Latest Access KB Articles

Courtesy of KBAlertz.com:

Access 2000

971815 No Data Appears on Data Access Pages opened in Internet Explorer 8.0

Access 2002

969403 Description of the update for Access 2002 (Vbe6.msp): April 27, 2009

Access 2003

972557 Description of the Access 2003 hotfix package (Msaccess.msp): June 30, 2009

Access 2007

968245 Description of the Access 2007 hotfix package (Ace.msp, Mso.msp): February 24, 2009

970233 Description of the Access 2007 hotfix package (Access.msp): April 30, 2009

969406 Description of the Access 2007 hotfix package (Access-nl-nl.msp): April 30, 2009

970727 Not all 2007 Office SP1 .msp files in the MSE package are installed if you apply the package on a computer that has the February 2009, March 2009, or April 2009 public update or the February 2009 cumulative update installed

968861 Description of the Access 2007 hotfix package (Ace.msp): April 30, 2009

969613 MS09-027: Description of the security update for the 2007 Office system and for the Compatibility Pack for the 2007 Office system: June 9, 2009

971859 Description of the Access 2007 hotfix package (Ace.msp): June 30, 2009

972558 Performance is slow when you click fields, tab between fields, or scroll down through fields in Datasheet view in Access 2007

972570 Description of the Access 2007 hotfix package (Access.msp, Mso.msp): June 30, 2009

972347 Description of the Access 2007 hotfix package (Access.msp): June 30, 2009

New Access Query Tutorial Series on Office Online

This series is available for free on the Access 2007 training courses page on Office Online:

• Queries I: Get started with queries
• Queries II: Create basic select queries
• Queries III: Use expressions and other criteria
• Queries IV: Use functions and calculated fields in your queries
• Queries V: Use "And", "Or", and "In" to set multiple conditions
• Queries VI: Use wildcards in queries and parameters
• Queries VII: Query multiple sources for data
• Queries VIII: Dealing with ambiguous joins
  

Ezy SQL Editor and Builder New v1.4 The ultimate Access query assistant: font options, find and replace, keywords assistant, parameter wizard, SQL string parsing & formatting, table and field references, insert formatted SQL Strings into modules or copy to the Clipboard, preview action queries, and more...

Glenn Lloyd Access MVP Blogs

I have come across two blogs by Access MVP Glenn Lloyd, which offer very useful guidance on MS Office and Access:

1. Argee's Access Blog A new blog where Glenn is progressively building a sample Access database. This offers budding Access users and developers the opportunity to progressively follow an expert developer build a business application.
   
   
2. Argee's Office Help Blog In this blog, Glenn has since 2007 been posting a series of tips and tricks for Office users. The articles are comprehensive and fully supported with explanatory graphics.
   

New Version 1.4 of Ezy SQL Editor and Builder



I have just launched a major upgrade of my Ezy SQL Builder & Editor Add-In for Access 2000/2002/2003/2007. This new version offers a rich extension of functionality, including:

• Ezy SQL is now available both in the Access Database Window and the Office VBA Editor, so you can easily switch from one environment to the other and shuttle between each environment.
  
  
• The Ezy SQL Editor - Edit SQL and the Ezy SQL String Builder dialogs now work in partnership with the Ezy SQL VBA Plug-In dialog, which is available in any code module and allows you to easily edit a SQL string from a module.
  
  
• The Access SQL Help file is now directly accessible from within the Ezy SQL Builder.
  

Other features include:

• Font Name and Font Size Customization
• Find and Replace functionality
• SQL Keywords Assistant
• Parameter Wizard
• SQL String Parser/Formatter
• Easy insertion of table and field references
• Insert formatted SQL Strings into modules or copy to the Clipboard
• Preview action queries...

Check out the full functionality of Ezy SQL v1.4 here.

How to Build an Access 2007 Ribbon

Access MVP Garry Robinson has posted a useful article on building custom Access 2007 ribbons using the tool IDBE Ribbon Creator tool from http://www.ribboncreator.de/en/.

