Access Database Synchronizer for SQL Server

Access Database Synchronizer Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Everywhere Edition Access Database Synchronizer provides a way to synchronize data between a Microsoft Access database on a desktop and a Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Everywhere Edition database on a device.

HOT: New Version of Classic Database MenuBar and Window for Access 2007

I have today uploaded v2.0 of this free sample Access 2007 database that gets you beyond the frustrations of the new Office Ribbon, and in v2.0, helps you learn the location of familiar commands in the unfamiliar Ribbon environment.

In version 2, I have added the full Classic MenuBar to the Ribbon Add-Ins tab. The Menubar is context-sensitive and button-clicks on commands in the Menubar as well as functioning in the normal way, also operate on the Ribbon to display the relevant Ribbon tab.

Download the Sample ACCDB file and import the two forms and one module into your Access 2007 ACCDB, after checking the Menus and Toolbars checkbox in the Import Objects dialog.

The following screen-shots show the sample ACCDB in action in Access 2007 BETA 2:

1. The Right-click Popup Menu from the Classic Database Window:



2. The Menubar:

New Outlook 2007 Add-Ins

Outlook 2007 Sample Add-Ins are learning tools to help developers understand new features of the Outlook 2007 object mode:

• Using the Rules object model to programmatically create or access most rules supported by the Outlook Rules Wizard (Rules sample)
• Implementing a form region for an Outlook contact item (Travel Agency sample)
• Adding a custom task pane to an Outlook AppointmentItem (Prepare Me sample)

New Office 2007 How to Videos

These Office 2007 Video Tutorials have just been released by Microsoft:

Custom Task Panes in Visual Studio Tools for Office "v3" June CTP Create an add-in for Excel 2007 and then customize the application-level custom task pane.

Generating Office Documents using the New XML Open File Formats Generate, read and modify documents without going through the object model of the hosting Office application.

Extending the Office 2007 User Interface with a Custom Task Pane Create a shared add-in with Visual Studio 2005 that extends the new user interface with a custom task pane.

Customizing the Ribbon with Visual Studio Tools for Office "v3" June CTP Create an add-in for PowerPoint 2007 to customize and modify the ribbon.

Creating Custom Workflows with the SharePoint Designer 2007 Build a custom workflow using the wizard provided by SharePoint Designer 2007.

Creating and Using Event Handlers in Windows SharePoint Services V3 Create a list item receiver class to handle both synchronous events as well as asynchronous events.

Creating and Testing Features with Windows SharePoint Services 3.0 Step through the process of using Visual Studio to create a custom feature and an associated assembly DLL.

Creating and Customizing Site Pages with SharePoint Designer 2007 Understand the difference between page templates and page instances and then learn how to customize your pages.

Extending the Office 2007 User Interface with a Custom Ribbon Create a shared add-in with Visual Studio 2005 that extends the new user interface with a custom ribbon.

Creating and Customizing Document Information Panels with InfoPath 2007 Discover the integration that exists between Document Information Panels and content types in Windows SharePoint Services V3.

Visual Studio 2005 Team Edition for Database Professionals CTP 5 - Beta

Visual Studio 2005 Team Edition for Database Professionals CTP 5 - Beta Tools for building SQL databases in a managed project environment with support for versioning, deployment, unit testing, refactoring, and off-line SQL development.

Microsoft Backtrack on Office 2007 Ribbon Bar

Further to my post of July 26, Microsoft has modified the Office 2007 GUI after complaints from beta testers that the replacement Ribbon menu system took up too much space on screen.  In the next technical refresh of the Office 2007 BETA, users can set the ribbon to automatically minimize whenever it is not being used. Source: ZDNet Australia

Personally, my view is that the Ribbon is another Edsel - giving away my age ;)

Btw, I have been trying to get info from MS about how the Ribbon paradigm effects the implementation of legacy library databases and custom CommandBars, as they have published very little on this topic. After some email traffic the following was extracted from an un-named member of the Access team (my emphasis):

You can use Access 2003 or earlier to create custom command bars and menus in MDB files and those can be used in [Access 2007] add-ins.  If you want to use an ACCDB format add-in or if you don't want to use Access 2003's visual designer for command bars and menus, you will have to create them programmatically.

The add-ins command bars will appear on a separate add-ins tab in the Ribbon.  If you want to have a custom ribbon instead of using the old style command bars, you will probably have to develop either a COM add-in or a managed add-in. There is [aad: "a bit of "] documentation on building add-ins for the ribbon.  You can find some of that documentation here: http://msdn.microsoft.com/office/tool/addin/.  That said, ribbon add-ins and Access menu add-ins don't work all that well together.  This ISV would probably want to convert their Access menu add-in into a managed add-in or a COM add-in if they want to use the ribbon.

New SQL Server 2005 Articles from Microsoft

Microsoft SQL Server 2005 JDBC Driver 1.1 Download the Microsoft SQL Server 2005 JDBC Driver 1.1, a Type 4 JDBC driver that provides database connectivity through the standard JDBC application program interfaces (APIs) available in J2EE (Java2 Enterprise Edition).

