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MS Access Forum / New Users / August 2006Is there any way to make Access only save at the user's command?
We use a very simple Access spreadsheet for our database - no forms. We don't use any VBA (and I don't know how any of it works), so I'm basically using Access as a labelled and linked version of Excel spreadsheets. As such, everyone who works with this database isn't used to using a program that saves automatically without the user's request. For instance, I've designed a query, then realized that the results contained one record I didn't need. I deleted the record, thinking that I was just deleting it from the query results list. Of course, it deleted the record permanently from the database, and I had to dig it out of backups. How can I set Access NOT to save automatically (like most Office programs - Word, Excel, etc.)? Thank you! > We use a very simple Access spreadsheet for our database - no forms. > We don't use any VBA (and I don't know how any of it works), so I'm [quoted text clipped - 11 lines] > > Thank you! A database is not a document that is loaded entirely into memory like a DOC or XLS file. If writes weren't committed until you closed Access you could have a multitude of records that had been modified by more than one user. What should happen then? I suggest learning to use Access the way it works, not the way you wish it worked.  SignatureRick Brandt, Microsoft Access MVP Email (as appropriate) to... RBrandt at Hunter dot com Not to seem ungrateful, but this is after all a "New Users" discussion group. Cheeky and patronizing responses are actually counterproductive. I am impressed by the quick responses and by the second post. Are there any relatively simple online tutorials or discussion groups for beginning to use forms? I'm sure Access has plenty of documentation in the help file for this too, is any of it worthwhile? Thanks > > We use a very simple Access spreadsheet for our database - no forms. > > We don't use any VBA (and I don't know how any of it works), so I'm [quoted text clipped - 19 lines] > I suggest learning to use Access the way it works, not the way you wish it > worked. I don't think Rick intends to patronizing. He is actually trying to guide you in the right direction. Based on your description of how you are using Access, you really should be using Excel. They are two different animals. On a daily basis there are posters who want to do anything they want in Access, but have Access protect and correct their data. This post sounds a lot like that. Spreadsheets are much faster and easier to use for limited data sets where the values in the data don't have to be audited and trusted. If your data really needs to be a relational database rather than a spreadsheet, it would serve you well to do some study and research on what Access is, what it's components are, and how to use them. This site can be a valuable asset for learning and understanding Access. Even those of us who have been using Access for years will have occasion to seek advise from others. I suggest you evalute the nature of your data and decide whether Access is really the right tool. If it is, then begin by doing some research on relational database design. It is the most important part of using Access. A well normalized database will make everything you do much easier. A poorly designed databased will never get you where you want to go. Good Luck to You. > Not to seem ungrateful, but this is after all a "New Users" discussion group. > Cheeky and patronizing responses are actually counterproductive. [quoted text clipped - 29 lines] > > I suggest learning to use Access the way it works, not the way you wish it > > worked. Quite right. The database was designed years before I was hired. I'm hoping to improve it. The data, by its nature, should be maintained in Access. So, to restate my previous question: Where should I start (either online or in an Office help file) to begin doing some research on relational database design? I assume I"ll have to start the new database from the beginning and import the existing data. It might also be important to mention that I am the owner of the database and that while it is on a network, the permissions are -rwxr--r--. Others can only read it. I think that it's redundant to use "record locking," but I guess I could turn that on too. Thanks P.S. Not to be stubborn about the patronizing response thing, but I asked a relatively simple question that the poster in question didn't address. Craig's, Keith's, and your responses were useful. > I don't think Rick intends to patronizing. He is actually trying to guide > you in the right direction. [quoted text clipped - 52 lines] > > > I suggest learning to use Access the way it works, not the way you wish it > > > worked. Record Locking and folder permissions are two separate things. Record Locking is used in a Multi User environment to avoid more than one user working on the same record at the same time. What happens is the