They didn't make any major changes. Here's a summary:
View information on object dependencies
In Microsoft Office Access 2003, you can view information on dependencies
between database objects. Viewing a list of objects that use a specific
object helps maintain a database over time and avoid errors related to
missing record sources. For example, the Quarterly Orders query in the Sales
database is no longer needed, but before deleting it, you might want to find
out which other objects in the database use the query. Then, you could
either change the record source of the dependent objects, or delete them,
before deleting the Quarterly Orders query. Viewing a complete list of
dependent objects helps you save time and minimize errors.
In addition to viewing the list of objects that are bound to a selected
object, you can also view the objects that are being used by the selected
object.
Macros, modules, and data access pages are not searched for dependencies.
Access projects do not support this feature.
Error checking in forms and reports
In Microsoft Office Access 2003, you can enable automatic error checking for
common errors in forms and reports. Error checking points out errors, such
as two controls using the same keyboard shortcut, and the width of a report
being greater than the page it will be printed on. Enabling error checking
helps you identify errors and correct them.
Propagating field properties
In previous versions of Microsoft Access, whenever you modified a field's
inherited property, you had to manually modify the property of the
corresponding control in each of the forms and reports. Now, when you modify
an inherited field property in Table design view, Access displays an option
to update the property of all or some controls that are bound to the field.
Smart tags
In Microsoft Office Access 2003, you can use the SmartTags property to add a
smart tag to any field in a table, query, form, report, or data access page
in a database.
Back up a database or project
You can back up the current database or project before making major changes
to it. The backup will be saved in the default backup location, or in the
current folder.
To restore a database, go to the location of the backup, rename the file,
and open it in Access.
Windows XP theme support
The Microsoft Windows XP operating system offers you several themes. If you
have chosen a theme other than the default, Access will apply the chosen
theme to views, dialog boxes, and controls. You can prevent form controls
from inheriting themes from the operating system by setting an option on the
database or project.
Improved sorting in controls
You can now specify the ascending or descending sort order of up to four
fields in the List Box and Combo Box Wizards in forms and reports, and the
Lookup Wizard in an Access database. The sort page added to these wizards
looks and behaves like the sort page in the Report Wizard.
Autocorrect options
In Microsoft Office Access 2003, you have more control over the behavior of
the AutoCorrect feature. The AutoCorrect Options button appears near text
that was automatically corrected. If you find on occasion that you don't
want text to be corrected, you can undo a correction or turn AutoCorrect
options on or off by clicking the button and making a selection.
Enhanced font capabilities in SQL views
In the SQL and query Design views of a query in both a Microsoft Access
database and Microsoft Access project, you can now change the font and font
size of the text by using the Query design font option added to the
Tables/Queries tab of the Options dialog box under the Tools menu. These
settings apply to all databases and work with the high-contrast and other
accessibility settings of your computer.
Context-based Help in SQL view
In the SQL view of a query in a Microsoft Access database, you can now get
help specific to Jet SQL keywords, VBA functions, and Access functions.
Simply press F1 to bring up the help that corresponds to the text near the
cursor. You can also search the Jet SQL and VBA function reference topics.
Importing, exporting, and linking
Importing, exporting, and linking to a Microsoft Windows SharePoint Services
list from Access
You can perform the following operations with a Windows SharePoint Services
list:
· Export the contents of a table or a query to a list.
· Import the contents of a list into a table.
· Link a table to a list.
Exporting and linking to Access data from Windows SharePoint Services
You can now export a list in its Datasheet view from Windows SharePoint
Services to a static table or to a linked table in Access. When you export
to a static table, you create a table in Access. You can then view and make
changes to the table independent of the original list in Windows SharePoint
Services. Similarly, you can change the list in Windows SharePoint Services,
and that will not affect the table in Access.
When you export to a linked table, you create a table in Access and
establish a dynamic link between the table and the list such that changes to
the table are reflected in the list, and changes to the list are reflected
in the table as well.
Make a local table from a linked table
In Microsoft Office Access 2003, you can make a local copy of the structure
or data and structure contained in a linked table.
XML support
With the enhanced XML support in Microsoft Office Access 2003, you can
specify a transform file when you import data from or export data to XML.
The transform is then applied automatically. When you import XML data, the
transform is applied to the data as soon as the data is imported, before any
new table is created or an existing one is appended to. When you export data
to XML, the transform is applied following the export operation.
Often times a database contains lookup values that are stored in another
database. You can now include these related tables when exporting. You can
also include any predefined filter or sort order for an object when
exporting the object.
Security enhancements
Macro Security Microsoft Office Access 2003 allows you to protect against
potentially unsafe Visual Basic for Applications (VBA) code by setting the
macro security level. You can set the security level so that you are
prompted every time that you open a database containing VBA code, or you can
automatically block databases that are from unknown sources.
Additionally, Access uses Microsoft Authenticode technology to enable you to
digitally sign a macro project by using a digital certificate. The
certificate used to create this signature confirms that the macro originated
from the signer, and the signature confirms that it has not been altered.
When you set the macro security level, you can run macros based on whether
they are digitally signed by a developer on your list of trusted sources.
Block Potentially Unsafe Functions Access utilizes the Microsoft Jet
Expression Service enhanced sandbox mode to block potentially unsafe
functions from being used in expressions.
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The last one is a real pain. You need to install JET SP8 from Windows
Update (not included with Office 2003) to get this to work properly. I
suspect most folks will change their macro security setting to Low to avoid
the security prompts.
HTH...
--
John Viescas, author
"Microsoft Office Access 2003 Inside Out"
"Running Microsoft Access 2000"
"SQL Queries for Mere Mortals"
http://www.viescas.com/
(Microsoft Access MVP since 1993)
http://www.deanforamerica.com/site/TR?pg=personal&fr_id=1090&px=1434411