Operating Views in Final Product Release

[NDayave]

Hi all,

I was wondering if it is possible to get the database forms to open separate of the main Access window that appears in the background. I've had a poke around the menus and can't find anything.

I'm sure I've seen Access databases that don't require the main Access window to run, or have I just made a bit of a mistake?

Thanks in advance,

NDayave

[NeoPa]

Sure NDayave, just check out Tools \ Startup...

[NDayave]

Sure NDayave, just check out Tools \ Startup...

Yeah, I got to that bit to get rid of the menus etc. but I mean the entire grey background window with File | Edit | View etc on it, so the forms appear as if they are popups, without Access full screen in the background.

I know it's not really a necessity, it just annoys me that the user cannot use another window in the background to, for example, use as reference for data entry.

[NeoPa]

Ah, that's a different story.
Well, technically, as the Access database is open in the Access window, no - it's not possible.
However, the main Access window doesn't need to be maximised. That would enable the user to have other windows visible and usable on the screen at the same time. I feel there aught to be other options, like a View in Full Screen option that strips toolbars etc, but I couldn't find any reference to it I'm afraid.

[NDayave]

Okay then, thanks for taking a look anyways,

NDayave

[NeoPa]

No problems.
Let us know if you come up with anything that takes you any further and good luck :)

[NDayave]

How do,

Old thread I know, but I was looking through and realised I had found a solution to the full screen thing, it doesn't combat ALT+Tab key entries, but then nothing ever seems to. What you end up with is the Access window fullscreen - F11 browser style - with no toolbars or the taskbar:

Save two Modules:

Kiosk Mode

Private Declare Function SetWindowPos Lib "user32" (ByVal hWnd As Long, ByVal hWndInsertAfter As Long, ByVal X As Long, ByVal Y As Long, ByVal cx As Long, ByVal cy As Long, ByVal wFlags As Long) As Long
Private Declare Function GetWindowLong Lib "user32" Alias "GetWindowLongA" (ByVal hWnd As Long, ByVal nIndex As Long) As Long
Private Declare Function SetWindowLong Lib "user32" Alias "SetWindowLongA" (ByVal hWnd As Long, ByVal nIndex As Long, ByVal dwNewLong As Long) As Long
Private Const GWL_STYLE = (-16)
Private Const WS_CAPTION = &HC00000
Private Const WS_BORDER = &H800000
Private Const SWP_NOZORDER = &H4
Private Const SWP_NOMOVE = &H2
Private Const SWP_NOSIZE = &H1
Private Const SWP_NOACTIVATE = &H10
Private Const SWP_FRAMECHANGED = &H20
Private Const SWP_DRAWFRAME = SWP_FRAMECHANGED


Public Sub ToggleKioskModeAlike()
    Dim NewStyle As Long

    NewStyle = GetWindowLong(Application.hWndAccessApp, GWL_STYLE) Xor (WS_BORDER + WS_CAPTION)
    SetWindowLong Application.hWndAccessApp, GWL_STYLE, NewStyle
    SetWindowPos Application.hWndAccessApp, 0&, 0, 0, 0, 0, SWP_NOZORDER Or SWP_NOMOVE Or SWP_NOSIZE Or SWP_NOACTIVATE Or SWP_DRAWFRAME
    Application.CommandBars("menu bar").Enabled = Not Application.CommandBars("menu bar").Enabled
End Sub

Hide Taskbar

      Dim handleW1 As Long

      Private Declare Function FindWindowA Lib "user32" _
      (ByVal lpClassName As String, _
      ByVal lpWindowName As String) As Long

      Private Declare Function SetWindowPos Lib "user32" _
      (ByVal handleW1 As Long, _
      ByVal handleW1InsertWhere As Long, ByVal w As Long, _
      ByVal X As Long, ByVal Y As Long, ByVal z As Long, _
      ByVal wFlags As Long) As Long

      Const TOGGLE_HIDEWINDOW = &H80
      Const TOGGLE_UNHIDEWINDOW = &H40

      Function HideTaskbar()
         handleW1 = FindWindowA("Shell_traywnd", "")
         Call SetWindowPos(handleW1, 0, 0, 0, _
         0, 0, TOGGLE_HIDEWINDOW)
      End Function

      Function UnhideTaskbar()
         Call SetWindowPos(handleW1, 0, 0, 0, _
         0, 0, TOGGLE_UNHIDEWINDOW)
      End Function

To start:

Private Sub StartKiosk_Click()
Call ToggleKioskModeAlike
Call HideTaskbar
DoCmd.ShowToolbar "database", acToolbarNo
DoCmd.ShowToolbar "Form view", acToolbarNo
DoCmd.ShowToolbar "menu bar", acToolbarNo
RunCommand Access.AcCommand.acCmdAppMaximize
End Sub

To Revert back:

Private Sub EndKiosk_Click()
Call UnhideTaskbar
DoCmd.ShowToolbar "database", acToolbarYes
DoCmd.ShowToolbar "Form view", acToolbarYes
DoCmd.ShowToolbar "menu bar", acToolbarYes
RunCommand Access.AcCommand.acCmdAppRestore
DoCmd.Restore
Call ToggleKioskModeAlike
End Sub

Hope this helps,

NDayave

[NeoPa]

Thanks for posting a solution. That's always welcome :)

Can you tell me if this solution is likely to leave Access mucked up (without some of its bits) if it were to crash though? Assuming a loss of code context, would it revert automatically to a normal Access window for the next user (database) or might it leave the changes?

