Course Overview
This course teaches programming concepts and how to add simple functionality to a Microsoft Access 2002 database by using Microsoft Visual Basic for Applications.
Audience
The audience for this course includes the following:
- Knowledge workers and technologists who are familiar with using Access and other Microsoft Office applications but whose previous programming experience is limited
- Any programmers who require an introduction to Office development using Visual Basic
Skills Gained
After completing this course, students will be able to:
- Use the programming capabilities of Microsoft Visual Basic for Applications in Microsoft Access 2002 applications to write custom functions and event-driven procedures.
- Validate data.
- Find and trap errors.
- Gain access to and manipulate data in tables by using Microsoft ActiveX Data Objects (ADO) and the Structured Query Language (SQL).
- Create a custom switchboard for an Access application.
Prerequisites
The course assumes that students have the following skills:
- Ability to design a relational database
- Ability to use Microsoft Access to create a database with multiple tables, forms, and reports, and to create queries
Examinations
This course is not currently associated with any Microsoft certification exams.
Course Outline
Module 1: Introduction to Programming
The following topics are covered in this module:
- Using Visual Basic Help
- Writing Procedures
- Working with Variables
- Controlling Program Flow
- Calling Procedures
After completing this module, students will be able to:
- Use Visual Basic Help.
- Use the Visual Basic Editor to add code to applications.
- Declare and use variables.
- Use built-in functions to obtain values from users.
- Create and call Sub procedures.
- Use conditional statements to control the flow of programs.
Lab 1.1: Introduction to Programming
Module 2: Responding to User Actions
The following topics are covered in this module:
- Overview of the Class Application
- Adding Event Procedures
- Working with Events
- Using Objects, Properties, and Methods
- Using the DoCmd Object
After completing this module, students will be able to:
- Create an event procedure.
- Add an event procedure to a form.
- Respond to user actions programmatically.
- Perform specific tasks by using the DoCmd object.
Lab 2.1: Responding to User Actions
Module 3: Validating Data
The following topics are covered in this module:
- Overview of Data Validation
- Validating Data Without Using Code
- Validating Data by Using Code
After completing this module, students will be able to:
- Differentiate between data validation at the table level, form level, and code level.
- Use the built-in validation tools in Microsoft Access.
Lab 3.1: Validating Data
Module 4: Using Functions and Understanding Scope
The following topics are covered in this module:
- Using Functions
- Understanding Scope
After completing this module, students will be able to:
- Describe the appropriate use of functions.
- Call built-in and custom functions in an application.
- Create a custom function.
- Describe the different levels of scope available to variables and procedures.
- Define variables at the appropriate level of scope.
- Define procedures at the appropriate level of scope.
Lab 4.1: Using Functions and Understanding Scope
Module 5: Using Debugging Tools
The following topics are covered in this module:
- Stepping Through Code
- Viewing Variables
After completing this module, students will be able to:
- Set breakpoints to stop program execution.
- Run selected portions of code.
- Test data and procedures in the Immediate window.
- Monitor variable values in the Locals window.
- Add and edit watch expressions.
Lab 5.1: Using Debugging Tools
Module 6: Handling Run-Time Errors
The following topics are covered in this module:
- Types of Errors
- Adding Error Handlers
After completing this module, students will be able to:
- Trap run-time errors.
- Create error handlers.
- Use the Err object.
Lab 6.1: Handling Run-Time Errors
Module 7: Looping Through Code
The following topics are covered in this module:
- Overview of Looping Structures
- For Loops
- Do Loops
After completing this module, students will be able to:
- List the different looping structures available in Visual Basic for Applications.
- Write a For...Next loop to perform execution of code statements a fixed number of times.
- Write a Do...While and a Do...Until loop to perform execution of code statements a variable number of times.
- Describe the difference between beginning-of-loop and end-of-loop evaluation methods, and write code statements to accomplish each type of evaluation.
Module 8: Working with Records
The following topic is covered in this module:
- Overview of Recordsets
- Retrieving Data
- Structured Query Language (SQL)
- Manipulating Data
After completing this module, students will be able to:
- Define recordsets.
- Access data in tables by using ADO recordsets.
- Retrieve data by using SQL and ADO recordsets.
- Manipulate data by using SQL and ADO recordsets.
Lab 8.1: Working with Records
Module 9: Working with XML
The following topics are covered in this module:
- About XML
- Importing XML
- Exporting XML
- Transforming XML
- Modifying XML using the DOM
After completing this module, students will be able to:
- Describe XML and related technologies.
- Import XML into Access.
- Export XML from Access.
- Transform XML by using the Extensible Stylesheet Language for Transformations (XSLT).
- Modify XML by using the DOM.
Module 10: Finalizing Your Application
The following topics are covered in this module:
- Reviewing Your Application
- Enhancing the User Interface
- Packaging for Delivery
After completing this module, students will be able to:
- List four good coding practices and describe why you should use them.
- Describe the testing criteria for an application.
- Customize a switchboard.
- Hide code by creating an MDE file.
- Describe how to use the Compact and Repair utility to maintain your database application.
- Describe why and how to use the Database Splitter utility.
- Describe when and how to use the Packaging Wizard to prepare an application for distribution.
Lab 10.1: Finalizing Your Application