You should also checkout an article I wrote in December How Custom Access 2007 Ribbons Work.

I will take this opportunity to promote two free tools I have developed for reviewing custom ribbons that you can download from aadconsulting.com:

• Office 2007 Ribbon XML File Reviewer
• Access 2007 USysRibbons Reviewer Add-In
  

These tools providing advanced Office 2007 RibbonX review features. Open any Office 2007 Ribbon XML file in the XML File Reviewer to review an Office Ribbon's full menu hierarchy in a tree-view with all control attributes detailed in an adjacent panel.

The Access 2007 USysRibbons Add-In reviews and previews the custom Ribbons in the USysRibbons table of an Access 2007 database. Extensive reference resources are incorporated into the GUI of both products. Both tools require Access 2007.

The Access Ribbon Review in action (click on the image to enlarge):

Microsoft SQL Server 2008 Books Online (May 2009)

Download the documentation and tutorials for Microsoft SQL Server 2008.

SQL Server 2008 Developer Training Kit

The SQL Server 2008 Developer Training Kit from Microsoft will help you understand how to build web applications using the rich data types, programming models and new development paradigms in SQL Server 2008.

Official Office 2010 Blog Launched

Yesterday at TechNet 2009, Microsoft announced that the limited Technical Preview program for Office 2010 will kick off in July. In tandem with this announcement, the Office 2010 Blog has been launched with the stated aim of helping "IT professionals and enthusiasts get a better idea of what we are building with Office 2010 and discuss the key issues that matter to you ".
A tie-in promotional video has also been produced.

A post on the Office 2010 Blog confirms that:

• Office 2010 will be available in both 32-bit and 64-bit versions
• Office 2010 will run on Windows XP SP3, Windows Vista, and Windows 7
• Hardware running Office 2007 will support Office 2010

VB 6 Security Fix

A security issue has been identified that could allow an attacker to compromise Windows-based systems running Microsoft Visual Basic 6.0 Service Pack 6. Microsoft Visual Basic 6.0 Service Pack 6 Cumulative Update ( 10mb 4May09) fixes this issue.

Free Access Tools from Access MVP Bob Larson

Check out Bob's web site for a cool collection of free Access tools and other useful Access tutorials and resources: btabdevelopment.com.

Access 2007 Runtime Service Pack 2 Now Available

Details: 957262 Description of the Microsoft Office Access 2007 Runtime Service Pack 2.

SP2 Downloads:

• Office 2007 SP2
• Update for Access Runtime and Data Connectivity 2007 SP2
• Download: Full Access SP2 Runtime
• More info
  

Update for Access 2007 Help - April 28, 2009

Microsoft has released updated Help (HxS) files for Microsoft Office Access 2007. This update contains the latest revisions and additions to Access Help and to Access Developer Help.

Office 2007 Service Pack 2 Out Now

Office 2007 SP2 can be downloaded from here.

SP2 includes two types of fixes:

• Previously unreleased fixes that were made specifically for the service pack, and in addition to general product fixes, improvements in stability, performance, and security. Product-specific changes are are set out in MS KB Article 953195.
  
  
• All hotfixes released through to February 2009.

Two free e-Books from Microsoft Press

To celebrate its 25th anniversary, Microsoft Press is offering until April 22 two free e-books:

Windows Small Business Server 2008 Administrator's Companion by Charlie Russel and Sharon Crawford (27 chapters, 3 appendices, 712 pages)

Microsoft Visual Basic 2008 Express Edition: Build a Program Now! by Patrice Pelland (9 chapters, Glossary, 254 pages)

Download here

Office 2007 Service Pack 2 due April 28

The Microsoft Update Product Team Blog has announced that Office 2007 SP2 will be available for download on April 28. Details are available here.

Access updates include:

• The ability to export reports to Excel
• Fixes for issues with the import data wizards, report printing and previewing, macros, Excel integration, and date filters.
• Updates to Access Developer Extensions now included in SP2

Office 2007 SP2 Out This Month

According to Bink.nu, Office 2007 Service Pack 2 will be made available to Windows Server Update Services in April.

