Microsoft Access 2000

More New Features And Upgrades

What's New About Securing, Maintaining, and Converting a Database

Microsoft Access 2000 includes improved tools for maintenance and security.

You can secure your Access database with the User-level Security Wizard. The User-level Security Wizard is now much easier to use and is the preferred method for defining user-level security on a Microsoft Access database for most common security schemes.
You can protect your code with Visual Basic for Applications password protection. Standard modules and modules behind forms and reports are now protected by a Visual Basic Applications (VBA) password that you create in the Visual Basic Editor; they are no longer protected by user-level security.
You can use the improved Compact utility that combines compacting and repairing into a single process, and is safer and more effective.
You can select Compact On Close to automatically compact a Microsoft Access database or Microsoft Access project when you close it.
You can convert an Access 2000 database to Access 97 file format.

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What's New About Forms and Reports

Microsoft Access 2000 provides new features to make it faster and easier to create great-looking forms and reports.

You can group text boxes and other controls. Use the Group command on the Format menu to group related text boxes and other controls on a form or report.
You can define conditional formatting rules for text boxes and other controls. Use the Conditional Formatting command on the Format menu to define the font color, font size, control background color, and other visual information that gives feedback to users as they enter data on a form.
You can create forms and reports for SQL Server databases. In a Microsoft Access project, you can create forms and reports for a SQL Server database with the same tools that you use to create them in a Microsoft Access database.
You can distribute reports to users who don't have Microsoft Access. Export Microsoft Access reports to report snapshot (.snp) file format. You can use Snapshot Viewer to view, print, and mail report snapshots.

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What's New in Replication

Replication commands on the Microsoft Access Tools menu in a Microsoft Access database (.mdb) and in a Microsoft Access project (.adp) allow you to create replicas and synchronize them on demand as you work in Microsoft Access.

You can replicate data in an Access project by creating publications and subscriptions.
You can use Jet and Replication Objects (JRO) to replicate and synchronize databases and Access projects programmatically.
You can work on files even when you are no longer connected to a Web server by using Web server replication.
You can use Replica priority to resolve replication conflicts. A replica in a replica set is assigned a priority when it is created. The highest priority replica is used in the case of a synchronization conflict.
You can prevent users from deleting records in a replica by using the Prevent Deletes option.
You can create local replicas and anonymous replicas. Local and anonymous replicas can synchronize only with their parent, global replica. Anonymous replicas are recommended for Internet applications if you need a large number of replicas.
You can use the Conflict Viewer to reconcile and resolve synchronization conflicts; it is the default tool in Access for this purpose.
You can use the ConflictFunction property as an alternative to the Microsoft Access Conflict Viewer to provide a customized procedure that assists users in resolving synchronization conflicts.
You can use Row Level Tracking if you want. When this table property is set to True, it indicates that conflicts are tracked based at the row level of a table rather than at the default column level.
You can set a Retention Period to control the number of days nonsynchronized records are retained in the system tables.
You now use a single mechanism to record and resolve conflicts and errors, making resolution easier. Whenever a conflict occurs, a winning change is selected and applied in all replicas and the losing change is recorded as a conflict at all replicas.

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What's New with Sample Applications

The sample applications that you can install with Microsoft Access provide documented examples that show you how to create and customize full-featured Microsoft Access databases.

The Northwind sample application is designed for users new to Microsoft Access databases. Northwind includes data that you can manipulate, and forms, reports, data Access pages, and other database objects you can use as models in your own databases.
The NorthwindCS sample application includes a SQL script that creates the Northwind database in Microsoft SQL Server, and a Microsoft Access project that you connect to the Northwind database. The Access project includes forms, reports, data Access pages, and other database objects you can use as models in your own Access projects.
The Address Book database can save address and phone information for every member of a family, print address labels, or remind your when it's time to send birthday cards. You can export your address list to Microsoft Word.
The Contact Manager database can save information on all of your contacts, keep records of calls, send e-mail, set reminders, and print labels. You can export your contact list to Microsoft Word.
The Household Inventory database can save information about important possessions, keep a permanent record of serial numbers, purchase and replacement information, and list items donated to charity.
You can import and export information from other applications.

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What's New with Toolbars, Menu Bars, and Shortcut Menus

The toolbars, menu bars, and shortcut menus in Microsoft Access 2000 make it easy for you to organize commands the way you want.

You can personalize menus and toolbars. Expand a menu to display all commands, and choose a command to add it to a personalized menu. Microsoft Access 2000 adjusts menus and toolbars as you work so that only the commands and toolbar buttons you use most often appear.
You can position toolbars next to each other. Click More Buttons if there is not enough room on the toolbar for a button that you need. Resize the toolbar if you'd like room for more buttons. After you've clicked a button, it appears on the toolbar with the buttons that you've used most recently.
You can assign a hyperlink to a toolbar button or menu command. This gives you easy Access to a location on your computer, a network, an intranet or the Internet.

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What's New with Macros

Microsoft Access 2000 provides new actions you can use to open data Access pages and the new database objects, diagrams, stored procedures, and views, in a Microsoft Access project (.adp).

You can use the OpenDatAccessPage action to open a data Access page in the current database in either Design view or Page view.
You can open a diagram in the current Access project by using the OpenDiagram action.
You can open a stored procedure in the current Access project by using the OpenStoredProcedure diagram.
You can open the stored procedure in Datasheet view, Design view, or Print Preview.
You can open a view in the current Access project by using the OpenView action.

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What's New in Programming with Visual Basic for Applications

The Microsoft Visual Basic Editor (VBE) is the development environment in which you create and edit Visual Basic for Applications (VBA) code.

You use the Microsoft Visual Basic Editor to create and edit the code contained in files that you have created in Microsoft Office applications, including Microsoft Access databases and Microsoft Access projects. VBE features include the Project Explorer, the Properties window, the Object Browser, and the Code window, and debugging tools.
Several new language elements, including Objects, Properties, Methods and Events are new in Microsoft Access 2000. Detailed information is available in the Help system by searching for "New Objects" for example.

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What's New About Working with Other Applications

Microsoft Access 2000 provides new features for working with other products.

You can work with Microsoft SQL Server. Create a Microsoft Access project that is easy to connect to a Microsoft SQL Server database, or use the Microsoft SQL Server Database Wizard to create a SQL Server database and an Access project at the same time. Working with an Access project is similar to working with a Microsoft Access database; the process of creating forms, reports, data Access pages, macros, and modules is the same. Once you connect to a SQL Server database, you can view, create, modify, and delete tables, views, stored procedures, and database diagrams using the Microsoft SQL Server Design Tools.
You can create a new Access database from data in another file format. Just open a file that is in another file format (such as text, dBASE, Paradox, or spreadsheet format) in Access; Microsoft Access 2000 automatically creates an Access database and links the file for you.
You can import or link data from Microsoft Outlook or Microsoft Exchange. Use the Exchange/Outlook Wizard to import or link data from Microsoft Outlook and Microsoft Exchange Server. For example, you might want to link to your Microsoft Outlook Contacts folder and then create form letters and mailing labels by merging the data with the Microsoft Word Mail Merge Wizard.

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