Form Tab Colors

  • Thread starter Thread starter Bob
  • Start date Start date
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Bob

I have been training some senior citizens to input data
into a form with many fields. They have reported that
they cannot see which field has the insertion point
showing and have asked whether the background of the
focused field could be made a different color as you tab
forward or backwards.

Alternately, could the flashing vertical insertion point
be made larger or Bold?

Can this be done?
 
If you are using Access 2002 or newer, you can use Conditional Formatting
with the "Field Has Focus" condition selected to change, say, the BackColor
property of the control to bright yellow.

If you are using an older version of Access, then you can write a little bit
of VBA code using the GotFocus event of each control to make the BackColor
(or some other property) more prominent and the LostFocus event to return
the control to its normal display properties.
 
Thank you for your reply.

I have Access 2002 and I would like a little more help
please. My skills are self taught but I am able to
create databases using Forms for input and have combo-
boxes linked to tables as well as Report writing.
I assume that I have to make a change to each field
using "properties" and select an appropriate heading -
but which one? OR is there a way of setting the whole
Form in one go. Thank you for your patience and
understanding.
 
Here is how to use Conditional Formatting - and, yes, you must set the
conditional format on a control-by-control basis AFAIK.

1. With your form opened in design view, Right Click on the first control
and select Conditional Formatting from the popup menu
2. A new Conditional Formatting window will open
3. In the box labeled "Condition 1", click the ComboBox to open the list
of conditions. Select "Field Has Focus"
4. Now, you can set the format you would like: You can set the text to
display as Bold, Italic or Underlined by clicking the "B", "I" or "U" icons.
Your formatting results will be displayed in the rectangle in the large
rectangle to the left of the icons.

For increased visibility, I would suggest setting either the backcolor of
the control to a bright, light color such as Yellow, or the forecolor to a
bright, dark color such as Red. Click the little arrow at the right edge
of the PaintBucket icon to select a backcolor; or click the little arrow at
the right edge of the "A" icon to select a new forecolor.

Repeat the above steps for each control that needs to be highlighted. Note
that while ComboBoxes have Conditional Formatting available, ListBoxes do
not. CheckBoxes and OptionButtons also do not have CF available.
 
My thanks for Cheryl for the assistance. I have now
managed the work out what you meant myself with a little
bit of hunting.

Thank you.
 
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