SP2 includes: built-in saving of documents in ODF & PDF formats, improvements to Outlook’s performance and calendar reliability, significant bug fixes for charts in core Office applications, the ability for client service packs to be removed using an uninstall tool, user-requested enhancements, and a roll-up of all fixes that have previously been released for Office 2007 products.

SQL Server 2008 Updates April 2009

• SQL Server 2008 Service Pack 1
• Microsoft SQL Server 2008 Feature Pack
• Microsoft SQL Server 2008 Reporting Services Add-in for Microsoft SharePoint Technologies

Office 2003 Mainstream Support Ends April 2009

Along with Windows XP and Windows Server 2003 SP1, Microsoft is ending mainstream (free) support for Office 2003 on April 14, 2009. Full details.

Strange when you consider WinXP Home is still being pre-loaded on most new netbooks. I would think also that Access 2003 is still the version of choice for Office developers.

Office 14 to Ship as 32-bit and 64-bit Versions

According to a post at ZD.Net, the most recent build of Windows 7 reveals that the next version of Office will be available in a 64-bit version.

Latest Access Resources Links

Check out these very useful Access links:

• DataPig Technologies: Freeware
• DataPig Technologies: Access Tutorials
• FMS: Technical Papers -VBA
• FMS: Access Tips and Techniques
• FMS: Access Best Practice
• FMS: Access 2007 Forms Tips
• FMS: Top New Features in Access 2007

Office 14 Will Definitely Run on Windows XP

In an interview yesterday Microsoft Business Software SVP Chris Capossela confirmed Office 14 will run on Windows XP. Source: Bink.nu

Two Excellent Coding Blogs for Access Developers

I recently discovered these two bogs maintained by Shanmuga Sundara Raman Murugan, a Systems Engineer:

• VBA Tips & Tricks
  
  
• SQL Tips & Tricks

Latest Access KB Articles

Courtesy of KBAlertz.com:

Access 2007

• 958786 Description of the Access 2007 hotfix package (Ace.msp): October 28, 2008
• 957690 Description of the Access 2007 hotfix package (Access.msp): October 28, 2008
• 958695 Description of the 2007 Office hotfix package (Stslist.msp): October 28, 2008
• 958846 Error message when you try to create a new database in Access 2007: "Template could not be instantiated"
• 957241 Description of the update for Access 2007 Help: November 11, 2008
• 960307 Description of the Access 2007 hotfix package (Access.msp): December 16, 2008
• 967699 Description of the Microsoft Office Access 2007 hotfix package (Ace.msp): February 24, 2009
• 962214 Description of the Office Access 2007 hotfix package (Access.msp): February 24, 2009
  

Access 2003

• 958884 Description of the Access 2003 post-Service Pack 3 hotfix package (Msaccess.msp): October 28, 2008
• 960420 Description of the Access 2003 hotfix package (Vbe6.msp): December 16, 2008
• 960319 Description of the Access 2003 hotfix package (Msaccess.msp): December 16, 2008
• 962917 Description of the Office 2003 hotfix package (Stslist.msp): February 24, 2009

No Office 14 for 2009

In a briefing with Wall Street analysts on Tuesday, Steve Ballmer said Office 14 will not ship 2009.

In January Microsoft released to selected customers an alpha version of Office 14, which includes a new Office for Sales SKU. According to ZDNet blogger Mary-Jo Foley, a first beta may appear mid-year, with the actual product shipping in 2010. Source

More Free Access Legacy Tools

Following yesterday's post, I have retired two more Access tools and these are now available for free download from aadconsulting.com:

Smart Form Builder Standard Build Access forms with navigation and auto-filtering instantly. All controls are pre-named using a standard naming convention. Launch as an Access Form Wizard or from the Add-Ins menu. Header or footer location for navigation buttons. Image or text on button faces.

