599CD Computer Training Blog

Access Tip: Many-to-Many Relationships

Tue, 14 May 2013 14:50:24 GMT

In this new Access Tip video, I'll show you how to set up a Many-to-Many Relationship in your databases, and why they're important.

Access Expert 5 Handbook Ready

Tue, 14 May 2013 13:33:27 GMT

The handbook for the Access Expert 5 is now available.

If you have already purchased this handbook, you can download it now or get it in the Theater. If you are on the Waiting List for it, your order will be processed today. If you haven't purchased the handbook yet but you DO have the video course, you can buy the handbook from the Handbooks Only page.

Access Tip: Email Using Outlook

Sat, 11 May 2013 03:03:21 GMT

NEW Microsoft Access Tip: In this tutorial I will show you how to email a report from your Microsoft Access database using Outlook. Click here: EMAIL A REPORT.

Microsoft Access Expert 5

Fri, 10 May 2013 14:10:07 GMT

This is the fifth Microsoft Access video tutorial in the Expert series. It picks up where Expert Level 4 left off.

This class is 1 hour, 17 minutes long and focuses on creating a letter report that you can print, export, or email to your customers directly from your database. You'll also learn how to edit embedded macros, customize the Ribbon, and lots more. Topics include:

- Print a Letter Report
- Edit Embedded Macros
- Dealing with Dirty Form Records
- RefreshRecord Command
- Export to Word, Excel, PDF, more
- Email Report via Outlook
- HyperlinkPart Function
- EmailDatabaseObject Command
- Customize the Ribbon

Click here for more information on Access Expert Level 5, including a course outline, sample videos, and more. This course was recorded using Access 2013, but is also valid for Access 2007 and 2010 users.

NOTE: This is LEVEL FIVE of my Access Expert series. LEVEL SIX is in production right now, and should be available very soon. You can PRE-ORDER IT NOW on the Waiting List and get a discount when it's released. When you're finished with this class, if you want to keep learning Access, move up to my Access 205 class. Yes, this class is for Access 2003, but you shouldn't have any problems following along with it. PLUS, when the corresponding class for Access 2013 is released, you'll get a FREE copy.

Updated Production Schedule

Fri, 10 May 2013 04:00:00 GMT

Updated 10 May 2013

This is a guide to what's coming up next, in order of release. Don't ask me (or Denise) for dates, as I never give them (Why? Click here for an explanation). You can find more information or pre-order these courses by clicking on the links below. Your credit card will NOT be charged until the course is actually released.

WORKING ON RIGHT NOW:
I'm currently working on a seminar to handle personal finance: tracking expenditures, bank accounts, importing data from your bank's web site into Access, checking for duplicates, assigning categories for expenses, and so on. I started this project in early April so I could use it for my own finances to prepare my taxes. I finished the core of it, but it needs some embellishments and polishing. I expect to have it ready in a day or two.

AFTER THAT:
Access Expert Level 6 - You can pre-order now by clicking on that link. You'll be added to the Waiting List and will receive a discount when it's released. I plan to do my best to release one new regular Access class per week until all of the old ones are updated.

AFTER THAT:
I really, REALLY need to get out the Beginner Level 1 lessons for Office 2013. These will essentially just be re-recordings of Word 2007 Level 1, Excel 2010 Level 1, Access 2010 Level 1, PowerPoint 101, Outlook 101, and possibly new lessons for OneNote and Publisher, although I'm not married to that idea. I know that most of you reading this DON'T need them, but I see that most of my competitors already have 2013 lessons out and I need to do so as well. These shouldn't take very long to make, and I'll give FREE copies to everyone who has purchased the previous Level 1 lesson for those.

AFTER THAT:
I've been getting a lot of requests for a SHORT lesson that covers all of the Access Beginner material in a quick, one-hour video geared towards 2013 users. LOTS of people ask me if they can just skip over the Beginner stuff and go right to Expert 1. Sure, you can... but there's a lot of GOOD material in there. Unfortunately, there's also a lot of duplication (I don't want to call it "filler" because I believe learning is best when you see some things more than once). So I'm going to make a short, one-hour lesson that goes through ALL of the material from Beginner 1 to 9 for people who don't want to watch 10 hours of lessons just to get the basics. It's going to cost THE SAME as if you were to buy 1-9 separately, so you're not saving any money by skipping the full lessons. I MAY make this cover B1-9 plus X1-3 so that Access 2013 people can get caught up to where X4 picks up.

