As seen below, you can
select one of the above options to create a table. Always use the Wizard if you
are unsure what exactly it is you want to do. Make sure you know how to do both
for exam purposes.
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Wizard View
The Wizard view is of course the easiest
way to go. Let’s look below and see how it is used:
Simply follow the directions and the
prompts. You can see that, by choosing sample fields, you can then enter them
into your new table. Remember, a table is where you are going to begin to enter
your data to create content for your new database (in this case,
Cramsession.mdb).
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Note: The table is the easiest way
to go for beginners but for the MOUS test, you may need to be familiar with what
is most efficient for you. The MOUS test is timed so the quickest, most
efficient way is the way you want to work. There are multiple ways to do
things.
Design View
Design view is a little more difficult, but
has the same basic functionality. Make sure you know both. On the bottom of the
dialog box below is a little pane that will help you along. Pay attention to
what you need to do, as well as use help and the office assistant iyou are
completely lost. The Access help files are pretty informative too.
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Make Sure you practice how to create and
modify tables.
Use the Office Assistant
Although it may seem annoying at times, the
Office Assistant can actually be helpful when you are in a jam. Nothing will be
more helpful to you than hands on knowledge and maybe TechNet, but when
you’re in a tough spot and unsure how to proceed, use the assistant.
So what should you do if you do not see the
assistant?
How to find the assistant:
The Office assistant is a tool that helps
you navigate through tasks or get help for whatever you ask of it. To get the
Assistant to show up (if it is hiding) you can go to:
Once the Assistant is out, you can find
options by double clicking on the assistant itself. (You can hide the assistant
or select options.)
Some of the options you can use are to
change the assistant itself into some other animated character. You can also
choose to hide the assistant, and you can really customize what the assistant is
willing to help you with and in how much depth.
Note: Know how to put a query into
the assistant to get additional help on a topic.
Select an object using the Objects Bar
The objects toolbar will give you
the options to edit Tables, Queries, Forms, Reports, Pages, Macros, and Modules.
This tool bar is very similar to the one you will see in Outlook. This is where
you can get to Tables, Queries, Forms, Reports, Pages, Macros, and Modules. Use
this toolbar to navigate through options in Access. Each one is described
below:
Note: Be comfortable navigating with this
toolbar.
Print database objects
Please note that printing in Access is not
an easy task. Each view mentioned above has a different way to print. You
actually have to enter each view and then the option to print becomes enabled.
Make sure you know how to get in to each view:
Tables
Go to the Objects toolbar => Tables
=> Open the Table. Once you have opened it, in either view (design too), the
print option will become enabled.
Forms
Go to the Objects toolbar => Forms =>
Open a form => Print.
Reports
Same as above.
Go to the Objects toolbar => Reports
=> Open a Report => Print.
Queries
Go to the Objects toolbar =>
Queries.
You can print a query with a right click
menu:
Print Database Relationships
NOTE: To print relationships you need to be
within relationships:
See also Relationship Creation within
this Cramsession.
Set primary keys
Visit TechNet’s How to Create Keys
It is good practice to assign one key to be
the primary key used in the database.
What are Primary keys used for?
They are used is used to link the different
records in the tables together.
Setting a Primary Key can be done by going
into the appropriate field and right clicking on it. It will give you the
Primary Key option menu.
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Next, set the field as the Primary Key
after you selected it.
You will see the key show up in the
left-hand side of the field.
You can also click the PRIMARY KEY button
on the toolbar.
Modify field properties
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You can modify Field Properties on the
bottom of the table. You can also right click the appropriate field to produce a
Properties menu that will allow you to change table properties:
To get this dialog box, right click the
field and select properties from the menu.
Modify tables using Design View
When Modifying Tables you should use the
design view, since it will be a lot easier than using the datasheet view. With
the Design view, you are in full control and disaster is less likely to occur to
your database.
Open the table in Design View: You can use
the following Icon:
Alternatively, you can use the toolbar
icon:
Then, the table will open. Now, you can
now modify appropriate fields.
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Other options are to right click on the
table you want to work with (as shown above) and then select Design View from
the options stated earlier. You can Highlight the row you would like to insert a
new field into and select:
Insert => Rows
Now you can add the Field name to the new
row.
Remember, this is the safest way to edit:
always use Design view if you can.
Note: Within Field Properties (On the
bottom left of the open dialog box) there are options for help. This includes
being aware of the 64 Character limitations and using the F1 option for
“help”.
Use the Lookup Wizard
To access the Wizard go to the table you
are working on => Insert => Lookup Field.
Once selected, you can create a lookup
column:
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Use the Input Mask wizard
What is the Input Mask Wizard used
for?
An Input mask is something you use to
filter certain data into a field. If they are then paired with validations, you
have more protection for your fields in your table. This protects against having
wrong information in your database.
