower right of the Access window.) The caption

for the object tab is frmOrder.

3 Switch to Design view To return to the Design view of the form.

Students can alsoswitch by clicking therelevant buttons on thetask bar.

Tell students they canalso right-click the form’stab and choose Formview.

4 Switch back to the VBE window Click View Code.

5 In the Properties window, double-

click Caption

You’ll change the caption of the form.

6 Edit the Property value to read

Order Form

To change the caption to Order Form.

Presse

7 Switch to AccessStudents can click the Access button in the VBEor on the taskbar.

8 Switch to Form view The caption of the form reads Order Form.

9 Update and close the form



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Using the Code window

Explanation You can control object properties by writing VBA code in the Code window. Eachobject that appears in the Project Explorer window has a separate Code window

associated with it, such as the one shown in Exhibit 1-2. To open the Code window,

double-click a form or module in the Project Explorer window. A module includes

statements, declarations, and procedures that are stored as a single unit and contains one

or more related procedures. The two types of modules in Access are Standard modulesand Class modules. Class modules contain the definition for a new object. The

procedures defined in a Class module become the properties and method for the object.

Standard modules contain procedures that are available to other procedures throughout

your project. You can add a new module in a project by choosing Insert, Module. The

Code window that includes the code for a specific form or its control is also a Standard

module by itself. It’s known as Form module.

The list box in the upper left corner of the Code window that lists the form and other

objects in the form is called an Object list . The list box in the upper right corner of the

Code window that lists all the events for the object displayed in the Object list is called

the Procedure list . When you select an event from the Procedure list, the procedure

associated with that event appears in the Code window. If you select an object from the

Object list, the definition of the object’s default procedure appears in the Code window.

In such cases, you don’t need to select the event from the Procedure list. For example,

when you select Form from the Object list, the Load event procedure for the form

appears in the Code window by default.

Procedure listObject list

Exhibit 1-2: A sample Code window



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Following is the general syntax for setting object properties through code:

object.property = value

In this syntax, object represents the name of the object, property is the property

name, and value is the value you want to assign to the property. The object name and

the property name are separated by a period (.). There are no spaces before or after the

period.

For example, to change the caption of the form named frmRetailer, you would enter the

code:

Form_frmRetailer.Caption ="Retailer Form"

In this example, the Caption property of the form frmRetailer is set to Retailer Form.

When you type a period after an object name, the Auto List option of VBA displays a

list of object members, such as data type or property from which you can choose. This

helps you to avoid incorrectly typing a name that isn’t a method or property of the

specified object.



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Do it! A-4: Writing code to change object properties


1 Open frmRetailer in Design view You’ll change the caption of this form by usingcode.

2 Switch to VBE In the Design tab, click View Code.

Tell students to resize theCode window ifnecessary.

3 In the Objects - Form_frmRetailer

window, click as shown

To display the Object list, which includes the

objects associated with the form.

4 From the Object list, select Form

(You’ll write code to change the caption of theform.) These lines of code appear automatically.

In the first line, Form_Load() is the name of the

event procedure. The Load event of a form

occurs when the form is opened and its controls

display.

5 Presst To indent the code for better readability.

6 Type the following code:

Form_frmRetailer.c

An Auto List appears as soon as you type the

period, then when you press C the selection

moves to items starting with that letter.

Presst The word Caption appears automatically in thecode line.

Type the following code:

="Retailer Form"

To change the form caption to Retailer Form.

7 Switch to Access and to Form

view

The caption of the form reads Retailer Form.

Update the database Click Save on the Quick Access toolbar.

8 Close the form



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Using methods

Explanation The actions of an object are defined by the methods attached to it. For example, Quit isa method of the Application object. You can use this method to quit Microsoft Access.

The Quit method has a parameter, which can have one of the following values:

• acQuitPrompt: Displays a dialog box that prompts you to save the changes and

then quits Microsoft Access, with or without saving according to your answer.You can also close the dialog box by clicking the Cancel button.

• acQuitSaveAll: Saves all objects and then quits Microsoft Access.

• acQuitSaveNone: Quits Microsoft Access without saving the changes

Do it! A-5: Using a method


1 Open the code window for

frmOrder

Open the form in Design view, then switch to itscode window.

2 From the Object list, selectcmdClose

You’ll apply the Quit method to the Close button.

