Microsoft Access Add-in and VBA Library Database Development

Introduction to Add-ins and Libraries

Microsoft Access databases let you create entire database solutions with tables, queries, forms, reports, macros and VBA module code. These solutions, whether they are in ACCDB or MDB format (or their corresponding "compiled" ACCDE and MDE formats) can be easily distributed and shared by copying the file.

Microsoft Access also lets you share these databases with other databases so you can use the same work across multiple databases. By running an Access database as an add-in or VBA library reference from your modules, you can share your work (data, queries, forms, reports, macros and VBA code) across all your databases without having to replicate it and trying to maintain it in multiple databases.

Microsoft Access Add-ins Created by FMS

FMS offers several commercial Microsoft add-ins built on this architecture:

• Total Access Analyzer
• Total Access Detective
• Total Access Emailer
• Total Access Speller
• Total Access Statistics

When you open your database in Microsoft Access, you can run our add-in from the Database Tools menu. Our program is a Microsoft Access database with its tables, queries, forms, reports and VBA modules. When you launch it, the add-in applies its features to your database. For instance, Total Access Analyzer documents and analyzes your currently opened database.

Referenced VBA Libraries

We also provide VBA libraries that you can add to your Access databases to include those features to your users:

• Total Access Emailer
• Total Access Statistics

For instance, the Professional Version of Total Access Emailer includes a royalty-free runtime license for an Access library that lets you add VBA code to your applications to send emails. Similarly, the Total Access Statistics library lets you generate statistical analysis on data in your database.

Differences between Regular Database and Access Add-ins/Libraries

• Initial function call to start add-in
• CurrentDb vs. CodeDb
• Option Private Module
• Image Gallery Doesn't work in Add-ins
  • Graphics are stored in the MSysResources table
  • It always uses the table in CurrentDb, not the add-in/library