last user to save overwrites the whatever the other users have done. This, in itself, is a fairly complex topic. I don't know if you will be able to find a new copy of these books because the last version was for 2002 and the authors said there will not be another, but if you can find Access 2002 Developer's Handbook by Litwin, Getz, and Gunderloy, published by Sybex, it is a complete wealth of information. There are two volumes, DeskTop and Enterprise. The DeskTop volumne will contain most of what you want, but if you can get both, do it. The come with CDs that have all the examples in the book in Access 2002 format. It may be intimidating for a newbie, but it covers a lot of good stuff. If you have any experience in VB, VBA, or any other version of Basic, it will be fairly easy to grasp. If you don't have any Basic experience, I would suggest you find a beginner's book on VBA. Since I came to Access from about 5 different versions of Basic, I haven't had to have a book on that, so I don't know what to recommend. This newsgroup is also a valuable resource. I learn a lot just reading the posts. Don't be afraid to ask. Believe me, it would be really hard to come up the the dumbest question ever posted here :). And let caustic comments roll off. Good Luck. > Quite right. > The database was designed years before I was hired. I'm hoping to improve [quoted text clipped - 71 lines] > > > > I suggest learning to use Access the way it works, not the way you wish it > > > > worked. My office has Access 2000 installed. Should I pick up the Developer's Handbook for 2000, or is it better to get the most recent considering we might upgrade in the next year or so? Also, do you think Access VBA Programming for the Absolute Beginner (2nd ed., Micheal Vine) or Access VBS Programming for Dummies (Alan Simpson) might be a useful accompaniment to the Developer's Handbook? Thank you! Charlie > Record Locking and folder permissions are two separate things. Record > Locking is used in a Multi User environment to avoid more than one user [quoted text clipped - 98 lines] > > > > > I suggest learning to use Access the way it works, not the way you wish it > > > > > worked. > Craig's, Keith's, and your responses were useful. It was? I knew you'd get some well thought out responses, mine was just an attempt at levity. Keith. Useful is relative. It answered the question directly, intentions aside. > > Craig's, Keith's, and your responses were useful. > > It was? I knew you'd get some well thought out responses, mine was just an > attempt at levity. > > Keith. > Not to seem ungrateful, but this is after all a "New Users" > discussion group. Cheeky and patronizing responses are actually > counterproductive. I apologize. My response reads harsher than I had intended it. Sometimes you just see one too many "Why doesn't Access work like Word, Excel, FileMaker, etc.." posts. The truth is that while there are ways to do what you want in simple forms, it is progressively harder to do with more complex forms. In addition instead of your users becoming accustomed to how Access works they will become accustomed to how you've coerced it to behave. When they later do not see that same behavior in other Access apps it will lead to more confusion. If you are worried about "accidental" edits, then I recommend locking the form and providing an [Edit] button that unlocks it. That way the user is indicating intent before he makes changes instead of having to confirm those changes when finished with them. The button just needs to toggle the AllowEdits property of the form. SignatureRick Brandt, Microsoft Access MVP Email (as appropriate) to... RBrandt at Hunter dot com Hi, Lets see if I am the first to pounce on this one :) Your going to get replies from many people. Guess this is your first time here. So the standard reply you will get is this: Access is not a spreadsheet and you shouldn't use it as one. (Bold that period or use an !) Forms are used to enter/edit data - Users shouldn't see the tables and probably not queries either. Now to answere the question - you need to use the form - Although in the table you can also use the Esc to get back a field or the whole record (if you are still in the record) - in Forms you can put in validations and submit buttons to confirm that they want to change the record before it is actually stored. SignatureCraig Hornish Visit weekly Access conferences Tuesday, 11:00am-12:30pm (Eastern US) Thursday, 3:30pm- 5:00pm (Eastern US) http://community.compuserve.com/n/pfx/forum.aspx?webtag=ws-msdevapps "Think outside the box, because anything is possible." "How long it will take or whether it requires divine intervention is another issue" > We use a very simple Access spreadsheet for our database - no forms. We > don't [quoted text clipped - 15 lines] > > Thank you! > How can I set Access NOT to save automatically (like most Office > programs - > Word, Excel, etc.)? You can't. > Thank you! You're welcome ;-) Keith. |
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