3 Presst


Application.

An Auto List appears, providing object classesand data types from which you can choose.


Quit acQuitPrompt

You can also press Tab after you type ac.

4 Close the Code window Click the Close Window button on the upperright corner of the Code window.

5 Switch to Form view Switch to Access then to Form view.

6 Edit the Quantity box to read 200 To provide a new quantity.

7 Close the formA message box appears, prompting you to save

changes.

Tell students that, if theytried to close Access,they’d have received thesame prompt.

8 Click Yes To save the change and close the form.



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Attaching code to events

Explanation A procedure can run in response to a specific user action, such as clicking a button. Youdo this by associating the code to an object event. Events include user actions, such as

mouse clicks, double-clicks, and opening or closing of forms.

When you associate code with an event, the code executes when the event occurs, such

as when another action triggers the event. You use event procedures to associate code

with an event. The events for the object selected in the Object list are listed in the

Procedure list. For example, you can write code for a form’s Activate event to display a

message informing you that you can’t change the data in the form when a user activates

it. The Activate event of a form occurs when the form becomes the active window.

To program an event, double-click the object to display the Code window. Then, select

the object, select an event from the Procedure list, and enter the code you want.



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Do it! A-6: Associating code with an event



frmRetailer

2 From the Object list, select Form If necessary.

3 Click as shown

The events for the Form object are listed in the

Procedure list.

Tell students that theyneed to scroll up.

From the Procedure list, select

Activate

You’ll attach code to the Activate event of this

Form object.

4 Presst and type thefollowing code:

MsgBox

Pressq The Auto Quick Info feature appears, showingthe complete syntax.


("You cannot edit data in this form.")

This code displays a message box with this text.

Tell students that they canalso press Ctrl + S.

5 Click (The Save Objects button is on the Standardtoolbar.) To update the database.

Switch to Access

6 Switch to Form view A message box appears showing the text youspecified in the MsgBox function.

Click OK To close the message box.

7 Open frmOrder in Form view (Double-click it in the Navigation Pane.) Itappears on a new object tab.

8 Click the Retailer Form tab The message appears again. This event istriggered whenever the form is made active, not

just when it’s opened.

Click OK

9 Close both forms



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Topic B: Object Browser

Explanation You can view an object’s builtin properties and methods when creating procedures in amodule. The builtin properties and methods of an object are the properties and methods

that are provided by the object itself. For example, you can use the builtin methods,

such as Load, Hide, and Show to manage forms in VBA. You can use the Object

Browser to view the properties and methods of an object. You can also search for a

specific method or an event of an object in the Object Browser. Object libraries provide

the information about available objects in VBA to the Object Browser.

Object libraries

An object library is a file that contains all information about the object model of an

application. Each Microsoft Office application, such as Word, Excel, or Access, has its

own object library. The relevant object library is copied to the hard disk when you

install the application. You can set a reference to an application’s object library by

selecting the relevant object library from the References dialog box. You can choose

Tools, References from VBE to open the References dialog box. After setting a

reference to an application’s object library, you can use the objects of that application inyour code. For example, if you need to print the contents of a table in a specified format

by using Word because printing in Access doesn’t provide formats, you can select

Microsoft Word 12.0 Object Library from the References dialog box. Then, you can use

all Word objects in your code.

The Object Browser window

Object Browser is a window that displays the classes, properties, methods, events, and

constants in the available object libraries. A class is the basic pattern used when an

object is created. Classes, such as App, Collection, or Control, define methods,

properties, and events for an object. An object is created at run time from a class

contained in the object libraries. You can use the Object Browser window to examineall objects that are available in VBA and in Access. You can also display help

information on any object by using the Object Browser window.

To display the Object Browser, choose View, Object Browser in VBE, or click the

Object Browser button on the Visual Basic toolbar. Pressing F2 in the VBE can also

open Object Browser.



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Project/Library

list

Methods/Properties

listObjects/Modules

list

Details pane

Exhibit 1-3: The Object Browser window

The Object Browser window, as shown in Exhibit 1-3, uses various object libraries and

displays the following information:

• Project/Library list. You can select an available object library from this list. A

library file contains all information about various classes, objects, procedures,

and functions. By default, the Project/Library list contains .

• Classes list. This displays the classes available in the selected object library. The

properties, events and methods of an object are defined in class.

