Tips and Techniques

Welcome to our Tips and Techniques section! Here you will find a mixture of software development, Office products, and Network Administration tricks and tips. Be sure to come back and visit often.

For more detailed topics, visit our Technical Papers section.

- The FMS Team

Categories

Windows Vista Microsoft Access Visual Basic and VBA SQL Server Visual Studio .NET ASP.NET

Internet Network Administration Microsoft Outlook Microsoft Office General Development

Windows Vista Tips and Techniques

• Task Manager Displays without Menu, Title bar, and Close Button NEW!
• Applications Referencing the ADOX Library Fail Under Windows Vista
• Deploying your Help Files to Windows Vista

Microsoft Access Tips and Techniques

Detailed Papers and Resources

• Finding Records in One Table but Not Another with “Not In” Queries NEW!
• Delete Query and SQL Syntax in Microsoft Access NEW!
• Update Query and SQL Syntax in Microsoft Access NEW!
• Top Features of Microsoft Access 2007 That Aren't Available in Prior Versions
• Finding and Deleting Unused Objects and Code in Microsoft Access Databases
• Microsoft Access Error Numbers and Descriptions
• Create Monthly Summary Crosstab Reports in Access without Code
• Microsoft Access to SQL Server Upsizing Tips
• Microsoft Access Form Tips and Avoiding Common Mistakes
• Microsoft Access 2007 Form Tips and Techniques

Tips and Techniques

• Prevent Users from Accidentally Closing Access from its Close Box Revised
• Use the AppendOnly Property and the ColumnHistory Method to Keep Historical Data for Memo Fields NEW!
• How to import Access 2007 database tables in to SQL server NEW!
• Using “Check for Truncated Number Fields” to let users know when a numerical value is truncated NEW!
• Adding Commonly-used Command Buttons to the Quick Access Toolbar NEW!
• Collapsing the Office 2007 Ribbon to get more space in your program NEW!
• Simulating the Access Runtime During Development Revised
• Layout View in Microsoft Access 2007
• Take Advantage of the Search Bar in Microsoft Access 2007
• Difference Between "Unique Values" (SELECT DISTINCT) and "Unique Records" (SELECT DISTINCTROW) in Microsoft Access Queries
• Creating a Continuous Email Service in Microsoft Access using Total Access Emailer
• Microsoft Access Subforms Should Reference the Control Rather than Field for Master Link Fields
• Easily Synchronize Two Related Subforms on a Form Revised
• Features and Limitations of Sending Emails in Microsoft Access Using the SendObject Command
• Error Pasting Data from Microsoft Excel 2007 to Access Revised
• Disable Design Changes for Tables Before Deploying Microsoft Access 2007 Databases
• Discover the power of Microsoft Access Template Databases
• Using the Microsoft Access Database Splitter to Improve Performance and Simplify Maintainability (front end and back end databases) Revised
• Increase the Performance of Databases with Linked Tables Revised
• Enable Design Change Options in Microsoft Access 2007
• Using Form Navigation Caption in Microsoft Access 2007
• Designing Primary Keys Optimally
• Returning the Number of Records or Rows Affected by an Action Query
• Execute Method to Suppress Warning Messages while Running Action Queries Programmatically
• Speed Up Microsoft Access and Visual SourceSafe
• Easily Delete Many Objects at One Time
• Files Created in Access 2007 SP1 Do Not Run Under the Original Access 2007 Version
• Find Properties and Methods of an ActiveX Control
• Using the User Roster to Check for Users in a Database
• Verify Linked Tables in Your Application
• Get Rid Of Unused Objects
• Ensure Field Data Types Are Consistent Across Tables
• Don't Deliver A Database With Broken References
• Decompile Your Database to Improve Performance
• Fix Error 49: Bad DLL Calling Convention Error
• In Place Editing with Total Access Memo
• Late Bind Subforms on Tab Controls
• Selecting the First Item in Your ListBox
• Custom Registry Settings in Access
• Passing Parameter to Access Form OpenArgs
• DAO can cause the .MDB Size to Increase
• Sources for Finding a Solution
• Data in a combo box control on a continuous form/datasheet disappears
• The behavior of the Application Title and the MsgBox() function
• Link data from Microsoft Outlook into an Access database
• Disabling "Sandbox Mode" (startup warning messages) in Access 2003
• Data Entry and Navigation Shortcuts for Access
• Object Dependencies
• Form Error Checking: Two Controls Using the Same Keyboard Shortcut
• Override ADP Showing Only 10k Records
• Enabling or Disabling Controls on A New Record
• Quickly Filtering Data in Any Datasheet View
• Using a RecordsetClone
• Database Architecture: Taking Time into Account
• Database Architecture: Temporary Data and User Settings
• Preventing the Movement of Toolbars
• Proper Table Creation for a Relational Database
• How to rename a File, Folder or Directory from MS Access
• Global Connection to Database Using ADO
• Automatically Compact and Repair Databases
• Using Nz() in expressions to generate correct results with Nulls
• Suppressing Page Headers and Footers on the First Page of Your Report
• Using Quick Watch
• Using the Me Operator
• Using the Parent Operator
• Form References to Undefined Procedures
• Beware of SQL Code that Creates Tables without Unicode Compression
• Add NoData Event to Access Reports
• Problems with Decimal Fields in Access Tables
• Combo Boxes Based on Ordered Views with SQL 2005 Don't Work
• Simplify String Concatenations with Nulls and Zero Length Strings
• Performance Tip with a Table's Subdatasheet Name Property
• Resyncing a subform record
• Avoid Name Conflicts in Tables and Queries
• Tips and Techniques for using and validating Combo Boxes
• Avoid Unnecessary or Duplicate Indexes with the AutoIndex Setting
• Use the Requery method instead of the Requery action

