September 2008 ~ LEARN MS-ACCESS TIPS AND TRICKS

No Data and Report Error

a.p.r. pillaiSeptember 28, 2008msaccess reports, Reports 2 comments

Introduction.

Report Source Query or Table can end up with no output records. In that case, some of the controls with the formula in the Report will show #Error on them. An image of a sample report is given below:

The #Error at the right top is a control that has a formula for showing the Period for which the Report is currently preparing. The controls to the right of the word TOTAL are Sub-Totals and Totals, detail line values and all of them ended up with Errors because the underlying Query of the Report doesn't have any record to show for the current period selected by the User.

Even though this is not a serious issue if it became necessary to show this Report to someone as a NIL REPORT or printed and kept for future references leaving the controls with errors this way is not in good taste on the part of the Database Developer.

The modified version of the above Report is given below with a Comment, Summary Controls show Zero Values, and the Report period is printed correctly.

I have made a few modifications to the Report Design to add a hidden label at the footer of the Report with the Caption: *** Congratulations *** Nothing Pending to show up when there are no output Records for the Report. The Visible Property of the label is set to No manually. On the Detail Section Under the Description, Column shows *** NIL REPORT ***. The period for which the Report is prepared is also shown to the right, above the Detail Section headings.

The Report Period (DateFrom and DateTo) is normally entered into a Parameter Table and joined with the Report Source Table in a Query to use them for criteria and for displaying on the Report.

Few Changes in the Report

Created two Text Controls (with the name From and To respectively) at the Report Header Section to the right of the Control name STAFFNAME to load the DataFrom and DateTo Values from the Report Parameter Table with DLookup() Function:

=DLookUp("DateFrom","Report_Param")

Second Control has the expression to read DateTo from the Report_Param Table and both values are used in the expression (="Period: " & [frm] & " To " & [To]) to format the values to show the output as in the second image given above. These are all the cosmetic changes required in the Report.

Temporary Table for Report.

The major change is to create a temporary table with a single blank record, with the same structure as the Source Table or Query that is attached to the Report. If your Report is using a Table as Report Source Data then make a copy of the structure of the Table and add a tmp_ prefix to the table name like tmp_myReport. If it is a Query then create a Make-Table Query using the Report Source Query and create a temporary table. Add a blank record in the temporary table. If your Report Table has a Text Field that is displaying the value on the Report then type *** NIL REPORT *** in that field. Keep all other fields Empty.

How the Trick Works

The trick is, when the Report is open by the User we will check whether the original Report Source Table or Query have any record in it or not. If not swap the Temporary Table with the Report Source Table or Query. The hidden Label's Visible Property will be set to Yes to display the comment *** CONGRATULATIONS *** NOTHING PENDING. Since the temporary table has one blank record in it already, the Summary Controls will not end up with errors.

We need a few lines of VBA Code in the Report_Open() Event Procedure to check and swap the Report Source Table or Query.

Few Lines of VBA Code

Private Sub Report_Open(Cancel As Integer)
Dim ii = DCount("*", "myReport")
If i = 0 Then
   Me.RecordSource = "tmp_MyReport"
   Me.lblMsg.Visible = True
End If
End Sub

Copy the above lines of code in the Report's VBA Module and make changes to insert the correct Table/Query and tmp_myReport names.

Lost Links of External Tables

a.p.r. pillaiSeptember 21, 2008External Links, MsaccessLinks No comments

Introduction.

We have already learned several methods to work with external data sources. By linking them to MS-Access Database or directly opening them in Queries by setting Source Database and SourceConnectStr Properties. In either case, the Source Data must be present in their original location all the time.

But, there is a possibility that the links to some of these tables can be lost either by deleting or renaming the source table by mistake. We will come to know about the error only when we attempt to work with the external tables and chances are that the error pops up in the middle of some process steps.

To alleviate this problem run a check on the linked tables as soon as the Database is open for normal operations. If any of the linked Tables is not in place, then warn the User about it and shut down the Application if it has serious implications.

How do we determine whether a linked external table has lost its connection with the Database or not? It is easy to attempt to open the linked table and if it runs into an error, you can be sure that either it got deleted, or the name changed.

There may be several tables in a database, local as well as linked ones. How can we single out the linked ones alone and open them to check the status? Again, this is not a big issue and you already have the answer if you have gone through the earlier Articles explaining several methods of accessing external data and usage of Connection Properties of Linked Tables and Queries.

