Exploring Microsoft
Office Access 2007
Chapter 10
Customizing a Database with
Macros and Visual Basic for
Applications
Robert Grauer, Keith Mulbery, Maurie Wigman Lockley
Committed to Shaping the Next Generation of IT Experts.1
Copyright © 2008 Pearson Prentice Hall. All rights reserved.
Objectives
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Understand the purpose of macros
Create embedded macros using Wizards
Create macros using the Macro Builder
Assign macros to events
Use SQL conditions to control macro actions
Copyright © 2008 Pearson Prentice Hall. All rights reserved.
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Objectives
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Understand Visual Basic for Applications
(VBA)
Use the Visual Basic Editor
Create procedures
Declare and use variables
Manage data using SQL
Copyright © 2008 Pearson Prentice Hall. All rights reserved.
3
Customization in Access
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Customization needed when additional
functionality required
Access provides two methods of
Customization
Visual Basic for Applications
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User creates code using VBA
Macros

Automates tasks
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4
Macros

Two types of Macros in Access
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Embedded – belongs to a single
object or control
Standalone – used with more than
one control
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Control – object in Access (textbox, list
box)
Macro Group

Group of macros stored in a single
macro object
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Creating an Embedded Macro
Button
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Click Design tab
Click Button
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Command Button Wizard
Controls Group
Command Wizard begins
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Creating an Embedded Macro
Choose a category
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Choose an action
Choose object that the action will
be performed upon
Choose the appropriate category
Choose action that you want to perform
Click Next
Select the object you wish to use
Click Next
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Creating an Embedded Macro
Specify how the button should work
open an object

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Specify Text or graphic for the button
Specify action when form is opened
 Screen varies by object and action
Specify text or graphic
Click Next
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8
Creating an Embedded Macro
Completed button
Finish


Provide a name for the button
Click Finish
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9
Creating Standalone Macros
using the Macro Builder
Macro
Macro Builder

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Click the Create tab
Click Macro

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Other group
Macro Builder launches
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10
Creating Standalone Macros
using the Macro builder
2. Argument appears here
Select Action
1. Provide Argument
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Select Action
Provide Arguments when necessary

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Value that provides information for action
Run or Close and Save macro
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11
Assigning Events
Property Sheet
Events

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Choose object that the
event is assigned to
Event
 Action triggered by user or system
Assign an Event
 Right-click, select properties
 Choose property-Event tab, Control list
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12
Running a Macro

Design view

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Form, Report or
Table view


Click the Run
button
Button in Form
View
Click button or
perform assigned
Navigation Pane
event
Navigation Pane

Double-click Macro
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13
Structured Query Language
SQL statement
SELECT fname FROM customer;
Show (SELECT) me the records in the first name (fname) field
that are in (FROM) the customer table

SQL

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Defines and process database queries
Industry standard query language
Microsoft Access SQL

Microsoft version of SQL
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Database Analysis Tools
SELECT fname FROM customer
WHERE lname=“Smith”
ORDER BY fname
Returns records in the fname field only where the lname field is equal to
Smith. Records are sorted in ascending order by first name
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Clauses
 Added to statements to restrict/specify records
WHERE clause
 Specifies which records to return
ORDER BY clause
 Specifies sort order
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Visual Basic for Applications

Programming language
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Allows you to create/customize applications
It is a host application
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Resides in Office application
Visual Basic Editor

Workspace for writing/editing VBA
procedures
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Launching the Visual Basic Editor
VBA Editor

Three ways to launch editor
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Macro group, Database Tools tab
Event Property of an object/control
Press Alt+F11
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VBA Terminology
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Comment – explains the code’s purpose
Keyword – recognized as part of a
language
Syntax – rules for entering statements
Standard Module – stores procedures
used by events
Class module – contains procedures for
specific objects
Option Explicit – helps eliminate common
errors
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VBA Terminology (cont.)
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Event – action that triggers program instructions
Sub procedure – performs an action
Property procedure – creates or manipulates
custom properties
Function procedure – performs action, returns
value
Public Procedure – available to all objects
Private Procedure – available to a specific object
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Creating Procedures
Click Insert, Module
New Module
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Select Insert on menu bar
Select Module
New module opens
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Creating Sub Procedures
Sub Procedure
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Enter keyword Sub
Enter the name of the procedure
Enter a pair of parenthesis
Enter End Sub
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Decision Structures
If Cost <=75 then purchase = 2
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Performs logical test to compare
statements
Uses relations operators such as:

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= , < > equal to, not equal to
<, > less than, greater than
>= Greater than or equal to
<= Less than or equal to
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Variables
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Named storage location in memory
A variable’s scope limits accessibility
Three different scopes
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Local – available to a specific procedure
Global – available to any procedure
Module-level – available to any procedure within
module
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Naming and Dimensioning
Variable name
Data type
Dim strName as string
Dim intCost as int

Dim (dimension) variables before using

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Use appropriate data type
Name variables logically
Use a meaningful name


Variable12 not meaningful
intQuantity meaningful
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Assign Values to Variables
fname
John
lname
Doe
city
Valdosta
Memory

Storage location named fname
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John = value
Written fname = “John”
Storage location named lname


Doe = value
Written lname= “Doe”
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Call a Procedure
Call to CloseForm
Procedure

Call keyword or procedure name

Can be used to activate another procedure
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Passing and “Catching”
Arguments
Argument passed to
CloseForm procedure
Passed to and “caught” here. Notice
the variable names you are passing
from and to do not have to match
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