• Members Of list. This displays the methods and properties that

belong to the object that is selected in the Classes list.

• Details pane. This describes the selected project, library, class, methods, or

properties. For example, if you select a method from the Objects/Modules list,

the Details pane displays the method name, its syntax, arguments (if available),

and the name of the library to which it belongs.



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Do it! B-1: Examining the Object Browser window



frmProduct

Tell students thatthey can also press F2 toopen the Object Browserwindow.

2 Choose View,Object Browser

(To open the Object Browser window.Maximize the window, if necessary.) You’ll

view the various objects and classes of the

Access library and their methods and events byusing Object Browser.

3 Observe the Project/Library list (The first dropdown list.) By default, AllLibraries appear.

4 From the Project/Library list,

select Access

You’ll view the information about the Access

library.

5 Observe the Objects/Modules list It shows all the objects and modules that are

available in the Access library.

6 From the Objects/Modules list,

select Form

Scroll down the list.

7 Observe the Methods/Properties

list

(Scroll through the list.) It shows all the methods

and properties that are available for the Formobject. A green brick indicates methods and a

hand icon pointing to an index indicates

properties.

8 From the Methods/Properties list,

select WindowHeight

(In the lower part of the list.) To view the details

of this property.

9 Observe the Details pane To view the details of the WindowHeight property.



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Object Browser’s search feature

Explanation You use the search feature of the Object Browser to view the methods, properties, andevents of an object. To do so, enter the name of the project, database, or object whose

information you want to view, then click the Search button. The Object Browser

searches for the text you entered and displays the results in the Search Results section,

as shown in Exhibit 1-4.

Search

Text boxSearch button

Search Results

section

Exhibit 1-4: The Object Browser with the Search Results section

Do it! B-2: Searching in the Object Browser



select All Libraries

2 In the Search Text box, enter

Form_frmRetailer

You’ll use the Object Browser to view themethods, properties, and events of all objects in

Form_frmRetailer.

3 Click (The Search button is in the Object Browserwindow.) To start search. After the search is

complete, the Search Results section is added tothe Object Browser window.

4 Observe the Search Results

section

This displays the VBAWindow1 as library and

Form_frmRetailer as class.

5 Observe the Classes list The classes in VBAWindow1 appear in bold.



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Tell students to scrolldown.

6 Observe the Members of the

‘Form_frmRetailer’ list

The methods, properties, events, or constants

that have code written for them appear bold.

7 Under Members of

‘Form_frmRetailer’, select

Form_Activate

Observe the Details pane

This section displays the method name, its

syntax, and arguments, if available.


select VBA

You’ll search for a function called ‘cInt’

provided by the VBA library.

9 Edit the Search Text box to read

cInt

To provide the name of the function.

10 Click To start the search.

11 Observe the Search Results

section

This displays VBA as library, Conversion as

class, and Clnt as member.

12 Observe the Classes list The class Conversion displays in a dotted box.

13 Observe the Members of

‘Conversion’ list

The function Clnt displays in a dotted box.

14 Close the Object Browser Click the Close Window button on the upperright corner of the Code window.

15 Switch to Access

Close the form To return to the Database window.



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Topic C: Collections

Explanation A collection object contains multiple objects that are treated as a single item. This helpsyou refer to a group of related items as a single object. For example, you can declare all

controls in a form as a collection. A collection object has properties and methods of its

own that define the objects contained in it. You can create your own collection object,

called custom collection, which includes objects that you define. In this case, you can

define your own properties and methods for the object. Collections simplify the code if

you need to perform the same operation on all objects in a collection.

Because collection is an object type in VBA, you must declare a collection object to

create it. The following syntax declares a collection:

Dim CollectionName as new Collection

To add an item to a collection, you use the Add method. To remove an item, use the

Remove method. To remove all items in a collection, use the Remove method in a loop.

Builtin collectionsBuiltin collections are those provided by the application itself, and Access has several.

For example, you may have a number of forms in your application. All forms that are

open at any point are part of the Forms collection. Each form might contain several

controls, such as labels, text boxes, command buttons, and option buttons. These

controls are part of the Controls collection.

Do it! C-1: Understanding collection objects

Questions and answers

1 What’s a collection object?

A collection object is a set of objects that can be treated as a single unit. These objectsmight be of the same type or of different types.

