Welcome To The Access Unlimited Newsletter - Edition 36
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Access Unlimited is an email newsletter that provides free tips, help and information for skilled Microsoft Access users and related software disciplines.


Produced by Garry Robinson (known below as "Ed") from Sydney, Australia.

In this edition,
UPGRADING OFFICE AND OTHER SOFTWARE
THE WORKBENCH GETS A MAJOR UPGRADE
WINDOWS XP POPUP KEYBOARD
TURN OFF MICROSOFT REPORTING ON WIN XP
LISTS OF FILES IN A FOLDER
GOOD READING
WRAPPING THIS EDITION UP - GETTING A JOB


--- UPGRADING OFFICE AND OTHER SOFTWARE - DEVELOP A STRATEGY SOON

Ed scribed an article which focuses on the current upgrade strategy for many of Australia's most popular business software products.  This appeared in one of Australia's most popular business magazines called the National Business Bulletin.  Read more ...

http://www.vb123.com/toolshed/02_docs/upgrades.htm

This was soon followed by some other recent Office upgrade news such as this published by Microsoft Australia.

"In May 2001, we introduced Office XP Subscription, a way to license Office on an annual subscription basis. Our recent product evaluations have shown that, while customers do find this model useful, there is confusion around the exact mechanics of this subscription model. On this basis, we are discontinuing the program. To minimize inconvenience, we are offering subscription customers a replacement copy of Office XP (perpetual version) at no additional charge. This version will never expire and is eligible for future product upgrades. For details on obtaining your replacement copy of Office XP, please call 1800 642 008. http://www.microsoft.com/australia/office/


Ed's comments.  "This ends what was an unsuccessful trial of subscription
licenses for the end user.   Guess that these consumers just were not smart
enough to workout why a one year license at a third of the normal retail price wasn't a great buy.  Also, next time please Microsoft, can you leave Australia, NZ and France out of the major consumer trials as we have had our fair share of being the guinea pigs."

On other related issues, Zdnet is reporting that Office 11 (next version) will require users to upgrade to Windows XP.  Windows NT and 98 (and I guess
ME) will not be allowed/supported and the reasons for this are probably as much market driven as technical.

http://zdnet.com.com/2100-1104-963777.html
http://techupdate.zdnet.com/techupdate/stories/main/0,14179,2896213,00.html


Ed tried to find this information at Microsoft and it was very elusive.  The closest links were
http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/newsroom/office/
www.microsoft.com/presspass/pressETC

--- THE WORKBENCH GETS A MAJOR UPGRADE

During the last month, a lot of work was undertaken on our latest tool called the Access Workbench.  This included features such as producing lists of computers and users for secure databases, storage of your favorite username and password (encrypted) for fast opening of Microsoft Access, better messages and displays and context sensitive help.

One user who was managing 4 secure databases and 2 different workgroups wrote about the latest version "Just wanted to write a note to tell you that your new Workbench works great!  It definitely will make life a lot easier! ".

This user also used the feature that allows you to see what users are using
a workgroup as distinct from a database.   Ed speculates that comparing
users who use a workgroup to users who use a database will give you a better idea about the success of your Access security.

At our company, our main task is development of databases and the Access workbench is proving very useful in easily switching between security workgroups.  A lot of errors have been reduced as we can easily see which workgroup we are going to use before we open the database.  We also do not have to type in our username and password every time we login.  Anyway, the software is downloading at a rate of 30 users a day and some people are even registering it.  Yipee !!!

http://www.vb123.com/workbench/

--- HIDDEN PROGRAM - WINDOWS XP POPUP KEYBOARD
If you are running Windows XP, you will find a cool little program called the On Screen keyboard.  This will allow you to type with your mouse and return the instructions to the last program that had the focus.  I imagine there is someone out there that will find a use for this popup interface.

C:\WINDOWS\system32\osk.exe


--- TURN OFF MICROSOFT REPORTING ON WIN XP

One of the biggest pains in Win XP is the automatic sending of error reports to Microsoft (well avoiding to anyway).  Here is the solution

Display your Desktop.   (Hit the windows key and D at the same time)
Right click on My Computer and choose properties.
Choose the Advanced tab
Choose error reporting
Choose disable error reporting rather than choose to send error reports to Microsoft.