Visual Basic and Visual Basic for Applications (VBA) Tips and Techniques

• Avoiding Exits in the Body of a Procedure NEW!
• VBA MsgBox Function Fails to Open Your Help File under Office 2007 NEW!
• Pinpointing the Exact Line Where A Crash Occurs
• Debugging Tips and Techniques: Basic Error Handling
• Debugging Tips for VBA, Access & Visual Basic Developers
• Excel Automation: More than just a formula
• Free Utility to scroll in the VB/VBA IDE
• The VB/VBA Edit toolbar
• IIF vs. If...Then...Else in VB, VBA, and VB .NET
• Four Tips for Setting VB/VBA Module Options Properly
• Use the InStrRev() or strReverse() Function to Extract the Path from a File Name
• Use High Resolution Timers
• How to Generate a GUID with VB Script

SQL Server Tips and Techniques

• AM/PM Time format in SQL Server
• Improve performance of Stored Procedures by using SET NOCOUNT ON
• Create an Automated Backup of Your SQL Server Express Database
• Avoid Using Cursors
• Optimize Sorting for Soundex Search Results
• Getting the Date Portion of a SQL Server DateTime field
• Ordering Items in a SQL Server View
• Interface for executing Stored Procedures in the SQL Query Analyzer
• Union vs. Union All
• Random vs. Increment: Upsizing Access AutoNumber Data Types to SQL Server
• Changing Stored Procedure and View Names
• Finding Duplicates
• Designing Primary Keys Optimally
• Create and Restore a SQL Server Database Backup on a Network File Share
• Use caution when Using CONVERT() with CASE or IF functions in Transact SQL (T-SQL)
• Optimizing Select...In Clauses in SQL Server Views
• Avoid Using Text and ntext Data Types
• Displaying Longer Results in SQL Query Analyzer
• Quickly visualize SQL Statements in SQL Server 2005 Management Studio
• Declaring and Using Transact-SQL Variables in a Stored Procedure
• Using Change Scripts