2 What are builtin collections?

Builtin collections are those provided by Access. For example, the Forms collection andControls collection are builtin collections.

3 What’s the Forms collection?

It’s a collection of all forms that are open at any point of time in an application.

4 Is a form a collection object?

Yes, each form, by itself, is a collection object.



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Controls collection

Explanation A control on a form or a report is a control object. A control has methods and propertiesof its own. An Access application consists of multiple form and report objects. Each

form consists of several controls that belong to the Controls collection of that form. In

the same way, each report consists of several controls that belong to the Controls

collection of that report. You use the Control object type if you need to make a change

to all controls of the same type.

Do it! C-2: Using the Controls collection


1 Open frmLogin in Form view

Observe the form (By default, user name and password are in theirrespective text boxes.) You’ll write code to clear

the text boxes by using Controls collection.

2 Switch to Design view

3 Open the form’s Code window By default, the Object list displays General andthe Procedure list displays Declarations.

4 In the General Declarationssection, type the following code:

Dim Ctl as Control

To declare Ctl as a variable of the Control

generic object type.

Presse

5 From the Object list, select Form The Form_Load event procedure appears in the

Code window.

6 In the Form_Load event

procedure, presst and thentype the following code:

For Each Ctl In Form_frmLoginIf TypeOf Ctl Is TextBox Then

Ctl.SetFocusCtl.Text = ""

End If

Next

The For Each…Next loop used in this codechecks all controls in the form. If the control is

TextBox, then the focus is set on the text box,and the text is set to blank.

7 Update the database Click the Save Objects button in the toolbar.

8 Close VBE Click the Close button.



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9 Switch to Form view The form appears with a blank user name and password.

10 Close the form

11 Close the database



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Unit summary: Visual Basic Editor

Topic A In this topic, you learned about objects. You learned how to modify properties and usemethods by using a Code window. You also learned how to associate code with an

event by using an event procedure.

Topic B In this topic, you learned how to use the Object Browser. You learned that you cansearch methods, properties, and events of an object by using the Object Browser.

Topic C In this topic, you learned about collection objects. You also learned how to use theControls collection.

Independent practice activity

In this activity, you’ll write code to change a form’s properties, and clear the text from

text boxes.

1 Open Practice objects.

2 Open the code window for frmLogin.

3 Modify the Caption property of frmLogin form to read Login Form by using the

Properties window.

4 Switch to Form view and ensure that form caption is changed to Login Form.

5 Update the database.

6 Use a method to close the database. (Hint: Use the Quit acQuitSaveAll method in

the Click event of the cmdQuit button of frmLogin.)

7 Update the database, switch to Access, and test whether or not you can close the

database.

8 Open Practice Objects.

9 Open and observe frmEmployee.

10 Open the Code window for frmEmployee.

11 Using control collections, write a code to clear the text in all text boxes.

12 Update the database.

13 Switch to Form view and ensure the validity of your code.

14 Close the form.

15 Open the code window for frmEmployee.

16 Use Object Browser to search for the methods used in frmEmployee. (Hint: From

the Project/Library list, select All Libraries, and enter Form _ frmEmployee in theSearch Text box.)

17 Close Object Browser.

18 Close VBE.

19 Close the database.



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Review questions

1 What’s Object Oriented Programming (OOP)? (Choose one.)

A Properties that can be set at either design time or run time.

B A set of programs that’s used to perform specific tasks.

C A programming concept in which all the elements of a program are considered to be objects.

D A database that contains objects, such as tables, forms, reports, macros, and

queries.

2 True or false: An object’s method is a behavior or action that’s performed by the

object and can be used to accomplish specific tasks.

True

3 What’s a procedure?

A procedure is a block of VBA program code that performs a specific task.

4 What’s displayed in the Properties window? (Choose all that apply.)

A The object's name.

B The object's properties.

C The object's behaviors.

D The current value of the properties.

5 How do you display the Object Browser?

To display the Object Browser, choose View, Object Browser in VBE, or click the Object Browserbutton on the Visual Basic toolbar. Pressing F2 in the VBE can also open Object Browser.

6 True or false: Because a collection object consists of multiple objects that have been

put together, it can’t be treated as a single unit.

False. The collection object can be treated as a single unit. For example, you can declare allcontrols in a form as a single collection in which the controls might be of the same type or ofdifferent types.

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