Smart Form 97 (smtfrm97.zip - 80kb)
Smart Form 2000/2002/2003 (smtfrm2k.zip - 80kb)


Smart Toolbar Automatically adds full record navigation and autofiltering to any Access data form, by setting only one form property and adding three lines of code behind the form. The download file includes a sample form demonstrating SmartToolbar.

SmartToolbar 97 (smttlb97.zip - 90kb)
SmartToolbar 2000 (smttlb2k.zip - 90kb)
SmartToolbar 2002/2003 (smttlbxp.zip - 90kb)

Free Legacy Access Tools

I have retired some Access add-in products and these are now available for free download from aadconsulting.com:

Data Integrity Wizard Simplifies the process of finding duplicate record entries, null values, and like values in database tables, and checks referential integrity between related tables.

• Data Integrity Wizard 97 (datint97.zip - 52kb)
• Data Integrity Wizard 2000 for Access2000/2002/2003 (datint2k.zip - 44kb)

Ezy Dialog Form Wizard Instantly create Access dialog forms.

• Ezy Dialog 97 (ezydlg97.zip - 45kb)
• Ezy Dialog 2000/2002/2003 (ezydlg2k.zip - 65kb)

Access Knowledge Base Browser The easy way to search the on-line Microsoft Access Knowledge Base. Nearly 3,000 article references.

• KB Browser v1.3.1 (kbbrws.zip - 1.5mb)

Vizual Dezigner Easy and intuitive. Drill down into a hierarchy of all the tables, relations, and fields in your database. You can view selected field properties, and create and delete tables and fields, set indexes, create table relations, and edit other field properties.

• Vizual Dezigner 97 (vizdez97.zip - 1mb)
• Vizual Dezigner 2000/2002/2003 (vizdez2k.zip - 1mb)

Table Warehouse The ultimate source for pre-designed Access tables. Choose from 120 tables. Users can add their own tables to the Warehouse from within the Add-In.

• Table Warehouse 97 (tblwh97.zip - 320kb)
• Table Warehouse 2000/2002/2003 (tblwh2k.zip - 340kb)

Super Code and Button Builder Easier than macros! All 333 Access97 menu commands at your fingertips. The code builder is available in modules and inserts the code directly into your procedure. The button builder automatically creates a command button with code in form design view.

• Super Code and Button Builder 97 (supcmd97.zip - 42kb)
• Super Command Button Builder 2000/2002/2003 (supbtn2k.zip - 42kb)

Vizual Relations The smart way to print Access relationships.

• Vizual Relations 97 (vizrel97.zip - 33kb)
• Vizual Relations 2000 for Access 2000/2002/2003 (vizrel2k.zip - 45kb)

Automate Data Collection Using E-Mails in Access 2007

A new feature in Access 2007 is the Collect Data Through E-mail Messages Wizard, which works with Outlook 2007 to generate and send an e-mail message that includes a data entry form. When recipients fill out and return a form, the replies are processed according to your specifications. For example, if you choose to have the replies automatically processed, the contents of the form are added to the appropriate table in your database as soon as the reply hits your Outlook In-box. This article on Office Online shows you how to use the Wizard: Collect data by using e-mail messages.

A post on the Access Team Blog today runs through advanced use of the data collection feature to automate data collection forms using VBA.

SQL Server Express 2008 Now Available for Download

Version 10.00.1600.22 of SQL Server Express 2008 was released today.

Downloads:

• SQL Server Express 2008
• SQL Server Express 2008 with Tools

ADP Developers: Stick With SQL Server 2005

The MS Access Team Blog has today posted this advice:

• Access 2007 ADP’s will run against SQL Server 2008 but do not support designing server objects (tables, views, stored procedures, functions and relationships).
  
  
• SQL Server 2008 shipped after Office 2007 SP1 and after MS had locked down all the fixes for Office 2007 SP2 (coming out in a few months).
  
  
• If you rely on the design features of ADP’s it is recommended that you stick with SQL Server 2005.
  
  
• If you do make the move to SQL Server 2008 use the SQL Server Management Studio to design your server objects.

