Now we have created a database and saved it on disc we must be aware of how Access treats it when we try to open it again. Access is aware of the security risks that it can introduce to a computer system, especially through the use of Visual Basic for Applications (VBA). Even though we didn't include any VBA Access is still suspicious. We do, however, trust our own applications not to damage our own computers so we are happy to open it - how else could we ever do anything to it?
As part of its security precautions Access takes you through three security dialogues. The first concerns the blocking of unsafe expressions - choose No:
The second asks you to confirm your decision, this time by choosing Yes:
Access finally asks you to confirm that you want to open the database - click Open.
You can now resume work on your database.
Forms provide an alternative and more sophisticated way of presenting and acquiring data from users. Forms are easy and quick to build in Access and are an essential part of a database application aimed at real users.
To create a form close all tables and select the Forms Tab from the Database Control panel. Double click on the 'Create form by using wizard' option, at which point this dialogue box opens:
Click on the field names and the single arrow to move each field from the Available Fields list to the Selected Fields list, or click on the double arrow to move them all in one go.
Choose a layout type from the options available (experiment in your own time).
Choose a design style for the form (experiment in your own time):
Click Next to choose a name or Finish to complete the form.
You can now use the form to enter data and to view the results of searches, filters and so on.
To change the form layout open the form and click once on the button object for the form in the Forms list in the database control panel and then click on the Design button in the toolbar. The form is then displayed in design view:
You can select any object on a form and move it or change its size. In the image below the default form layout has been changed to reduce the space between the items, to re-position the two fields after the image and to re-size some of the items.
Far more than this can be done with forms, this is just the beginning.