Visual Studio .NET Tips and Techniques

• Code to Launch, Navigate, and Check for Errors
• Create Custom Office 2007 Ribbons with the New Visual Designer in Visual Studio 2008
• Increase Productivity with Visual Studio Macros
• Debugging Collections in your Visual Studio .NET Application
• Bind a Combo Box to an Enumeration in Visual Studio .NET
• Call a COM or VB.NET Method with Optional Parameter(s) from C#
• Type Casting in Visual Basic .NET
• Use Run-Time-Created DataTables in Place of Collections
• Overloading on Overloads
• Visual Studio .NET Tips and Tricks
• C# Error: Cannot convert 'Object' to 'Ref Object'
• Manage Images in .NET
• Avoid Unwanted Events from ComboBoxes and Other Controls in VB
• String Addition in .NET
• Customizing the Way Custom Properties Show in the Properties Window
• Creating an XSL Commenter
• Using Windows XP Themes
• Creating a Single Instance Application in .NET
• Visual Inheritance and the WinForms Designer
• Using the MouseDown event with Windows Forms Treeview controls
• Implement Treeview Drag/Drop
• Use Auto-scroll in Treeview Drag/Drop Operations
• Sorting a List View using a Custom Sort Routine
• Using Attributes to Hide a Method from Intellisense
• Simplify Namespace Usage
• Simulate the Immediate Window
• Creating Toolbar Shortcuts to Macros
• Using a Macro to Create Properties for Member Variables
• Using Macro to Create Trace Statements
• Running Current Project's Executable
• Adding Default Namespaces
• Detecting if Code is Running from the IDE
• IIF vs. If...Then...Else in VB, VBA, and VB .NET
• The Obsolete Attribute
• ASP.NET Datagrid Customization
• Repair IIS Mappings to .NET
• ComboBox Data Binding and Case Sensitivity
• Retrieve RSS feeds
• Build an Evaluate Function
• Managing Namespaces in VB.NET
• .NET: Useful Properties of the Text Box Control
• Acquiring User's Radio Button Selection
• Split phrases delimited by multiple white spaces
• ADO.NET Connection and Command Timeout
• Resize a Control to Fit Text
• Re-throwing an Exception in .NET
• Unhandled Exception Handler Changes in .NET 2.0
• Taking your ASP.NET 2.0 site offline
• Quickly Reformat HTML in Visual Studio 2005
• Consider Using Static (Shared) Methods
• Use TryCast in Visual Basic .NET 2005
• Exception.Message vs. Exception.ToString()
• How to Allow a Dialog Form to Retrieve Information from its Calling Form
• Hooking the Windows Message Loop in a WinForms Application
• How to programmatically send folders and/or files to the Recycle Bin
• Working with Datatable Rowstates
• Find the size of logical drives
• Anonymous Methods in C# 2.0
• .NET 2.0 Framework "Generics"

ASP.NET Tips and Techniques

• Client side OnClick handler workaround for ASP:CHECKBOX
• Using Tag Mapping in ASP.NET 2.0

Internet Tips and Techniques

General

• Microsoft Social Bookmarks
• How to Display the Web Server Computer Name in an ASP Page
• Correcting the Resizing of the Internet Explorer Window
• Create Shortcut Text for Web Sites in Internet Explorer
• Gathering Requirements – If it can’t be measured; it can’t be a requirement

FrontPage

• Avoiding a FrontPage Error: An error occurred accessing your Windows SharePoint Services files

Network Administration Tips and Techniques

• Slow Response from Web Servers and/or Packet Loss NEW!
• Disk Configuration
• Problems Viewing ASPs When Using IIS
• Remove Administrative Shares Without Being Recreated Upon Reboot?
• Disable Annoying Balloon Tips
• Ensuring that NumLock is on at start-up in Windows XP
• Using the "Send To" folder in Windows 2000 or higher
• Rebooting a Remote Computer
• Windows Shutdown Event Logger

Microsoft Outlook Tips and Techniques

• Delay Sending Your Emails Revised
• Customizing Your Outlook Calendar
• Getting more from your Outlook Calendar
• Unblocking Files from Outlook
• How to filter out Junk e-mail in Outlook
• Quickly Find Messages in an Email Trail
• Set Reminders to Reply to Emails and Follow Up with Contacts
• Quickly Create an Email Message by Dragging and Dropping
• Eliminate Incorrect Email Addresses/Aliases from your AutoComplete List

Microsoft Office Tips and Techniques

• Embedding Fonts in Word Documents
• Copy formatting using the Office Format painter
• Helpful Word Shortcuts
• Show all the Formulas of a Microsoft Office Excel Worksheet
• Create Custom Office 2007 Ribbons with the New Visual Designer in Visual Studio 2008
• Goal Seek is a feature in Microsoft Excel
• Eliminate Extra Excel Worksheets
• Make Word your editor by checking writing style (in addition to spelling and grammar) as you type
• Using AutoCorrect to Fix Errors and Save Typing
• Viewing Different Sections of a Document Simultaneously
• Disable 'Reading Layout' as Default for Email Attachments
• Keep your Favorite Documents Handy using the Word Work Menu
• Avoiding a Microsoft FrontPage Error Message with Windows SharePoint Services
• Using AutoText to Insert Boilerplate Text into a Document
• Microsoft Office 2007 Add-ins May Become Disabled when Loading Older Microsoft Office Applications
• Microsoft Silverlight: A Competitor to Flash?
• Easily Organize Multiple Spreadsheets to Open Together
• Summarize Specific Data using criteria in the SUMIF function

General Development Tip and Techniques

• Testing Software/Hardware Compatibility