When to use what?

[Riaang]

Hi all,

I am new on access and would like to know when to use the code builder or macro builder or expression builder.

Please help a lost soul.

Thanks

 

[Mark O'Brien]

I feel your pain. I am trying to finish my first db that I keep trying to push off.

Anyway, what I have decided that I am going to do is to never use the code builder, the macro builder or the expression builder ever! Unless I'm really desperate.

After trying to understand Access. I've finally found out that so long as you can figure out M$ SQL syntax and if you can write your VBA code in the VBE, you don't need to mess about with any wizards or builders.

I guess my answer would be then, use whatever you are most comfortable with. Personally, coming from writing a lot of VBA in Excel, I prefer to stick to typing in my own SQL statements and starting my code from scratch in the VBE. (ALT+F11 to initialise the VBE)

PS. I hate Access!

 

[NateO]

Well, you want to use the event builder (build event) if you're going to associate a vba procedure or function to an object in a form... Don't ever use what Access calls Macros, can't be sure what the point of this functionality is (well I do, it's called dumbed down Access), but it's got a 3 on it, write VB procedures and call those instead.

I'm a bigger fan than Mark of the design mode (don't care for the wizard) query construction interface. I don't use to the Expression Builder to actually write the function I'm about to implement, but more like a help file, review the function and it's arguments, like reviewing functions in the Excel function wizard (or whatever it's called).

Food for thought. Like Mark, I too hate Access.