ACC2000: How to Control How the User Closes a Form

ID: Q219776

The information in this article applies to:
Moderate: Requires basic macro, coding, and interoperability skills.

This article applies to a Microsoft Access database (.mdb) and a Microsoft Access project (.adp).


SUMMARY

A Microsoft Access form has a CloseButton property, which you can use to prevent a user from closing the form with either the Close Button icon or by clicking Close on the File menu. However, the user can still close the form by pressing ALT+F4. This article shows you how to prevent the user from closing a form by pressing ALT+F4.


MORE INFORMATION

Microsoft provides programming examples for illustration only, without warranty either expressed or implied, including, but not limited to, the implied warranties of merchantability and/or fitness for a particular purpose. This article assumes that you are familiar with the programming language being demonstrated and the tools used to create and debug procedures. Microsoft support professionals can help explain the functionality of a particular procedure, but they will not modify these examples to provide added functionality or construct procedures to meet your specific needs. If you have limited programming experience, you may want to contact a Microsoft Certified Solution Provider or the Microsoft fee-based consulting line at (800) 936-5200. For more information about Microsoft Certified Solution Providers, please see the following page on the World Wide Web:

http://www.microsoft.com/mcsp/
For more information about the support options available from Microsoft, please see the following page on the World Wide Web:

http://www.microsoft.com/support/supportnet/overview/overview.asp
CAUTION: Following the steps in this example will modify the sample database Northwind.mdb. You may want to back up the Northwind.mdb file and perform these steps on a copy of the database.

This example prevents the user from using ALT+F4 to close a form:
  1. Open the sample Microsoft Access database file Northwind.mdb or the sample Microsoft Access Project file NorthwindCS.adp.


  2. Open the Customers form in Design view.


  3. Change the following property:


    4. 
   Form: Customers
   -------------------------
   CloseButton: No
  4. On the View menu, click Code.


  5. Type the following lines in the Declarations section:


    6. 
Option Explicit
Public blnClose As Boolean
  6. Add the following line of code to the Load event of the form:


    7. 
blnClose = False
  7. Add the following control to the form:


    8. 
   Command Button 
   -------------------
   Name: cmdCloseForm
   Caption: &Close
  8. Add the following line of code to the Click event of the command button, cmdCloseForm:


    9. 
blnClose = True
DoCmd.Close acForm, "Customers", acSaveNo
  9. Add the following code to the UnLoad event of the form:


    10. 
   Dim strMessage As String
   Dim intStyle As Integer
   Dim strTitle As String

   strMessage = "You are attempting to close this form incorrectly." & _
      vbCrLf & "Please try again using the designated Close Button"
   intStyle = vbOKOnly + vbCritical
   strTitle = "Closing Customers?"

   If blnClose = False Then
      MsgBox prompt:=strMessage, buttons:=intStyle, Title:=strTitle
      Cancel = True
   End If
  10. Open the Customers form in Form view.

    Note that the Close Button icon button remains visible but appears dimmed (grayed). Clicking Close on the File menu causes the custom message to be displayed. This message is also displayed if the user presses ALT+F4.



REFERENCES

For more information about events, in the Visual Basic Editor, click Microsoft Visual Basic Help on the Help menu, type "events and event properties Reference" in the Office Assistant or the Answer Wizard, and then click Search to view the topic.

Additional query words: 


Keywords          : kbdta 
Version           : WINDOWS:2000
Platform          : WINDOWS 
Issue type        : kbhowto

Last Reviewed: July 6, 1999