Dos-type data entry forms

  • Thread starter Thread starter Toquim
  • Start date Start date
T

Toquim

I have a few customers that are resisting moving to a
similar Window application because their old MS-DOS
application is so effective at data entry. Their Data-
capturers only use the keyboard and this together with a
number of fast-keys allows them to enter data at a much
faster rate than would be possible with a typical MSAccess
form.

Can anyone please advise on a current solution without
having to resort to using a different application to
developing a separate dos-type form?
 
I still go back to Dos for some things too because it is quicker, but what are they
looking for? Access will currently let you tab between fields and you can put in shortcut
keys, for example a button with the caption "Click &Me" will show up with the M underlined
and Ctrl+M will activate it. You could also use the KeyPreview feature of the form to
intercept keyboard entries for other shortcuts.
 
Thank you for the prompt reply. I guess that some of these
customers' processes are burnt into their memory, and that
is difficult to change. The part that I find difficult to
simulate, is the ease with which DOS apps allowed the user
to switch between menus, eg, the Data-capturers know a key-
board sequence 1,3,2,7, tab, tab tab, etc, and they're
done. Do you know of a relatively recent DOS application
that will link (ODBC) with Access' latest database engine?

Toquim.
-----Original Message-----
I still go back to Dos for some things too because it is quicker, but what are they
looking for? Access will currently let you tab between
Click to expand...
fields and you can put in shortcut
keys, for example a button with the caption "Click &Me"
Click to expand...
will show up with the M underlined
and Ctrl+M will activate it. You could also use the
Click to expand...
KeyPreview feature of the form to
 
So if you had a textbox on the form, and used the on key event to trap any
key sequences, you could jump to any collection of functions, menus or
whatever, based on the key sequence. At the end of data entry to a field,
just jump back always to that same textbox. Then you should be able to
simulate anything you can do in DOS. And of course still offer the &
command shortcut keys used by Access and allo ther Windows applications.

--
Regards,

Adrian Jansen
J & K MicroSystems
Microcomputer solutions for industrial control
 
No, I don't know of a DOS app like you are talking about,
but don't sell Access short here. In addition to the ALT+
keyboard tricks (put a caption on a button like "&1 Main
Menu" and pressing ALT+1 will click the MainMenu button)
that Wayne mentioned, you can also use an AutoKeys macro to
program keystroke combos almost unlimitedly. Lookup AutoKeys
in Help.

Gary Miller
Sisters, OR
 
There NOTHING, I repeat NOTHING stopping you from building a first rate,
high quality, high data entry speed forms in ms-access that behaves just
like a dos form.

In fact, virtually all of my appcltions allow compile functionally via the
keyboard. It is a crying shame that so many access developers do not
accommodate 100% keyboard usage for the users.

Take a look at the following ideas for searching, and note how I even make
efforts to MOVE THE CURSOR into the data grid for the user, so they don't
even have to hit the tab key:

http://www.attcanada.net/~kallal.msn/Search/index.html

In fact, in several of my commercial applications that REPLACED DOS
appcltions, the ESC key actually means to save and exit the form! To this
day, the users of my new access software instantly start whacking the ESC
key a few times to exit and back out of the current list of forms they just
traversed. It works very well. So, in fact, ESC means save, and exit the
current form.

If you application does not have a great flow that functions via the
keyboard, it is certainly not the fault of ms-access! Poor keyboard use in
ms-access is always the fault of the developer. I strongly suggest to many
to drop the mouse, and test their appcltions from start to finish using the
keyboard. If you can't use your application with EASE via the keyboard then
some work is needed!

Also, many of my forms are of a Pick list, and point and shoot. Again, take
a look at the follwing screens, as they also work WELL via the keyboard:

http://www.attcanada.net/~kallal.msn/Articles/Grid.htm
 
Back
Top