The Connection Property Value

We need a small VBA routine to iterate through the Table definitions and check the Connect Property value and if it is set with a Connect String then it is a linked table otherwise it is a local table. When we encounter a linked table, we will attempt to open it to read data. If this process triggers an Error then we will prepare a list of such cases and display it at the end, to inform the User so that she can initiate appropriate remedial action to rectify the error.

A sample VBA routine is given below. Copy and paste, the program into a Global Module and save it.

Public Function LostLinks()
'----------------------------------------------------
'Author : a.p.r. pillai
'URL    : www.msaccesstips.com
'Date   : 21/09/2008
'----------------------------------------------------
Dim msg As String, tbldef As TableDef
Dim strConnect As String, cdb As Database
Dim rst As Recordset, strTableName As String
Dim strDatabase As String, loc As Integer
Dim loc2 As Integer

On Error Resume Next

Set cdb = CurrentDb
For Each tbldef In cdb.TableDefs
    strConnect = tbldef.Connect

    If Len(strConnect) > 0 Then
       strTableName = tbldef.NAME
       Set rst = cdb.OpenRecordset(strTableName, dbOpenDynaset)
       If Err > 0 Then
          If Len(msg) = 0 Then
             msg = "The following Linked Tables are missing:" & vbCr & vbCr
          End If
          msg = msg & strTableName & vbCr
          Err.Clear
        End If
        rst.Close
    End If
Next

If Len(msg) > 0 Then
    MsgBox msg, , "LostLinks()"
End If

End Function

Call the Routine from an Autoexec Macro, or from the Form_Load() Event Procedure of the Application's Startup or Main Screen.

Earlier Post Link References:

Link External Tables with VBA

a.p.r. pillaiSeptember 14, 2008External Links, MsaccessLinks 5 comments

Introduction.

We all know how to link a Table from external data sources manually.

Highlight Get External Data from File Menu.
Select Link Tables from the displayed options.
Select the file type (dBase, Excel, etc.) in the Files of Type control.
Find the location of the File and select it.
Click the Link to attach the selected table to the Current Database.

If you are linking an external table from a Network Location, use the UNC (Universal Naming Conventions) type location reference (like \\hosfs03\accounts\myDatabase\. . .), rather than using a mapped drive location reference like H:\MyDatabase.

You can even use your Local Drive's share name in this manner \\yourPCName\C$\Databases\myDatabase.mdb.

This method ensures that even if the drive mapping changes from H:\ to K:\ or anything else, MS-Access will have no difficulty in finding the linked Table. Otherwise, you have to go for the Option Tools - ->Database Utilities - ->Linked Table Manager for refreshing the changed location reference of the table.

We have already seen that we can work with external tables without linking them permanently to the current database.

Here, we will try to link external Tables using VBA to the Current Database. After linking the table we will print the contents of five records into the Debug Window and delete the link.

The Steps to follow

We have to go through the following steps to link a Table to a Database with VBA:

Create a temporary Table Definition (Tabledef) without any Field Definitions in the Current Database.
Load the Connect Property of tabledef. with Connection String Value
Link the external Table to the temporary Table definition (Tabledef)
Add the temporary Table definition to the Tabledefs Group.
Rename the temporary Table to match the Source Table Name.

The VBA Functions.

We will write two VBA Functions for our examples. Copy and Paste the following VBA Codes into a Global Module of your MS-Access Database and save them:

Public Function LinkMain()
Dim strConnection As String
Dim sourceTable As String

strConnection = ";DATABASE=D:\Program Files\Microsoft office\Office\Samples\Northwind.mdb;TABLE=Orders"

sourceTable = "Orders" 'Access Table Name

LinkExternal strConnection, sourceTable

End Function

Function LinkExternal(ByVal conString As String, sourceTable As String)
Dim db As Database, i As Integer, j As Integer
Dim linktbldef As TableDef, rst As Recordset

Set db = CurrentDb
Set linktbldef = db.CreateTableDef("tmptable") 'create temporary table definition

linktbldef.Connect = conString 'set the connection string
linktbldef.SourceTableName = sourceTable 'attach the source table
db.TableDefs.Append linktbldef 'add the table definition to the group
db.TableDefs.Refresh 'refresh the tabledefinitions

linktbldef.NAME = sourceTable 'rename the tmptable to original source table name

'open the recordset and print 5 records in the debug window
Set rst = db.OpenRecordset(sourceTable, dbOpenDynaset)
i = 0
Do While i < 5 And Not rst.EOF
  For j = 0 To rst.Fields.Count - 1
     Debug.Print rst.Fields(j).Value,
  Next: Debug.Print
  rst.MoveNext
  i = i + 1
Loop
rst.Close

db.TableDefs.Delete sourceTable 'remove to stay the table linked
db.Close
Set rst = Nothing
Set linktbldef = Nothing
Set db = Nothing

End Function

How it works.

