ACC1x: How to Switch Form to Design Mode to Change Properties

ID: Q101308

The information in this article applies to:

SUMMARY

There are a number of form properties in Microsoft Access that cannot be changed while the form is active. To work around this limitation, you can use a macro to change the form into Design view, use SetValue actions to change any property, and then change the form back to Datasheet view.


MORE INFORMATION

You can change the form into Design view by using a DoMenuItem macro action as shown below: 


   MacroName   Action
   ----------------------
   Test1       DoMenuItem


   Test1 Actions
   -----------------------
   DoMenuItem

      Menu Bar: Form
      Menu Name: View
      Command: Form Design

When you use this method to change properties on a Microsoft Access form, the following potential problems should be noted.

Problem 1

When changing from Datasheet view to Design view, or from Design view to Datasheet view, the form is in Design view yet repainting takes place on the screen. To minimize this problem, set Echo Off before going into Design view. Turn Echo On after forcing the form back into Datasheet view. The following sample illustrates this method: 

   MacroName   Action
   ----------------------
   Test1       DoMenuItem

               Echo

   Test2       DoMenuItem

               Echo

   Test1 Actions
   -----------------------
   DoMenuItem

      Menu Bar: Form
      Menu Name: View
      Command: Form Design

   Echo

      Echo On: No

   Test2 Actions
   ------------------
   DoMenuItem

      Menu Bar: Form
      Menu Name: View
      Command: Browse

   Echo

      Echo On: Yes

Problem 2

After a property is changed, the Save Form dialog box appears. To avoid this dialog box, set SetWarnings to Off from the form's OnClose event. If this is done in a macro, SetWarnings will automatically be reenabled after the form has been closed. The following sample demonstrates this method:
  1. Create a new form called "Form1" bound to the Categories table in the sample database NWIND.MDB with the following settings: 
    
      Form
      --------------------------------
      Form: Form1
         Caption:  Form1
         ControlSource: Categories
         OnClose: Macro1.Onclose
      Textbox:  text box1
         ControlName:  Category ID
         ControlSource:  Category ID
      Textbox:  text box2
         ControlName:  Category Name
         ControlSource:  Category Name
      command button:  Button1
         Caption:  Filter
         OnPush:  =ChangeFilter()
      command button:  Button2
         Caption:  Close
         OnPush:  =Macro1.Close


  2. Create a macro called "Macro1" with the following options: 
    
      MacroName     Action          Defined Below
      -------------------------------------------
      OnClose       SetWarnings        1
      Close         Close              2


      1. OnClose Action
      -------------------
         Warnings On:  No

      2. Close Action
      ----------------------
         Object Type:  Form
         Object Name:  Form1


  3. Add the following function to a new module: 


    
      Function ChangeFilter ()
         DoCmd Echo False
         DoCmd DoMenuItem 0, 2, 0, 0
         Forms!Form1.AllowFilters = Not Forms!Form1.AllowFilters
         DoCmd DoMenuItem 0, 2, 1, 0
         DoCmd Echo True
      End Function 


    
   NOTE: For development work, you may want to comment out the DoCmd
   Echo actions.


  4. Close and save the form, macro, and module.

    NOTE: Before closing the form, make sure that the Field List window, the property sheet, and the toolbox are closed.


  5. Open the form and choose Filter. Note that the filter buttons in the toolbar are unavailable. If you choose Filter again, the filter buttons in the toolbar become available.


  6. Close the form by choosing Close, or by double-clicking the form's Control-menu box. Note that regardless of which way the form is closed, no Save Form dialog box appears.



REFERENCES

For more information about changing control properties at run time, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

Q93298 ACC1x: How to Use Visible Property to Simulate Property Changes

Additional query words: flip switch browse mode runtime run time read only 


Keywords          : kbusage FmsProp 
Version           : 1.0 1.1
Platform          : WINDOWS 
Issue type        : kbhowto

Last Reviewed: May 19, 1999