IN THE QUEUE: (in no particular order)

Alex requested that I make a seminar dealing with Updating an Access Front-End database file in a split-database environment using batch files and other crazy automation. So I may throw this one in at any time.

These are all pretty popular requests. VOTE for them NOW on the Waiting List:

Access Bulk Email
Publishing Access Databases Online with SharePoint
Using Access with SQL Server
Visual Basic 2012 Beginner 1
Using Access with a Barcode Scanner for Inventory
Certifica Gift Certificate Database

I've also got a couple of other requests from clients for additional database work that will most likely be turned into seminars as well, so these can get injected into this schedule at any time. If you have a need for custom database work, let me know. If I can turn it into a seminar that others will benefit from, I give a huge discount on my normal hourly rate. Contact me here.

EXCEL ADVANCED has surprisingly few people signed up for it on the Waiting List. As of right now we only have about 40 people signed up, whereas Visual Basic has twice that, and Access has over 400 people waiting for the next lessons. So you see where my priority has to be right now. YES, I'm definitely going to throw a bunch of advanced Excel lessons in there, but I probably won't get to them until this summer... unless people VOTE FOR EXCEL on the Waiting List.

HANDBOOKS are generally ready within 1 week of the final release date of a course... unless it's a long seminar. Then it can take longer.

This list has been determined by the voting results on the Waiting List. If you are interested in helping to determine what courses are made next, visit the Waiting List now and cast your votes. There were surprisingly FEW votes for Photoshop. This used to be one of my more popular classes. If you'd like to see new Photoshop classes, click here. I'm also quite surprised that Excel Expert is so low on the list. I've gotten a lot of emails from people asking when more Excel lessons, but perhaps these people aren't signing up on the Waiting List (hint hint).

Now, remember, everyone... if you purchase any of my CURRENT lessons from now until the release date, you will get a FREE upgrade to the new course when it's available. If there's anything else that you'd like to see, please let me know. Comments? Questions? Post them here. Thanks.

NOTE: SEMINARS:

I've got a LOT of seminar ideas planned for Microsoft Access, Excel, and more. You can see the full list here. I'm going to release these based on the signups on the Waiting List (see that link). Once any particular seminar gets at least twenty (20) students signed up for it, then I'll start working on that seminar (so they could come out at any time, based on signups). So if you're interested in a specific seminar, sign up for it now! And remember, your credit card won't be charged until that seminar is available. You can back out any time... and you will never be charged more than the amount shown (and sometimes less). If you have any questions, Contact Me. I've also got a few MINI Seminars planned that will only cost a few bucks, but cover something specific that a bunch of people have asked me about... too long for a free TIP video, but not long enough for a normal seminar. Stay tuned.

And, of course, as a disclaimer, NOTHING listed above is set in stone. These are ESTIMATES ONLY. The tutorials I release may change at any time depending on demand, need, customer interest, or even just my whim. I like to keep you guys "in the loop" as best I can, but remember that things may change.

Access Amort Handbook

Thu, 2 May 2013 20:56:39 GMT

The handbook for the Access Amortization Seminar is now available.

If you have already purchased this handbook, you can download it now or get it in the Theater. If you are on the Waiting List for it, your order will be processed today. If you haven't purchased the handbook yet but you DO have the video course, you can buy the handbook from the Handbooks Only page.

New ZIP File Downloads

Tue, 30 Apr 2013 17:35:52 GMT

As I posted a few weeks ago, I'm discontinuing the Amicron Video Player (AVP). It served me well for the past 10 years, but maintaining and upgrading it is just too time consuming. Over 90% of my students watch their videos online in the Theater now, and the rest of you will still be able to download your course videos as MP4 files which will you can view in most video players, including Windows Media Player, VLC Player, Android and iOS devices, and more.

