Developer 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

Microsoft Access Tips and Techniques

Detailed Papers and Resources

• Microsoft Windows Common Control Library (MSCOMCTL.OCX) Security Update Requires Fixing
• Inheriting and Taking Over Microsoft Access Database Applications
• Microsoft Access versus Microsoft Excel for Data Analysis and Reporting (Spreadsheets vs. Databases) 
• Transposing Data in Microsoft Access Tables
• Microsoft Access Developer Center REVISED!
• Microsoft Access Query Help Center REVISED!
• Deploying Microsoft Databases Linked to a SQL Azure Database to Users without SQL Server Installed on their Machine
• Microsoft Access and Cloud Computing with SQL Azure Databases (Linking to SQL Server Tables in the Cloud)
• Microsoft Azure and Cloud Computing...What it Means to Me and Information Workers
• Finding Records in One Table but Not Another with “Not In” Queries
• Delete Query and SQL Syntax in Microsoft Access
• Update Query and SQL Syntax in Microsoft Access
• 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

• Data Entry and Navigation Shortcut Keys for Microsoft Access REVISED!
• Database Architecture: Taking Time into Account and Shadow Tables
• Database Architecture: Temporary Data and User Settings
• Top 5 Tips for Combo Boxes on Microsoft Access Forms
• Creating Cascading Combo Boxes and List Boxes on Microsoft Access Forms
• Selecting the First Item in a ComboBox or ListBox on a Microsoft Access Form
• Microsoft Access 2010 Service Pack 1, 64-bit Version Incompatibility for ACCDE Files
• Replace the Paperclip Icon of Attachment Fields with a Column Name in Microsoft Access Tables in ACCDB Databases
• Simulating the Access Runtime During Development
• Access 2010: Package and Deploy Wizard (or other add-ins) is not not available after I install the Access Developer Extensions
• Creating a Backup and Disaster Recovery Plan for Microsoft Access Database Applications
• Database Compact and Repair to Minimize Corruption and Avoid Bloat (by Microsoft Access Version)
• Compact on Close: Automatically Compact and Repair Databases
• Increase the Performance of Databases with Linked Tables
• Speed Up Microsoft Access and Visual SourceSafe (VSS)
• Error in Microsoft Access 2007 When Saving an ACCDB Database to MDB Format
• Introducing Microsoft Access 2010
• Creating an AutoNumber Field Starting with a Number Greater than 1 in Microsoft Access
• Passing Multiple Values to Microsoft Access Forms and Reports with the OpenArgs Parameter
• Prevent Users from Accidentally Closing Access from its Close Box
• Use the AppendOnly Property and the ColumnHistory Method to Keep Historical Data for Memo Fields
• How to import Microsoft Access database tables in to SQL server
• Using “Check for Truncated Number Fields” to let users know when a numerical value is truncated
• Adding Commonly-used Command Buttons to the Quick Access Toolbar
• Collapsing the Office 2007/2010 Ribbon to get more space in your program
• Layout View in Microsoft Access 2010 and 2007
• Take Advantage of the Search Bar in Microsoft Access 2010 and 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
• Features and Limitations of Sending Emails in Microsoft Access Using the SendObject Command
• Error Pasting Data from Microsoft Excel 2007 to Access
• Disable Design Changes for Tables Before Deploying Microsoft Access 2010 or 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)
• Enable Design Change Options in Microsoft Access 2010 and 2007
• Using Form Navigation Caption in Microsoft Access 2010 and 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
• 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 Microsoft Access 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
• Custom Registry Settings in Access
• 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
• 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
• 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
• 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 the NoData Event to Microsoft 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 Microsoft Access 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
• VBA MsgBox Function Fails to Open Your Help File under Office 2007
• Pinpointing the Exact Line Where A Crash Occurs
• Debugging Tips and Techniques: Basic Error Handling
• Debugging Keys 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 Queries and SQL Syntax Updated!
• 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

Microsoft 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
• 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

• Missing an Appointment Set on a Smartphone while in a Different Time Zone NEW!
• Delay Sending Your Emails in Microsoft Outlook REVISED!
• Link Microsoft Access databases to Microsoft Outlook data REVISED!
• Unblock or Allow Microsoft Access Databases and Other File Attachments in Microsoft Outlook Emails REVISED
• Quickly Create an Email Message by Dragging and Dropping REVISED
• Eliminate Incorrect Email Addresses/Aliases from your AutoComplete List REVISED!
• Set Reminders to Reply to Emails and Follow Up with Contacts
• Quickly Find Messages in an Email Trail
• Customizing Your Outlook Calendar
• Getting more from your Outlook Calendar
• How to filter out Junk e-mail in Outlook

Microsoft Office Tips and Techniques

• Microsoft Access versus Microsoft Excel for Data Analysis and Reporting (Spreadsheets vs. Databases)
• Broadcast Microsoft PowerPoint Slide Shows to Remote Viewers for Free using Windows Live ID
• Recover unsaved documents or return to an earlier version of your document in Microsoft Excel, PowerPoint, and Word 2010
• Quickly Insert Screenshots in Microsoft Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint and Word 2010
• Show Data Trends with Tiny Sparkline Charts in Microsoft Excel 2010
• 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

Windows Vista Tips and Techniques

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

General Development Tip and Techniques

• Testing Software/Hardware Compatibility