Starting from Scratch
Sorry for the extra time since the last post, I got run over with some other work when I got back and am just getting through that. Last time, we talked about modifying the issues tracking app. This time, we'll look at starting from scratch, but again from the point of view of someone new to Access.
Creating Schema from Scratch
Starting a new blank database in Access has always been very different than starting in Word or Excel. In those apps, getting started goes something like "boot the app, start typing". In Access, you've needed to know that you had to create a table to put data in, then you needed to understand data types, then you could move to the right view, then start typing. This clearly represented the underlying structure of the database and afforded lots of control, but it was hard to understand. With Access 12, "boot the app, start typing" works.
The default selection on the getting started screen is blank database.
As before, you need to give the database a name and save it to the disk before continuing (our save model is unchanged). Once the user gives the database a name and clicks continue, she's taken to a new table to begin typing.
The table works much like XL, where the top row is column names and the data goes underneath.
Once the user has created a series of columns, she can drag / drop them to reorder.
When the user starts typing data for the first record, Access inspects the data and sets data types appropriately. You'll see below that we've recognized the column contains a date, set the date data type in the ribbon, and provided the date picker control for the 2nd record.
If Access guesses wrong (i.e. if the user starts typing something that doesn't look like a date in the 2nd record), we'll provide UI that allows the user to change the data type or to re-enter her data. This allows us to provide the benefits of strongly typed data to users who don't understand how to set data types themselves.
The ribbon UI provides most of the detailed data type settings in the traditional table designer, allowing the user to choose the date format.
And choose to make the column required or unique.
The ribbon UI provides the ability to manually set the other data types as well.
Finally, the traditional table designer is still available, providing developers or experienced Access users all the control they've had in the past.
(Click image to enlarge)
It is easy for users to create lookup columns as well, and to roll those through the forms in the database. Below, the user has started the Lookup Wizard to create a link between 2 tables - one for Issues and one for Contacts. Here she selects that she'd like to present values from another table.
Then selects which columns to look up.
And finally she selects which to show in the table.
Creating a simple form
At this point, the schema for the database is set, and the user can begin building forms & reports. These are available on the Insert ribbon, and here she has created a simple Issues form with one click.
Because the Assigned To field is a lookup, the list is presented as a dropdown control with the appropriate data linked in.
Creating a Simple Report
Building a simple report is also a single click on the Insert ribbon.
It is easy to customize the report by dragging and dropping additional fields from the Field List taskpane. Click the image below for a more complete view.
(Click image to enlarge)
The taskpane can even allow users to build joins without directly authoring queries. In this example, the user is bringing in the Title field from the Contacts table, which is shown at the bottom of the taskpane.
(Click image to enlarge)
Since there are 2 potential ways to join the tables, we provide a dialog to help the user create the join.
Now the tables are both shown in the task list, and the user can drag / drop from either into her report. Click the image below for a more complete view of the report.
(Click image to enlarge)
Next Time
Next time, we'll start taking a deeper look at Access, starting with creating schema.
