Access Database Window

[skyman77]

When setting the show database window to False, it still appears on the taskbar - how do you really make this unavailable to the user.

Thanks

Simon

[UrinatinventuM]

Ok, I think you mean the Access window when you say "database window". The database window is the window inside the Access window where all the tables, queries, forms,... can be found. This window is not displayed on the taskbar. As far as I know, the Access window cannot be disabled.

[LOMAX]

The Access MDI background window can be disabled by hacking around with API calls, but apparently it is pretty unreliable.

WIthout wanting to sound pretentious, Access is supposed to have this window here, if you want standalone forms then developing with VB would make more sense.

[Kokomo]

I believe I have the same question. I have been looking for
a way to launch an Access application without having the
Access window/shell/background, whatever you call it, opening in the background. So far I havn't found a way.

[skyman77]

Ok - In Access 97 it can and is done because Access behaves itself and only puts 1 panel on the taskbar for which ever form has the focus. But Access 2000 and XP both place multiple entries on the taskbar - one for each form open within the Access MDI. Now you can make the Database Window (the one with all tables etc) disappear by once the database is open selecting it and going to hide on the Window menu. But my problem is I don't know how to do this with code - the show Database Window = false on the startup Menu only seems to give the focus to the form set as startup not physically hide the form.

Oh and I am going to write a VB app to run this but the thing started small and worked fine in Access 97 it is now only becoming a problem with the move to XP.

Thanks

Simon

[chrisjk]

turn off that awful feature, then should be no problem

[skyman77]

Thanks

I didn't realize that you could turn that off.

For anyone interested - open the database you want not to show multiple panels on the taskbar - go to options and view and turn off the "windows on taskbar" checkbox

Thanks
Simon

[LOMAX]

There seems to be some confusion on what the database window is. The database window is not the dark grey MDI window title "Microsoft Access", its the smaller window within here that shows all the objects (tables, forms etc.) available.

It is perfectly possible to hide this by going to TOOLS | STARTUP and removing the tick on DISPLAY DATABASE WINDOW.

However...Any object of your database, including any forms you design, will show within the Access MDI window, and to hide this requires API calls, as there is no "official" way of doing it. You would be preventing the window drawing out on screen, rather than instructing Access to display its objects separately. I have never tried it, but someone I know has and it is unreliable, and doesn't even look quite the same as a VB application (you can still tell that there's something not right about it).

As I said, Access is supposed to be hosted within an MDI window, its the design of the program. Access is part of the office family of applications, not the Visual Studio family, and is not designed to write distributable/professional applications. Personally I think this is a Microsoft excuse not to make Access more robust in all senses, but thats the way it is and I can't see it changing.