Lab Assignment 7: Macros and Basic Automation
Objective: Introduce students to macros and basic automation tasks in
Microsoft Access.
Steps:
1. Open the Database:
·
Launch Microsoft
Access and open the database you've been working with in previous assignments
or create a new one.
2. Create a Macro:
·
Go to the
"Create" tab on the Access ribbon.
·
Select "Macro
Design" from the "Other" group.
·
In the Macro Design
window, you'll see a grid where you can add actions to your macro. The left
column lists available actions, and the right column is where you build your
macro.
3. Adding Actions:
·
In this example, we
will create a simple macro that opens a specific form when a button is clicked.
·
In the
"Actions" column, double-click on "OpenForm" to add the
action to your macro.
·
In the "Action
Arguments" section, you need to specify details for the action:
·
Object Name: Select
the form you want to open from the dropdown.
·
View: Choose
"Form" or "Datasheet" view.
·
Filter Name: Leave
this blank.
·
Where Condition:
Optionally, you can specify a condition to filter the form's records.
·
Save the macro with a
meaningful name (e.g., "OpenFormMacro").
4. Add a Button to a Form:
·
Go to the form where
you want to trigger the macro. If you don't have a form, create one.
·
In Form Design View,
go to the "Design" tab on the ribbon.
·
Select the
"Button" control and add it to the form.
·
A "Command Button
Wizard" will open. Choose "Form Operations" and select
"Open Form."
·
Click "Next"
and follow the wizard to select the macro you created (e.g.,
"OpenFormMacro").
·
Finish the wizard and
place the button on your form.
5. Testing the Macro:
·
Save and close the
form.
·
Open your form in Form
View.
·
Click the button, and
it should open the specified form according to the macro you created.
6. Additional Actions (Optional):
·
You can expand your
macro to include more actions like running queries, opening reports, or
performing calculations. Experiment with various actions to automate different
tasks.
Solution:
In this lab assignment, you have created a
macro that opens a specific form when a button is clicked in another form. This
basic automation allows you to simplify user interactions and streamline common
tasks in your database.
Please note that this is a simple example.
Macros in Access can be more complex and versatile. Depending on your
database's requirements, you can create macros for various automation tasks,
such as updating records, performing calculations, or running more advanced
actions.
Encourage students to
explore and experiment with macros in Access, as they can be a powerful tool
for automating tasks and enhancing user experiences within the database.