[NDayave]

After having a play, in the case of a crash, it will leave Access without the toolbars and menu bar. If you used the hide taskbar as well, you would also be left without the taskbar.

Basically I wouldn't use this unless you know you'll be at the computer when, or shortly after, any crashes that occur, or the user is aware of how to get them back.

Obviously to get them back you just need to run the appropriate code again.

Is there anyway to run VBA outside of Access? Maybe stored in an external file and run on a crash?

[NeoPa]

With Application Automation you can control Access externally. This is most often found from other Office applications, but can be done completely externally I believe.

A small application that autoruns code to revert the settings may be useful. Alternatively, these are probably stored as registry settings so could be saved and re-applied when necessary simply by double-clicking on the saved .REG file (or even a shortcut to it created).

[NDayave]

In looking into transparent forms, I came across a rather simple solution to your "Run in Fullscreen" problem.

If you simply want a solid colour to fill the whole screen, make a form with that colour Detail and set:
- Scroolbars = Neither
- Record Selectors = No
- Navigation Buttons = No
- Dividing Lines = No
- Auto Resize = No
- Auto Centre = Yes
- Pop up = Yes
- Modal = No
- Border Style = None

In the form's VBA enter

Private Sub Form_Resize()
    Me.Painting = False
    DoCmd.Maximize
    Me.Painting = True
End Sub

On the form that opens with the database, On Load enter:

    With DoCmd
        .Echo False
        .OpenForm <FormName>
        .Echo True
    End With

and On Close Enter:

If (CurrentProject.AllForms(<Form Name>).IsLoaded) Then
        DoCmd.Close acForm, <Form Name>
End If

This will fill the entire background of the screen and provided you set your other forms to Pop Up as well it will stay that way.

If you want to make it transparent for a dimming effect for errors or logins etc. add a module:

Private Declare Function GetWindowLong Lib "User32" Alias "GetWindowLongA" _
  (ByVal hWnd As Long, _
   ByVal nIndex As Long) As Long

Private Declare Function SetWindowLong Lib "User32" Alias "SetWindowLongA" _
  (ByVal hWnd As Long, _
   ByVal nIndex As Long, _
   ByVal dwNewLong As Long) As Long

Private Declare Function SetLayeredWindowAttributes Lib "User32" _
  (ByVal hWnd As Long, _
   ByVal crKey As Long, _
   ByVal bAlpha As Byte, _
   ByVal dwFlags As Long) As Long

Private Const LWA_ALPHA     As Long = &H2
Private Const GWL_EXSTYLE   As Long = -20
Private Const WS_EX_LAYERED As Long = &H80000

Public Sub SetFormOpacity(frm As Form, sngOpacity As Single)
    Dim lngStyle As Long

    ' get the current window style, then set transparency
    lngStyle = GetWindowLong(frm.hWnd, GWL_EXSTYLE)
    SetWindowLong frm.hWnd, GWL_EXSTYLE, lngStyle Or WS_EX_LAYERED
    SetLayeredWindowAttributes frm.hWnd, 0, (sngOpacity * 255), LWA_ALPHA
End Sub

and change the resize sub on the background form to:

Private Sub Form_Resize()
    Me.Painting = False
    DoCmd.Maximize
    SetFormOpacity Me, 0.7
    Me.Painting = True
End Sub

[hedges98]

NDayave - I tried to use your code in the last post on my database but I get an error (code 2450) on this code

  With DoCmd 
        .Echo False 
        .OpenForm <FormName> 
        .Echo True 
    End With

Line 3 comes up highlighted when debugged. Just to make sure I'm not being stupid, the <FormName> refers to the background form, right?

Cheers!

[NDayave]

Hi hedges,

It looks like you haven't referenced your form correctly.

If it is called frmBackground, then the line would be:

With DoCmd 
        .Echo False 
        .OpenForm "frmBackground"
        .Echo True 
    End With

Hope that helps,

NDayave

[hedges98]

Yep, I was missing the quotation marks. Will give it a bash now, thanks for the prompt reply!

[NDayave]

No problem, post back if that's got everything sorted.

Point to note: Access can't (to my knowledge) intercept the ALT-TAB shortcut so although your app will be completely full screen, it can still be navigated away from. If you do know how to stop those kind of Windows shortcuts, I'd be very grateful to hear about it.