If you are currently using the AVP, then you will continue to be able to use it to watch whatever lessons you've already downloaded. You will also be able to download new courses as long as you use the AVP's download feature. This pulls the videos right off the web site from the Theater folder, and that should still work fine for the foreseeable future.

You will no longer be able to download the EXE package files from the My Account system. Instead, you will see a ZIP file that has just the MP4 videos in it. This is the most portable solution, and doesn't require you to install any software on your PC. This is also what I'll be distributing on CDs that are shipped from here on.

As of right now, the ZIP files are still uploading to the server. In alphabetical order the upload is on "PowerPoint 103" and it has been running since yesterday at about this time... so all of the rest of them should be online by tomorrow.

If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to post them.

Microsoft Access Expert 4

Tue, 30 Apr 2013 02:19:54 GMT

This is the fourth Microsoft Access video tutorial in the Expert series. It picks up where Expert Level 3 left off.

This class is 1 hour, 48 minutes long and focuses primarily on new types of form controls including option groups, toggle buttons, the image control, and more. We'll also learn about one-to-one relationships, and practice more with one-to-many relationships. You will learn:

- Additional Form Controls
- Option Groups, Tab Control
- Toggle Buttons, Enhanced Formatting
- List Box, Image Control
- Display Image Without Storing
- One-to-One Relationships
- Extended Customer Details
- More One-to-Many Relationships
- Track multiple family members

This course was recorded using Access 2013, but is also valid for Access 2007 and 2010 users. Click here for more information on Access Expert Level 4, including a course outline, sample videos, and more.

Access Tip: Toggle Button Colors

Mon, 29 Apr 2013 03:00:07 GMT

In this tutorial I will show you how to cause your toggle buttons to change color when you hover over them or click on them. Absolutely no programming or macros are required. Click here: TOGGLE BUTTON COLORS.

Access Expert 4

Sat, 27 Apr 2013 16:53:05 GMT

Access X4 is done. The videos are in the Theater and you can order it to watch online, however the download copy is not ready yet and the full outline is not online. I'm going to try to get all of this finished up later tonight.

If you're on the Waiting List, I'll be putting those orders in over the next day or two. Feel free to order it now if you don't want to wait (don't worry, you won't get charged for two copies).

Here's the index outline if you're curious as to what it covers:

ACCESS EXPERT 4

1 hour 48 minutes

00. Intro (7:37)

01. Extended Info Tables (19:26)
Create CustomerExtendedT
ShortText and LongText Fields in 2013
Yes/No NULL Value
Password Input Mask
Family Member Table
Relative Type Table
Force One-to-One Relationship
Indexed No Duplicates

02. Extended Customer Form 1 (23:55)
Create Extended Customer Form
Option Group
Yes as -1, No as 0
Unspecified option
Change y/n to number
Create List Box from Scratch
Create Toggle Buttons
Manipulate Toggle Colors
Lighter Darker 50%
Hover Color
Pressed Color

03. Extended Customer Form 2 (26:05)
Command Button Open Ext Form
Default Value
Forms!CustomerF!CustomerID
Locked Property
Change Form Properties
Modal, Popup
Navigation Buttons
Record Selectors
Caption & Trick
Tab Controls
Image Control
Save Path Filename in Table
Set Image Control Source
Customer With Image Query
Display Image on Report
Customer Labels with Image

04. Family Member Form (14:15)
Description Indexed No Duplicates
Relative Type Helper Form
SQL Recordsource
Family Member Form
Relative Type Combo Box
Link Master Fields
Link Child Fields
List Items Edit Form

05. Toolbox Control Overview (11:20)
Hyperlink Control
Label with Hyperlink Address
Show File Extensions
Brief Discussion Of...
Web Browser Control
Page Break Control
Chart Control
Line & Rectangle Controls
Attachment Control
ActiveX Controls

06. Review (5:12)

New Access Tip: Conditional Format Expression

Wed, 24 Apr 2013 01:20:40 GMT

Did you know that it's possible to apply conditional formatting to fields in a form or report based on the value in a different field in the same record? For example, you can look at the Credit Limit field and apply a format change to the other fields in the same record based on that Credit Limit? This tutorial explains how to apply that conditional formatting using an Expression: CONDITIONAL FORMATTING EXPRESSION.

