Yes it can be done but as the other guy said it isn't easy.
If you want I'll send you a sample database from a VBA book that I have. You'll have to take it apart to figure out how it works...
pcdaveh, I was also interested in letting users create their own custom reports. I'm up for the challenge. Could you please send me the sample database from the VBA book that you have?
Thank you,
VBAinspire
AST, Inc.
abercrombieal.contractor@trac.wsmr.army.mil
Without 'going the whole nine yards', it can be reasonably easy.
For many applications, there are a limited number of report types which are used by the majority of users. If you analyse the business process, you can generally identify most of them. Take some 'common' report type desired by many groups using the db. Lay out a report which has the elements desired. Base it on a query. Paraameterize the report to provide the flexability which accomodates the majority o fthe uses needs. Set these parameters from a form, designed to make the paramter selection easy and fail proof.
Look at a SMALL example. From a call center db. Every department needs to know about the calls directrd in their department. They need to know this for various intervals(Day, Week, two Week, Month, Quarter, and Year). So, on the form there is an option group for the dept. and two text boxes and an option group for the dates. the Dept is (in the SIMPLISTIC sense) simply the list of departments. Selecting the Dept, provides the parameter fo the query. For the dates, the user needs some more hand holding. The option Group would have the options noted above (or your replacement list) AND a custom button. Use of any button - EXCEPT the custome would populate the two text boxes with the appropiate start and end dates for the interval selected. Continue this exercise to a reasonable conclusion, and you end up with 80 to 90% of the reports for the app, using maybe 20% of the queries and reports of a full set of custom reports. Some bells and whistles make you a 'hero'.
MichaelRed
mred@att.net
There is never time to do it right but there is always time to do it over
hi there,
i'm hoping that it's not too late to reply to this thread.
If i could, i would like to request a copy of the database that pcdaveh was making available.
Anyone that has it, could forward it to me at life_service@yahoo.ca
thankyou very much
I'd also love a copy of the a sample database from a VBA book that explains how to let users create there own custom reports and queries without going into the database window.
Again, it troubles me to see an overt post of what is probably copyrighted material. There is a direct reference to publisher, titile and chapter, with a statementtot he effect of copying directly from the CD to this forum. I know it is impossible to totally stop the practice of posting code which is derived from other (e.g. copyrighted) sources, hoever I don't think anything this obvious should go unrewarded.
MichaelRed
mred@att.net
There is never time to do it right but there is always time to do it over
Your earlier posting with a solution to the customization problem sounded great. Unfortunately, I am very new to using Access reports and fairly new to using VBA so even though you explained WHAT to do, I don't know HOW to do it. Is there any way that you could post a small uncopyrighted segment of code along with further explanation? Or could someone else? Any kind of an example would really help me out.
Unfortunatly, the very nature of the 'beast' means it is not a useful process in 'small' doses, and really does not make ANY sense out of the context of the form where the selection criteria are entered. If you e-mail me your address, I can send you at least the form and the code for som parts of the process. I cannot send the whole thing, but perhaps just seeing the form and a part of the code would show the concept sufficiently for you to get started. I tend toward "KISS"ing, so most of it is (IMHO) fairly easy to undesrtand.
MichaelRed
mred@att.net
There is never time to do it right but there is always time to do it over
I didn't post the code exactly for the reasons that you described.
I would simply suggest buying the book. ISBN 0-7821-2370-8. It's over a hundred bucks, but well worth it.
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