Free Bug Tracking Access 2007 Database Application available for download

This new the template is available in the Access Getting Started screen in the business category and on Office Online. These on-line videos will help you get started:

• Configure the Bugs template
• Use the Bugs template
  

New Access 2007 Demo:
Bring your business data together in an Access database

The Microsoft Office On-line portal today issued for download a new sample Access 2007 database dashboard application which integrates business contact data with an address book, lists of orders, file folders, and ledgers. View the associated article on Office Online.

New Version of Access 2007 Developer Extensions

The Jan09 version of the Access 2007 Access Developer Extensions package is available for download.

The Access 2007 Developer Extensions provide packaging and deployment tools and licensing and distribution agreements for deploying Access 2007 applications. The Access Developer Extensions include the following components:

• Package Solution Wizard A wizard that creates a Windows Installer Package (MSI) to install your database and any supporting files and optionally includes the Access 2007 Runtime, or prompts the user to download the Access 2007 Runtime.
  
• Save As Template Enables you to create database templates (ACCDTs) that can be featured in the Access 2007 Getting Started screen.
  
• Source Code Control Integration with Microsoft Visual SourceSafe or other source code control systems to allow check-in/check-out of queries, forms, reports, macros, modules, and data. You can also see the differences that have been made to your checked out objects.

The Access 2007 Developer Extensions do not include the Property Scanner and the Custom Startup Wizard that were included in previous versions.

The Access 2007 Runtime is also available as a download.

New Hot Fix for Access 2007

The fix is available at http://support.microsoft.com/kb/960307.

Issues fixed include:

• You experience slower performance than you did in previous versions when you share a database file over a network.
  
  
• You may notice your database file increase in increments of 4 KB without any user interaction when the database is open.
  
  
• You may see a sub-form become blank after you set the main form’s recordset. You may also receive the following error: “Run-time error 2467 – The expression you entered does not exist”.
  
  
• When you make a change in a code module in an Access 2007 database under source code control, the changes are not saved if you do the following:
  
  
• Close the Visual Basic Editor without saving the changes
• Check the Object back in
• Use the Get Last Version feature to view the latest changes.

Latest SQL Server Updates (December 2008)

• Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Service Pack 3
• Feature Pack for Microsoft SQL Server 2005 - December 2008
  A collection of standalone install packages that provide additional value for SQL Server 2005.
• SQL Server 2005 Books Online
  
• Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Data Mining Add-ins for Microsoft Office 2007
  This package includes two add-ins for Microsoft Office Excel 2007 (Table Analysis Tools and Data Mining Client) and one add-in for Microsoft Office Visio 2007 (Data Mining Templates).
• Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Express Edition Service Pack 3
• Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Express Edition with Advanced Services Service Pack 3
• Microsoft SQL Server Management Studio Express Service Pack 3
  Microsoft SQL Server Management Studio Express (SSMSE) is a free, easy-to-use graphical management tool for managing SQL Server 2005 Express Edition and SQL Server 2005 Express Edition with Advanced Services.

Image Formats

The Aivosto VB Shop has posted a very useful guide to image formats from a developer's perspective. Aivosto produces a number of handy coding tools for VB and VBA.

Download Updated Office 2007 Help Files

Microsoft has released updated Help files for Office 2007:

• Access 2007
  
• Word 2007
• PowerPoint 2007
• Excel 2007
• Publisher 2007
• Outlook 2007

Access in the Cloud: Beta Testers Required

The Microsoft Sync Framework and SQL Services team are working on a new framework that allows Access developers to store their application and data in a Web 2.0 cloud using SQL Server Data Services, and they are looking for beta testers.

The initiative was announced yesterday at PDC and is code-named Huron, a set of synchronization processes built atop of the sync functionality in SQL Data Services’ cloud database and the Microsoft Sync Framework to provide business database sharing, and offers a a "simple" way to scale data to large numbers of users while not parting from the investment made in current technologies. It also enables users to subscribe and then edit the data locally in the format of their choice whether that is Office Access, SQL Server Express or SQL Server Compact and then push changes into SQL Data Services.

More details are available here on the Access Team Blog.