|
|
This book spans 15 chapters, all of which focus directly on the needs of experienced Access developers. You begin with several chapters dwelling on ADO programming techniques for data access, data maintenance, and data definition. Next, you shift focus to client interface issues in chapters on Access forms, reports, PivotTables, PivotCharts, and interoperability with other Office 2003 components. The book closes with a series of chapters that generally address multiuser issues, including database security, building solutions for SQL Server databases, making Access data available via Web solutions, and sharing data from Access solutions with others using XML.
This edition of Programming Microsoft Office Access includes four bonus sections accessible from the Web, exclusively for owners of this book. This bonus content extends core content within the book. For example, the chapter titled "Access Does the Web" drills down on data access pages and Office Web Components, while the bonus material describes how to make Access data available over the Web via Active Server Pages. Each reference to a bonus Web-based section includes an access URL.
The ADO coverage starts with a pair of chapters on data access techniques. Chapter 1 presents the basics of data access, including how to make a connection to a database and how to open a recordset on a table, query, or SQL string. This chapter thoroughly explains recordsets by showing you how to sort, find, seek, and filter a recordset. In addition to data access issues, you'll also learn the basics of ADO syntax for inserting rows, updating column values, and deleting rows. Chapter 2 presents more advanced ADO issues, including how to use parameters. Probably the most compelling topic in Chapter 2, parameters offer a powerful means for developers to enable dynamic data access. Parameters also can be used to make procedures for modifying recordsets reusable with new data supplied by users at run time.
The next two chapters address data definition issues that enable you to build tables and queries programmatically. These chapters offer developers a powerful means of documenting their database objects in ADO and JET SQL code. This capability is essential if you need to enable users to create tables or queries through your applications.
Chapter 5 is all about creating custom solutions with forms. A major focus here is how to programmatically populate the RecordSource and Recordset properties of forms. This emphasis equips you with the skills you need to reuse your forms with different data sources. By using the principles and adapting the samples covered in this chapter, you can reduce the number of forms necessary for applications and create solutions that are more efficient to maintain.
Next, you learn how to create static and dynamic reports. After covering essential built-in report design capabilities, Chapter 6 demonstrates code samples that illustrate how to add flexibility to the built-in Access report feature set.
Chapter 7 explores the capabilities of PivotTables and PivotCharts in Access 2003. PivotTables and PivotCharts gained popularity in Microsoft Excel. Their incorporation into Access provides Access developers a means of serving financial and operational analysts who use PivotTables and PivotCharts to support strategic and tactical decision-making.
Chapter 8 and Chapter 9 primarily demonstrate a means of extending built-in Access capabilities through the Microsoft Office 2003 Objects model and other Office 2003 components. With each successive version of Access, Access developers gain powerful new ways to serve their clients just by plugging in references to other object models. For example, Chapter 9 presents a series of code samples that demonstrate how to share data between Access and Excel, Outlook, or Word. Chapter 8, meanwhile, imparts the same approach for objects, such as the CommandBar object, from the Office 2003 Objects model. Chapter 8 further presents samples that demonstrate how to secure your code by severely restricting the ability of users to open the Database window.
Moving on, Chapter 10 considers database security from multiple perspectives. First, it provides an overview of traditional database security issues. Second, it reviews user-level security concepts before presenting steps for manually implementing and managing user-level security. Third, the chapter presents code samples that illustrate how to manage all the important features of user-level security. The commentary associated with these samples provides direction for readily managing user-level security in your own custom applications. The chapter closes with an introduction to two relatively new security features—the Jet SandBox and Macro Security. The Jet SandBox appeared in earlier Access versions as a non-default feature for protecting computers running Access applications. In Access 2003, the Jet SandBox is in force by default. Its operation has been upgraded for easier protection of computers running Access applications within an enterprise. With Access 2003, the Macro Security feature available in Excel and Word since Office 2000 has been adapted to protect Access users from viruses. In addition, Macro security within Access 2003 interacts with the Jet SandBox. Chapter 10 describes and illustrates these two security innovations.
One of the most exciting capabilities of Access 2003 is its ability to build and manage Microsoft SQL Server 2000 solutions through Access projects. Chapter 11, Chapter 12, and Chapter 13 systematically explore how to tap the power of Access projects. Chapter 11 reviews all the major SQL Server database objects, as well as how to create and manage them from Access projects. Chapter 12 shows how to use SQL Server database objects with Access forms and includes special content describing exclusive Access form features for SQL Server databases. Chapter 13 examines SQL Server database security, which differs substantially from Access database files security.
Chapter 14 and Chapter 15 demonstrate different means of sharing data from Access databases and Access projects with others. Chapter 14 focuses on data access pages and Office 2003 Web Components. The book's coverage of these topics includes both graphical and programmatic techniques. Chapter 15 reviews XML syntax and technologies as a basis for demonstrating how to use them with Access 2003. You'll learn what XML is good for and how to put it to work in Access solutions.
To enhance and inform future editions of this book, I encourage you to visit http://www.programmingmsaccess.com and sign the Guest Book to share your feedback about the content herein after you are finished.
|