Switchboard or No Switchboard-Opinions Plz

  • Thread starter Thread starter S Jackson
  • Start date Start date
Hi Shelly,

I've been following your other posts on this issue.

The answer to your question will depend upon who you ask. If you ask 10 real Access experts I'm sure
all 10 would say do not use the Switchboard Wizard (SBM). If you ask beginners and novices I'm sure
you will get mixed responses. Some will say it works just fine for setting up a quick main menu
while others prefer to build their own main form.

The *best* answer I think to your question is this: If you start to require more complexity and/or
need more control over the main form's functions, then it is time to move past the SBM and create
your own main form/menu system. The SBM is good for the things it can do, but you are 'stuck' with
its limitations. I'm a little biased on this subject because I have designed something a little
'better' than the SBM, but I think my answer is still valid.

For your OpenArgs problem Dan was providing you advice so I stepped back. What Dan probably did not
catch was the fact you are using the SBM and that DOES make a difference with your requirement. Ken
has provided code that you can use to accomplish your goal whether or not use the SBM. If, however,
you still want to use the SBM you will need to write a public sub to open the specific form and use
the "Run Code" option on the Switchboard instead of using the "Open Form" option. Follow me? If you
still wish to use the SBM for this purpose, post back and I'll try and walk you through the
procedure.
 
Thanks for your response Jeff! Really do appreciate it. I went ahead and
created my own replacement forms for all of my switchboards - I LOVE IT! So
much better. I don't think I'll ever use the Switchboard wizard again. The
other huge benefit is that I am the administrator of this database for users
that are still using Access 97. I have developed it using Access 2k.
Everytime I would try to convert it back to Access 97, the switchboard
ALWAYS gave me a headache and I had to recreate it from scratch in the 97
version. This should work much better. Why didn't think to do this
before!?! Sigh . . .
 
Glad you got everything working Shelly.
You should be just fine with your own custom main form(s).

Incidentally, the reason you had trouble converting your Access 2000
Switchboard to Access 97 was because the 2000 wizard uses
ADO code while the 97 one uses DAO code. My wizard will
create a form that is compatible with the last four versions of Access.
 
Hi Jeff,

I know Access fairly well from 10 years of intermittent use. I'm no expert
and don't really know VB, but I can (and do) use good VB code where and when
I need it. I have a clinical trials database for which I have built the
basic tables and forms and am now ready to get into building an introductory
Switchboard to orient my data entry people and provide for easier navigation.
You've mentioned you have a sample SBM that goes above and beyond the
Swithboard Wizard provided by Access? This could be useful for me, because
the end user has already come back to me with, 'The opening menu idea is
great, could you ALSO make it do (fill-in-the-blank)...'-- a scenario
familiar to all developers. If you wouldn't mind pointing me to your or
other samples of good SBM's that are not overly 'code-heavy', I would be most
grateful.

Thank you!
 
Hi Pat,

My Advanced SBM should hopefully be available for download very soon. I just completed the User's
Guide to accompany the add-in yesterday. I will be sending it to Access MVP Sco probably today for
review and some additional beta testing. If everything checks out then I will forward it on to
Access MVP Arvin Meyer for possible posting on the Access web site found here:

http://www.mvps.org/access/

If Arvin and Dev decline to post it there, Sco has already agreed to post it on his web site. You
can find his site here:

http://www.scobiz.com

You could keep checking back both places to see if it has been posted. I will have to go off their
time schedules, but I would love to have it posted somewhere before Christmas.

In the meantime you may want to check out Peter's Software for some good Switchboard menus:

http://www.peterssoftware.com/abs.htm
 
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