Think of the Mask as a simple series of
characters that will tell Access what kind of data it should expect in that
field.
Lets see how to make one:
Open the table in Design View.
Select what you want to work with and go to
the bottom of the view when you will see the Input Mask area (shown above
surrounded by red rectangular box).
Note: Practice with this
feature.
Create a form with the Form Wizard
To create a form with the Form Wizard go to
the Objects menu => Forms.
Next the Wizard will appear: Start adding
what you need.
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Select the Layout and Finish.
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Use the Office Clipboard
What exactly is the clipboard?
The clipboard is a section of memory that
holds “saved” information. The clipboard will be used mostly when
you cut and paste or copy and paste.
This is how you view what is currently in
the Clipboard:
To access the Clipboard, go to View =>
Toolbars => Clipboard.
On selected you can view the Clipboard
contents:
Delete records from a table
To delete a record, hit the Del
key.
Alternatively, you can go through the
menus: Edit => Delete.
Find a record
To Find a record, use CTRL + F.
Alternatively, you can go through the
menus: Edit => Find.
Sort records
To Sort: Go to Records => Sort =>
{Ascending} { Descending}.
Apply and remove filters
Know how to Filter By Form or By
Selection.
How to set up a Filter
Open a Table => Records => Filter
=> then select an option.
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Filtering by Form will allow you to have
the options below:
Specify criteria in a query
Go to the Objects Menu =>
Queries.
You can edit the Query => Specify
Criteria.
You can also use the “Expression
Builder” – this can be found by right clicking the Criteria, and
selecting “Build”.
Establish relationships
To establish relationships, go to Tools
=> Relationships.
Once you select Relationships, you can add
tables and queries.
Enforce referential integrity
To enforce referential integrity you need
to be in relationship view (from above). Then you need to go to Relationships
=> Edit Relationship.
You then need to modify and add data =>
then select the Enforce Referential Integrity option (show below, surrounded by
red rectangular box).
Create a report with the Report Wizard
To create a report with the Report Wizard,
go to the Objects menu => Reports.
Now, select Create report using Wizard
(very similar to the Forms Wizard).
Once you select what you want, click
Next.
Plan the Layout of your report:
The next few options allow you to title and
view your report.
Preview and print a report
When viewing the report, simply select the
Print Preview option located on a toolbar or within the File menu:
Your report can be viewed, previewed a few
ways, and printed.
Use the Control Toolbox to add controls
How do you add controls?
You can use the toolbox, but you have to
first activate it:
You can find the toolbox by right clicking
the area below the Title bar to produce the menu you see below. The title bar is
marked in Red and the Toolbox option is “Checked” off which means it
is activated.
If you do not see it there, you need to
select “customize”, and when you do, you will see the next dialog
box:
Now you can select the Toolbox option seen
above. Once you select it, you can view the new Toolbar seen below:
When you click on the little arrow on the
far right of the tool bar:
the following drop down box is selected (as
seen below) and you can now add and remove controls to the toolbar.
Toolbox buttons used to create
controls:
These can be added by using the toolbar for
the Toolbox.
Import data to a new table
You can import quite simply by
right-clicking the Objects men and choosing Import:
Or you can go File menu => Get External
Data => Import.
Save a table, query, and form as a Web page
Why would you want to save something as a
web page?
Saving something as a web page will create
a HTML (Hypertext Markup Language) document that will allow you to post it on
the web with greater ease, or have the form within a web-enabled database
structure. I have seen entire databases (like Cisco’s CiscoWorks RME
Resource Manager Essentials) in complete HTML format.
How do you set it up?
Go to the Objects menu => Select Pages,
and then select “Create a data access page in Design
View”.
When you create and save the document, it
will be in HTML.
When you are practicing, open the new
document and view the results. Make sure you know how to create one for the MOUS
exam.
Add Hyperlinks
Why add Hyperlinks and what are
they?
Currently, everything is going to the web.
Web-enabling a database is becoming a very common occurrence. Note that adding a
hyperlink is only redirecting you to another location. If you click on the
Hyperlinks within the “Links” section, you can understand that when
you click on the Link called “Mous.net” it will automatically take
you to the MOUS web site.
How do you add a hyperlink?
To add a hyperlink to your table, go to
Design View and select the line you want to add a hyperlink to. In the Data
Type area drop down box, select Hyperlink.
Make sure you save the table.
Compact and Repair a database
You must understand that a database of any
kind will always need some kind of maintenance. I have seen many databases
become corrupt by simple day-to-day, normal use. Once an inconsistency occurs or
you have a problem, you need to run repairs on the database.
Within Access, there are simple tools that
will do the repairs for you. Make sure you know where to find them:
Within the table go to Tools => Database
Utilities.
Selecting Compact and Repair Database will
do the compaction and the repairs automatically.
