MS Access (all versions)

Below is an outline of my MS Access curriculum.  You can start your studies with me at any point in it and continue forward as far as you wish; or, you can study outline topics out of order; or, you can elect to study other topics not listed here; or, you can pursue any curriculum we agree upon.

  1.    Definitions of terms:

File, program, database, window, field, record, table, query, report, form, object, database window, select; parent window, child window; dialog box, button, text window, drop-down menu, maximize, minimize, restore, open, close, save, delete.

  2.    the Database File:

Create, close, open, delete, rename, copy, or view the properties of a databa se file.

(a database Table must be created in Access before you can do any other task)

A.    create a Table with a Wizard:

B.    enter a new Field in a Table:

C.    Field Properties:

D.    editing Fields:

E.    Datasheet View vs. Design View:

F.    Save, Close, and (re-)Open a Table:

G.    Enter and Edit data in a Table:

H.    select columns/Fields in datasheet view:

I.      resize rows or columns in datasheet view:

J.     sort Records:

K.    delete Records:

L.     move Field columns in Datasheet view:

M.    Hide and unhide columns:

N.     Freeze and unfreeze columns:

O.    copy a Table:

P.    create a new table without a Wizard.

A.    Select Queries:

1.    an exercise with the QBE grid:

a.    add fields to;

b.    select pre-existing fields:

c.    auto-fit field widths:

d.    delete fields:

e.    add multiple fields simultaneously:

2.    exercises introducing logical AND and logical OR:

3.    exercises using wild cards:

B.    Crosstab Queries:

1.    exercises using the Employees table.

2.    exercises using the Northwind database.

C.    Action Queries:

1.    Update Queries:

a.    exercises building expressions:

b.    exercises using logical AND and logical OR:

b.    exercises with Primary Key and counter fields:

c.    exercises using Null values:

2.    Append Queries:

a.    exercises using logical AND and logical OR:

b.    create tables with and without duplicate records:

c.    append new records at end or sort by Primary Key:

3.    Make-Table Queries.

a.    exercises using logical AND and logical OR:

b.    exercises making new table from many old tables:

c.    make a re-numbered subset of the former table

A.    filter by Selection;

B.    filter by Form;

C.    filter by Advanced Filter/Sort.

A.    exercises using previous databases

B.    using "Aliases"

C.    exercises using the Expression Builder window

D.    exercises with Null fields

E.    exercises with nested expressions

F.    exercises with Crosstab Queries

G.    exercises with logical AND and logical OR

  7.    Reports created with a Wizard:

A.    General methodology

B.    the Single Column Report Wizard

Exercises using previous tables and "views":

C.    Definitions:

control; bound control, unbound control, compound control; text box; report selector; grid; property sheet; section; report header; page header; detail; page footer; report footer.

D.    to Select:

1.    single and multiple adjacent controls

2.    nonadjacent controls

3.    all the controls in a report

4.    a section or sections

5.    the entire report

6.    to de-select

E.    moving selected controls:

1.    together as a unit by the same amount;

2.    only one part of a compound control;

3.    incrementally by a small amount;

4.    horizontally or vertically only.

F.    to Resize selected controls:

G.    the "Tabular" Report Wizard:

1.    Hierarchical Sorting and Grouping by fields

2.    Displaying and formatting Sub and Grand Totals

3.    Formatting controls

4.    Aligning totals

5.    Exercises with calculated controls

6.    Exercises with Sorting and Grouping

7.    Relationships and the "Foreign Key"

8.    Exercises

H.    the "Summary" Report

I.      the Label Wizard

  8.    Reports created without a Wizard (as above):

A.    General methodology

B.    Applying pre-defined styles:

C.    Format reports using the:

1.    Report Design Toolbar

2.    Formatting toolbar

3.    Toolbox

4.    Field List

5.    Property Sheet

6.    Snapping and Aligning to Grid

7.    Sizing Reports and sections

D.    Duplicating controls

E.    Format controls

F.    Copy control properties

  9.    Forms created with a Wizard (as above):

A.    General methodology

B.    create a Form with one record per screen:

C.    the 4 Form "Views":

D.    aligning controls and labels within a Form

E.    Sort a Form on any field

F.    Prevent data entry in a specified field

G.    Prevent editing of already entered data

H.    conceal already entered data

I.      display a few, narrow fields in horizontal rows

J.     display data as it appears in table or query datasheet view

K.    create a columnar, tabular, or datasheet Form

        based on pre-selected fields and styles

10.    Forms created without a Wizard (as above):

11.    Lookup Fields:

A.    Displayed as a Combo box or List box

B.    Source data options

C.    Setting up a Lookup field with a Wizard

D.    Setting up a Lookup field without a Wizard

12.    Creating a Relational Database:

A.    Relationships among Tables

B.    Index fields

1.    add or remove an index on a field

2.    to specify field names to be automatically indexed

3.    viewing all of the indexed fields in a table

C.    the Relationships window

D.    the Lookup box in relationships

E.    display the Query behind an SQL statement

F.    the Lookup Wizard

13.    Import ASCII or ANSI text files as Access Tables:

A.    create a new Table

B.    Append to an already existing Table

14.    Find a record:

15.    Split a database:

Split a database file into one file that contains Tables, another file that contains Queries, another containing Reports, another containing Forms, etc.

18.    Compacting a Database:

19.    Advanced topics:

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