ACC97: Setting Default Control Properties in Visual Basic

• Microsoft Access 97

SUMMARY

Advanced: Requires expert coding, interoperability, and multiuser skills.

This article demonstrates how to use Visual Basic for Applications to set properties for default controls on forms and reports.

This article assumes that you are familiar with Visual Basic for Applications and with creating Microsoft Access applications using the programming tools provided with Microsoft Access. For more information about Visual Basic for Applications, please refer to your version of the "Building Applications with Microsoft Access" manual.

MORE INFORMATION

In order to set properties for default controls, you must use the form's DefaultControl method. Note that although you can use this method to set properties for default controls, not all of a control's properties are available as default properties.

The following properties only apply to default controls and cannot be set for a control that has already been placed on the form or report:

• AddColon
• AutoLabel
• LabelAlign
• LabelX
• LabelY
• TextAlign

1. Open the sample database Northwind.mdb.

2. Create a module and type the following line in the Declarations section if it is not already there:

         Option Explicit
   

3. Type the following procedure in the module:

         Sub SetDefaultProperties()
            Dim frm As Form
            Dim ctl As Control
   
            Set frm = CreateForm()
            Set ctl = frm.DefaultControl(acTextBox)
            With ctl
                ' Add a label for new textboxes.
                .AutoLabel = True
   
                ' Do not include a colon in labels for new textboxes.
                .AddColon = False
   
                ' Align label text to the right for new textboxes.
                .LabelAlign = 3
   
                ' Place labels for new textboxes 1/4 inch above
                ' and aligned to the left.
                .LabelX = 1440 * .33
                .LabelY = -1440 * .25
   
                ' Center text in new textboxes.
                .TextAlign = 2
            End With
            DoCmd.SelectObject acForm, frm.Name, False
            DoCmd.Restore
         End Sub
   
   

4. To test this procedure, type the following line in the Debug window, and then press ENTER:

         SetDefaultProperties
   

   Note that a new, blank form opens in Design view.

5. Add a new textbox to the form.

   Note the label for the new textbox does not include a colon, has right aligned text, and appears 1/4 inch above and is left aligned with the textbox. Also, note that the text in the new textbox is now centered by default.

REFERENCES

For more information about using Visual Basic for Applications to set the properties for default controls, search the Help Index for "DefaultControl method".

Keywords          : kbprg PgmHowTo FmrHowTo
Version           : 97
Platform          : WINDOWS
Hardware          : x86
Issue type        : kbhowto