The first Program LinkMain() calls the LinkExternal() Sub Routine with strConnection and SourceTable name as parameters. Northwind.mdb sample database and Orders Table are passed as parameters. Open the Debug Window (Immediate Window) by pressing Ctrl+G. Click anywhere within the LinkMain() Program and press F5 to Run the Code and print five records of the Orders table from the Northwind.mdb database.

The LinkExternal() Program performs the five steps of actions explained above.

Replace the strConnection and sourceTable, with the following sample values for opening a dBase Table:

strConnection = "dBase IV;HDR=NO;IMEX=2;DATABASE=D:\msaccesstips"sourceTable = "Branches" 'Access Table Name

Tip: If you don't have a dBase Table to try the Code then Export a Table from MS-Access into the dBase format and run the Code with changes.

Change the Database Folder name and the Table name with your own dBase Folder and Table names.

For Excel-based Tables, two methods are given below.

Uses Worksheet Reference (Sheet1$) as source Table location. The $ symbol is necessary with the Worksheet name.:

strConnection = "Excel 5.0;HDR=YES;IMEX=2;DATABASE=D:\msaccesstips\Branch.xls"sourceTable = "Sheet1$" 'Excel Sheet Name Reference

The topmost row contents of the table area will be used as Field Names.

strConnection = "Excel 5.0;HDR=YES;IMEX=2;DATABASE=D:\msaccesstips\Branch.xls"sourceTable = "BranchNames" 'Excel Range Name Reference

Excel Range Name Branch Names will be used as Table location. The first line is the same as above for this example also.

Earlier Post Link References:

Source Connect Str Property and ODBC

a.p.r. pillaiSeptember 06, 2008External Links, MsaccessLinks 1 comment

Introduction.

We have already seen that the usage of SourceConnectStr Property combined with Source Database Property of MS-Access Query can be used to open external data sources, like dBase, FoxPro (Version 2.5 or 3.0), and Excel Table, directly and work with them.

We have learned how to add the above Property specifications in an IN Clause directly in the SQL of the Query.

Data sources like AS400 (iSeries), SQL Server, and FoxPro need an ODBC (Open DataBase Connectivity) Connect String to get access to these System data.

ODBC Connection String

The best way to learn and understand more about the Connection String Syntax of different ODBC Data Sources is to go through the following steps and look at the Connection String of the Linked Table:

Create an ODBC DSN (Data Source Name). Refer to the Post Linking with IBM AS400 Tables.
Link the Table from the source directly using File - - > Get External Data- ->Link Table.
Select ODBC Databases in the Files of Type control.
Select the ODBC DSN that you have created from the displayed list.
Click OK. If you have not created a DSN you can create a new one by selecting the New. . . Command Button.
Select the Table to link with your MS-Access Database.
After linking the Table, select the linked Table.
Select Design from the Database Menu. You will receive a warning message saying that the Linked Table Structure cannot be modified. Click Yes to the Prompt: Do You want to open it anyway..?
Display the Property Sheet (View - ->Properties).

Description Property of Table

On the Description Property of the Table Structure, you will find the ODBC String that can be used directly on Query's SourceConnectStr Property.

A few examples of ODBC Connection String Values are given below:

AS400 (iSeries) Table:
ODBC;DSN=myData;UID=UserID;PWD=Password;TABLE=PAVUP.APC161D  
SQL Server:
ODBC;DSN=MyData;UID=UserID;PWD=Password;DATABASE=Parts  
FoxPro:
ODBC;DSN=Visual FoxPro Tables;UID=;PWD=;SourceDB=C:\MyFoxpro;SourceType=DBF;Exclusive=No;BackgroundFetch=Yes;Collate=GENERAL;Null=Yes;Deleted=Yes

As you can see in the above examples that the DSN Name, User ID, Password, and other details are Data Source specific and must be provided correctly to get access to their respective Tables.

In the AS400 (iSeries) ODBC Connection String above the Table Name and Folder Name are separated with a dot in between. You may refer to the earlier Post Linking with IBM AS400 Tables to learn how to link AS400 (iSeries) Table to MS-Access Database.