Table of Contents

Introduction ..... xvii
Getting Started with Visual Basic ..... xviii
Using Online Help ..... xix
Other Resources ..... xx
Technical Support Services ..... xx
Microsoft Office Developer Forum ..... xx
Microsoft Press Books ..... xx
Mastering Office 97 Development ..... xxi
How This Book Is Organized ..... xxi
Document Conventions ..... xxii
Chapter 1 Programming Basics ..... 1
Writing, Editing, and Running Code in the Visual Basic Editor ..... 1
A First Look at the Visual Basic Editor ..... 2
Recording a Macro ..... 5
Getting Around in Your Projects ..... 6
Writing a New Procedure ..... 7
Sub Procedures vs. Function Procedures ..... 8
Public Procedures vs. Private Procedures ..... 8
Using the Value Returned from a Function ..... 9
Running a Sub Procedure ..... 10
Passing Arguments to a Procedure ..... 11
Using Named Arguments ..... 12
Writing Code to Respond to Events ..... 13
Timesaving Tools for Writing Code ..... 14
Writing Code That''s Easy to Read and Navigate ..... 15
Document Projects vs. Template Projects ..... 16
Class Modules ..... 16
Variables, Constants, and Data Types ..... 17
Visual Basic Data Types ..... 17
Declaring a Constant, Variable, or Array ..... 18
Setting an Object Variable ..... 19
Using Built-in Constants ..... 20
Control Structures ..... 21
Decision Structures ..... 21
Looping Structures ..... 24
Nesting Control Structures ..... 28
Exiting Loops and Procedures ..... 29
Chapter 2 Understanding Object Models ..... 31
Overview of Object Models ..... 31
What Are Objects and Object Models? ..... 31
What Are Properties and Methods? ..... 33
How Is the Object Model Related to the User Interface? ..... 33
Why Does It Matter Where an Object Is in the Object Model? ..... 34
What Are Collection Objects? ..... 34
Automating a Task by Using Objects ..... 35
Returning a Reference to an Object ..... 35
Applying Properties and Methods to an Object ..... 37
Getting Help Writing Code ..... 39
Programming Another Application''s Objects ..... 45
Chapter 3 Microsoft Access Objects ..... 47
Objects Available in Microsoft Access ..... 48
The Microsoft Access Objects ..... 49
The Application Object ..... 50
Using the Application Object for Automation Operations ..... 50
The Form Object and the Forms Collection ..... 53
Referring to Form Objects ..... 53
Properties of the Form Object ..... 54
Form Modules ..... 56
Creating Forms at Run Time ..... 56
The Report Object and the Reports Collection ..... 57
Referring to Report Objects ..... 58
Report Modules ..... 58
Creating Reports at Run Time ..... 58
The Control Object and the Controls Collection ..... 60
The Microsoft Access Controls ..... 60
ActiveX Controls ..... 61
Referring to Control Objects ..... 62
Properties of the Control Object ..... 63
Data-Bound Controls ..... 64
Controls That Have a Controls Collection ..... 65
The Module Object and the Modules Collection ..... 66
Referring to Module Objects ..... 66
Standard Modules vs. Class Modules ..... 67
Properties of the Module Object ..... 67
Methods of the Module Object ..... 69
Class Module Events ..... 71
The Reference Object and the References Collection ..... 72
Referring to Reference Objects ..... 72
Properties of the Reference Object ..... 73
Methods of the References Collection ..... 73
The DoCmd Object ..... 74
The Screen Object ..... 75
Properties of the Screen Object ..... 75
Chapter 4 Microsoft Excel Objects ..... 77
Working with the Application Object ..... 78
Working with the Workbook Object ..... 78
Opening Workbooks ..... 79
Creating and Saving