SQL Server 2005 Failover Clustering White Paper Comprehensive document about implementing failover clustering for SQL Server 2005 and Analysis Services.

How To Add a Pivot Chart To Your Access Reports

This article from TechRepublic.com provides a step-by-step guide on adding a Pivot Chart to an MS Access report.

How To Display Summary Values in Access Using a UNION Query

A good article from Susan Sales Harkins of TechRepublic.com on a fast no-frills way of returning a row of summary values using UNION. Normally, you use SQL’s UNION operator to combine data from two or more tables or queries, but you can also use it to display detail records and summaryvalues.

NEW Access 2007 Style Switchboard
A Complete Replacement and Demo Using Only Native Access Controls for
Microsoft© Access 2000/2002/2003

I have just uploaded my latest Access Switchboard Demo, which has been inspired by the new Access 2007 database templates, and includes the following features:

• Replaces the native Access Switchboard with a superior switchboard, navigation paradigm, and GUI.
• Uses the Switchboard Items table created by the native access Switchboard Manager.
• Built-in support for up to 16 option buttons for each switchboard!
• Option Button Icons are assigned on the fly from a value stored in the Switchboard Items table.
• The Switchboard resides in a subform, so that the main screen is not affected when switching switchboards.

Download the Demos (acc2007swbdem.zip - 276kb)

FLASH: Windows Vista Will NOT Support MSDE or SQL Server 2000.

Windows Vista/Server will support only SQL Server 2005 Service Pack 2 and later. SP2 is due to ship soon after Vista to ensure compatibility.

There will be no support for the Microsoft Desktop Engine (MSDE), the SQL Server subset, used by many Access developers, shipped with Ms Access/Office prior to Version 2003, and mean't to be replaced by SQL Server Express.

Source: Another Vista Wrinkle: Latest Database Required By Barbara Darrow, CRN 3:34 PM EDT Wed. Aug. 16, 2006

MSDN Just Published: Office 2007 Articles and Videos

Word 2007 HTML and CSS Rendering Capabilities in Outlook 2007 (Part 1 of 2) Provides reference documentation related to supported and unsupported HTML elements, attributes, and CSS properties.

Word 2007 HTML and CSS Rendering Capabilities in Outlook 2007 (Part 2 of 2) Provides detailed instructions on how-to install and use the Outlook 2007 Tool: HTML and CSS Validator. Outlook 2007 HTML.

Video: Customizing the Ribbon with Visual Studio Tools for Office "v3" June CTP Create an add-in for PowerPoint 2007 to customize and modify the ribbon.

Video: Extending the Office 2007 User Interface with a Custom Task Pane Create a shared add-in with Visual Studio 2005 that extends the new user interface with a custom task pane.

Video: Generating Office Documents using the New XML Open File Formats Generate, read and modify documents without going through the object model of the hosting Office application.

Outlook 2007 Reference: Business Contact Manager for Outlook Developer Guide

This download provides a CHM version of the Business Contact Manager for MS Outlook 2007 Developer Guide.

Using Sharepoint with MS Office

A free book chapter download from Techrepublic.com.

Topics covered:

• Opening and Saving Library Documents
• Using the Shared Workspace Task Pane
• Integrating with Outlook
• Creating and Using Lists in Excel
• Creating and Using Lists in Access
• Using SharePoint with InfoPath
• Working with Pictures inPicture Manager
• Supporting Project Web Access

All MS Sharepoint Templates Now Available in a Single Download

Windows SharePoint Services Applications Template: All Templates This MS download contains all downloadable application templates for Microsoft Windows SharePoint Services.

The New Office 2007 GUI

New articles and a download from Microsoft:

Customize the Office 2007 Ribbon User Interface for Developer Part 1
Customizing the Office (2007) Ribbon User Interface for Developers Part 2
Learn about the scenarios and XML mark-up that you can use to customize the Ribbon user interface (UI) in the 2007 Microsoft Office release. The Ribbon UI replaces menus, toolbars, and most of the task pane UI in the 2007 release.

Download the Developer Overview of the User Interface for the 2007 Microsoft Office System An overview of the user interface (UI) system for the 2007 release of the Microsoft Office applications and the goals behind the redesign of the UI. Learn about the impact of the redesigned UI on custom solutions and add-ins, and about opportunities to use or extend elements of the new UI in custom solutions (22 printed pages)

August Security Updates for MS Office

Quite a number of updates this month, including one for the Access 2000 Runtime install:

Visual Basic for Applications Update Installer (KB923167)
Security Update for Office XP (KB920821)
Security Update for Project 2000 (KB920822)
Security Update for Office 2000 (KB920822)
Security Update for Office XP (KB921567)
Security Update for Office 2000 (KB921568)
Security Update for Access 2000 Runtime (KB920822)
Security Update for Project 2002 (KB920821)
Security Update for Visio 2002 (KB920821)