While I am committed to using Microsoft Access, I'm afraid I spend more time (some, like my wife, might say too much!) hanging about answering questions in the microsoft.public.access.* newsgroups, as well as computer.databases.ms-access newsgroup. To this end, I've been honoured by Microsoft by being named a MVP (Most Valued Professional). See my MVP profile. The fact that I answer questions in the newsgroup should not be taken as an implication that I'm willing to answer questions via private e-mail.

I believe in newsgroups. Sending private e-mail, to my mind, defeats the purpose of the newsgroups. First, it's of less benefit to you, since now you're tied to me having to check my e-mail, find time to reply, etc., whereas if you post to the newsgroup, someone else may be able to answer your question instead of me. As well, if you have a particular problem, odds are someone else out there has the same problem, and they won't benefit from private e-mails. Remember, too, that everything posted to the newsgroups gets archived at services such as http://groups.google.com/advanced_group_search, so others can benefit for a long time (and perhaps I won't have to answer the question again <g>). Unfortunately, Microsoft has chosen to leave the realm of newsgroups behind, replacing them with online forums.

Hey, I finally have a book out! Fellow MVP Arvin Meyer and I recently co-authored Access Solutions: Tips, Tricks, and Secrets from Microsoft Access MVPs for Wiley.

While you're waiting, check out some of the links that I've found useful in the past. I've started to find myself doing more in Visual Basic than Access these days, so I've added some VB links as well.

Access

The Access Junkie

Jeff Conrad, self proclaimed "Access Junkie", has accumulated a great set of references here

The Access Web

The best (bar none)

Allen Browne's Home Page

Includes, among other items, a good article about working with dates when your default is non-American.

Black Moshannon Systems (Speed Ferret)

Good Find & Replace utility that works with Microsoft Access, SQL Server, and Visual Basic

FMS, Inc.

FMS makes some very impressive utilities for MS Access

Microsoft Access 2003 VBA Language Reference

This download contains the Microsoft Office Access 2003 Visual Basic for Applications (VBA) Language Reference as a compiled Help file.

Microsoft Access Knowledge Base Help Files

Download the "official" Microsoft Access Knowledge Bases here (Access 97 and earlier only)

PK Solutions Home Page

For Microsoft Access related tools and services, including the most reputable Data Recovery Rescue Service for Microsoft Access

Rick Fisher Consulting (Find & Replace utility)

Another great Find & Replace utility for Access

Stephen Lebans's Website

Some amazing ways of achieving things you never thought you could in Access! Unfortunately for us, Stephen has decided to retire from all things Access, but he's keeping his site around for our edification.

Superior Software for Windows (SSW)

Impressive utilities for Access, VB and .NET Developers

Tony's Main Access Page

Has good stuff on emailing and help. Also some very useful free utilities.

Trigeminal Software, Inc. (English)

MichKa has forgotten more about Access than most of us can ever hope to learn!

Trevors Home Page

A little dated now, but still has some good stuff.

vb123.com

Resources from Garry Robinson (and home of the Access Unlimited newsletter)

VB

Common Controls Replacement Project

Dedicated to providing better, smaller controls than Microsoft
(Alas, the project has chosen to disband. You can still download the results of their work, though.)

Home of Brad's VB-32 programs and samples

To quote Brad, "A unique collection of freeware programs and code samples catering to the intermediate and advanced Visual Basic programmer familiar with the Win32 shell, common controls, and API."

Karl E. Peterson's Classic VB Code

Not only does Karl have a fabulous resource here, but he's also one of the hard workers who ensures that the mvps.org website runs tickety-boo.

VBNet: The Visual Basic Developers Resource Centre

IMHO, this site (run by Randy Birch) is the VB site to visit! Randy concentrates on using Windows APIs, and most of his code will run (albeit with a little tweaking) in VBA.

YAW

L.J. Johnson's "Yet Another Web-page" is a little more than the title implies...

ADO

ADO Connection Strings

Carl Prothman has virtually every known ADO connection scenario described here.

My Stuff

A More Complete DateDiff Function

Calculate the difference between two date/time values down to the second.

An Alternative Database Documentor

An add-in (courtesy of Jeff Conrad, Access Junkie) based on a Smart Access column of mine

Dealing with Access Reference Problems

A detailed explanation of what causes the problem (most often characterized by having common functions like CurrentDB, Str$, Mid$, Date$, etc. stop working), and what can be done about it.

Fix your registry

How to fix your registry if you add Access 2.0 after you've added Access 97. (Yes, I know this is kind of out of date, but hopefully the principle will show you how to do it for other situations!)

"The Ten Commandments"

A paraphrase of The Ten Commandments of Access at "The Access Web".
While I agree whole-heartedly with the sentiments, I didn't like the wording, so I've reworked it here.

Using DSN-less Connections

How to create tables linked to ODBC data sources without requiring a DSN.

Access Answer columns

My monthly Access Answer columns (almost three years worth!) from the Smart Access newsletter.

Access Advisor articles

Sorry: Advisor seems to have taken down the website, so I can no longer point you to articles I wrote for Advisor Media. I'll try and get copies up there once I've worked out the copyright details!

Database Journal articles

Articles I've written for Database Journal.

As well, here are some ancient sample databases I've created (MS Access 2.0, under Windows 3.1, although I have tested most of my code running 2.0 under Win'95) These files are the .MDB zipped up. I've tried to put sufficient comments in the code, but I know I haven't always succeeded!

List Fonts (24,830 bytes)

Work with Novell 3.x (22,854 bytes)

This page is maintained by Last Updated: 18th September, 2011