--- LISTS OF FILES IN A FOLDER

Janet wrote, maybe you already know this but I often need a list of files in a directory/folder.  Usually I do a screen dump but that's a bit of a pain, especially when there is more than a screen full of files and it's not much good if you want to annotate the list.

The procedure is:

* In DOS go to the directory which has the files you want to list
* Enter command:   DIR > "filename".txt
Eg DIR > listfiles.txt
* The txt file called "listfiles.txt" will be created in the directory you are listing

ED:  This is a good hint that I have used once every 3 months for 15 years. I usually add the brief extension to this command  dir/b  to remove the file
size from listing.   The > letter in the dos command is a signal to Dos to
pipe the preceding command into the file.   The biggest challenge in Dos
these days is moving to the correct directory in the first place.

This was followed up with lots of comments  from users that are all noted here

Links and information on how to send a produce a list of files in a folder.

--- GOOD READING

Does your most recently used file list present a security risk.  This rather confusing article from Microsoft explains a tricky way to reduce the risk. http://www.microsoft.com/office/ork/2000/journ/KioskMode.htm

And in Access 97
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=KB;EN-US;Q162819&

Faxing from Access to Win Fax Pro
http://www.granite.ab.ca/accswfxp.htm

Things to know before writing a commercial software program. http://www.lockwoodtech.com/articles/commercial_software.htm

Setting context sensitive help for Office 2000 and visual basic.  This page actually describes the one thing that no one else thought to describe.  How to actually add a topic number for a html page.  Wow and Ed thought that would be the very first thing to describe.  Silly him !!!! http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=KB;EN-US;Q242433&

Information about the bugbear virus.
http://www.mcafee.com/anti-virus/viruses/bugbear/

Adding a treeview control to Access 2000 http://www.databasejournal.com/features/msaccess/article.php/1483461

Links on how to install visual basic runtimes
http://www.simtel.net/vbrun.php


WRAPPING THIS EDITION UP - GETTING A JOB

In the last year or so, a lot of IT professionals have found themselves
chasing a small pool of jobs.   As my business is successful in attaining a
good number of custom software projects a year, I thought it would be useful to pass on some advice to give those persons seeking work in IT during and after the XMAS period.

Firstly searching for work is a full time job.   So take it seriously and
make sure that every day you spend at least 5 hours a day searching for jobs
and improving your skills.   If you can, do this in a location that is
separate from your home environment.  To this end, use whatever free government resources that you can find to assist you,  read and research at a library or in a quiet room where the kids (and spouse) won't disturb you.

Once you have exhausted the daily papers and online job markets,  its time
to improve your IT skills.   By this I do not mean browsing web sites and
reading the odd chapter of a book.   What you should do is try and complete
a professional IT task.   Ideas that I have used is to rewrite a previous
application in a new computer language.     Another would be to review
programs that you have written for previous clients and offer that client extensions to the software or even write them a help file for the system. But do the task professionally and finish it off like a product that you would purchase.  It's the last 20% of a program where you really learn your
IT skills.    Other ideas that come to mind is to write letters to the
editor for IT magazines, contribute to online groups such as the MS Access group below or websites such as vb123.com.  But whatever you do, work as hard when you do not have a job as you do when you do have a job.  And do not forget to tell your future employers what work you did when you were unemployed.


Ed.   Garry Robinson

For google groups submissions, goto http://groups.google.com/groups?hl=en&group=comp.databases.ms-access


PEOPLE WHO READ THIS NEWSLETTER, ALSO READ

Access Developer News by Mike Gunderloy
http://www.larkware.com


-- OUR SOFTWARE AND RESOURCES -----------------------

Reuse our software libraries in your programs
---> http://www.vb123.com/toolbox/

Manage your databases and users, login in quickly, change workgroups quickly and securely and more
---> http://www.vb123.com/workbench/

Explore your data visually using our popular Access data mining shareware
---> http://www.gr-fx.com/graf-fx.htm


View our web site as a searchable eBook and have access
to all the downloads discussed in the articles and information pages at the popular vb123.com web site.
---> http://www.vb123.com/toolshed/


So thanks for reading the Access Unlimited newsletters.
Feel free to make comments, copy the email to a friend or maybe even contribute to the next edition.


Garry Robinson - Software Consultant

Software Resources http://vb123.com/


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Published  2002-11

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