Course Overview

This course teaches programming concepts and how to add simple functionality to a Microsoft Access database by using Microsoft Visual Basic for Applications.

Audience
The audience for this course includes the following:
Knowledge workers and technologists who are familiar with using Access and other Microsoft Office applications but whose previous programming experience is limited
Any programmers who require an introduction to Office development using Visual Basic

At Course Completion
After completing this course, students will be able to:
Use the programming capabilities of Microsoft Visual Basic for Applications in Microsoft Access applications to write custom functions and event-driven procedures.

Validate data.

Find and trap errors.

Gain access to and manipulate data in tables by using Microsoft ActiveX Data Objects (ADO) and the Structured Query Language (SQL).

Create a custom switchboard for an Access application.

Prerequisites
The course assumes that students have the following skills:
Ability to design a relational database
Ability to use Microsoft Access to create a database with multiple tables, forms, and reports, and to create queries

Microsoft Certification exams – This course is not currently associated with any Microsoft certification exams.

Student Materials
The course materials are yours to keep. You will be provided with the following software for use in the classroom: Microsoft Windows, Microsoft Access

Course Outline
Module 1: Introduction to Programming
The following topics are covered in this module:
Using Visual Basic Help
Writing Procedures
Working with Variables
Controlling Program Flow
Calling Procedures
After completing this module, students will be able to:
Use Visual Basic Help.
Use the Visual Basic Editor to add code to applications.
Declare and use variables.
Use built-in functions to obtain values from users.
Create and call Sub procedures.
Use conditional statements to control flow of programs.
Lab 1.1: Introduction to Programming

Module 2: Responding to User Actions
The following topics are covered in this module:
Overview of the Class Application
Adding Event Procedures
Working with Events
Using Objects, Properties, and Methods
Using the DoCmd Object
After completing this module, students will be able to:
Create an event procedure.
Add an event procedure to a form.
Respond to user actions programmatically.
Perform specific tasks by using the DoCmd object.
Lab 2.1: Responding to User Actions

Module 3: Validating Data
The following topics are covered in this module:
Overview of Data Validation
Validating Data Without Using Code
Validating Data by Using Code
After completing this module, students will be able to:
Differentiate between data validation at the table level, form level, and code level.
Use the built-in validation tools in Microsoft Access.
Lab 3.1: Validating Data

Module 4: Using Functions and Understanding Scope
The following topics are covered in this module:
Using Functions
Understanding Scope
After completing this module, students will be able to:
Describe the appropriate use of functions.
Call built-in and custom functions in an application.
Create a custom function.
Describe the different levels of scope available to variables and procedures.
Define variables at the appropriate level of scope.
Define procedures at the appropriate level of scope.
Lab 4.1: Using Functions and Understanding Scope

Module 5: Using Debugging Tools
The following topics are covered in this module:
Stepping Through Code
Viewing Variables
After completing this module, students will be able to:
Set breakpoints to stop program execution.
Run selected portions of code.
Test data and procedures in the Immediate window.
Monitor variable values in the Locals window.
Add and edit watch expressions.
Lab 5.1: Using Debugging Tools

Module 6: Handling Run-Time Errors
The following topics are covered in this module:
Types of Errors
Adding Error Handlers
After completing this module, students will be able to:
Trap run-time errors.
Create error handlers.
Use the Err object.
Lab 6.1: Handling Run-Time Errors

Module 7: Looping Through Code
The following topics are covered in this module:
Overview of Looping Structures
For Loops
Do Loops
After completing this module, students will be able to:
List the different looping structures available in Visual Basic for Applications.

Write a For…Next loop to perform execution of code statements a fixed number of times.
Write a Do…While and a Do…Until loop to perform execution of code statements a variable number of times.
Describe the difference between beginning-of-loop and end-of-loop evaluation methods, and write code statements to accomplish each type of evaluation.

Module 8: Working with Records
The following topic is covered in this module:
Overview of Recordsets
Retrieving Data
Structured Query Language (SQL)
Manipulating Data
After completing this module, students will be able to:
Define recordsets.
Access data in tables by using ADO recordsets.
Retrieve data by using SQL and ADO recordsets.
Manipulate data by using SQL and ADO recordsets.
Lab 8.1: Working with Records

Module 9: Working with XML
The following topics are covered in this module:
About XML
Importing XML
Exporting XML
Transforming XML
Modifying XML using the DOM
After completing this module, students will be able to:
Describe XML and related technologies.
Import XML into Access.
Export XML from Access.
Transform XML by using the Extensible Stylesheet Language for Transformations (XSLT).
Modify XML by using the DOM.