Best Resource (Access 97, Win 2k)

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Hello

I’ve been using this forum for inspiration for quite a while now. I have created two separate Access databases for use by the company I work for. These databases work around macros and a large number of separate forms and reports, from a few recent posts I have notice that using VBA is considered to be a better way of handling multiple reports and forms. The problem is I have little or no programming ability or experience, so…. What is considered to be the best book for a novice to get hold of in order to start utilising the advantages of VBA?

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You may want to refer to this post.
There are numerous other relevant links available by searching this site.

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I, too, was using Access 97 when I determined that I needed to learn VBA. I used “Microsoft Access 97 / Visual Basic Step-by-Step” (http://www.microsoft.com/MSPress/books/338.asp) which I found very nicely organized and targeted towards the VBA novice (particularly if you’re already familiar with Access w/o VBA). I’d suggest forcing yourself to work all the way through it from start to finish — as the title implies, it’s designed that way; as a hands-on (in front of your computer) tutorial. It does have some mistakes, but none of them are too frustrating. (As my first VBA “project” I actually created a database to log the book’s errata and sent it in to Microsoft Press — I’ll post it here if anyone’s interested.)

The author has published an Access 2000 edition (http://www.microsoft.com/mspress/books/2533.asp), but I haven’t looked at it.

There may be better alternatives out there, but this one worked very nicely for me.

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I got and like “Beginning Access 97 VBA” by Sussman and Smith (I’m sure they have one out for later versions of Access). It is a good tutorial, and you can work thru the examples as each chapter builds on what you learned the previous chapter. Other books may be more complete, but they tend to be useful as reference books once you already are more competant in VBA.

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Thanks for the information, I’ll check out my local library for copies of the two books recommended, have a read before buying to make sure they will help me.

I’m assuming that those of you who replied had some previous programming experience?? If so, will these books work on a complete programming novice? But then, guess I’ll find that out in the library )

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Yes, I went in with programming experience in other languages so I may have had a head start. Nonetheless, I remember the book as not leaving too much to prior experience. Your best bet is to look at the books (as you plan to do), but I suggest you look closely at how the book progresses from chapter to chapter (avoid the “reference” format and look for the “tutorial” format). See if Chapter 1 is comprehensible or all Greek. If Greek, then maybe a step back to a beginning book on Visual Basic might be in order (forget the “Access” and “for Applications” piece until you get familiar with the fundamentals). There are a lot more of just Visual Basic books out there, so it’s more likely there’s one that fits your experience level, is well-organized, easy-to-follow, and all that good stuff.

Good luck.

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