New Duplicator Has Arrived

Fri, 19 Apr 2013 01:14:00 GMT

FOLLOWUP to Our CD Duplicator Has Died

We received our new DVD duplicator tower a couple of days ago. We had some problems getting it set up, but it's now all up and running and ready to spit out some new DVDs. Anybody who has been waiting on orders via mail should be getting their shipments over the next couple of days.

Discontinuing Amicron Video Player

Tue, 16 Apr 2013 01:38:56 GMT

I'm contemplating discontinuing support for the Amicron Video Player software. Over 95% of my students use the Online Theater to watch lessons, and I feel it's no longer necessary. I'm thinking about just making the video files themselves available without any software - both for download and on the CDs I ship out. I mean, all my "Video Player" software does anyway is just launch Windows Media Player.

Your thoughts? Would you be happy if you received a CD with just a collection of video files on it and no "software" to install. Tell me what you think.

New Access Tip: Grid Lines v. Dots

Mon, 15 Apr 2013 15:00:39 GMT

This question gets posted in my forums or emailed to me at least once a week. Many people are confused because their forms and reports show thick grid lines instead of the smaller grid dots that you see in my videos.

This tutorial explains how to change that: GRID LINES v. GRID DOTS.

Two Access Handbooks Available

Thu, 11 Apr 2013 15:52:36 GMT

The handbooks for Access 2010 Expert Level 3 and the Access Split Database Security Seminar are now available.

If you have already purchased these handbooks, you can download them now or get them in the Theater. If you are on the Waiting List for them, your order will be processed today. If you haven't purchased the handbooks yet but you DO have the video course, you can buy the handbooks from the Handbooks Only page.

Four New Access Tip Videos

Wed, 10 Apr 2013 02:14:35 GMT

I just published four new Access Tip Videos.

1. Create a Database in Microsoft Access 2013. This is a quick run-through of how to set up a database in about 15 minutes. If you've watched my Access Beginner 1 course then there's nothing new in this video.

2. Referential Integrity. Learn about the benefits of referential integrity to prevent orphaned records in your tables. This topic is covered in Access Expert 2.

3. Calculating Loan Payments. This video will show you how to calculate the monthly payment for a loan or mortgage based on the amount of the loan, the interest rate, and the number of payments using the PMT function. I cover this in much more detail in my Loan Amortization Seminar.

4. Access SQL Basics introduces you to the basics of Access SQL - Structured Query Language - which is behind every query in your database. Learning this will take your development to the next level. Learn more SQL in my Access Expert 3 or SQL Seminar classes.

User Accounts Server Down for Backup

Tue, 9 Apr 2013 01:20:58 GMT

UPDATE: Everything is back online now but I'm leaving this here for you as a reminder to BACK UP YOUR IMPORTANT FILES OFTEN!

Big Bertha's demise has prompted me to make sure all of my backups are up-to-date. I haven't done a FULL backup of my main office server in several months now.

All of the critical data (databases, documents, etc.) is backed up nightly across my network (and off-site) but the primary C: drive with the operating system and all of my configuration settings hasn't been backed up since last summer. This means that if my SERVER were to take a dump, I'd have a LOT of restoration work to do.

So... I'm taking the server down right now for a full backup. I like to keep a DRIVE IMAGE of the C: drive just in case. This should take less than an hour. You will not be able to log into your account while the server is down. You'll be fine as long as you don't click on the LOG OFF link. If you do, you won't be able to get back in. Provided you don't log off, your user account info (including all of your classes) is stored on the WEB server in a cache database. So you should be able to still watch everything that is on your account as of the LAST time you logged in.

Got it? I'll have everything back online shortly.

UPDATES:

Well, it's running pretty slow. After 13 minutes, it's at 4%. It's showing an estimated time of completion of 5 hours. I doubt it will take that long. I've seen it take forever to run to 10% and then finish in 5 minutes. :)

Progress is 38% after 32 minutes. 55 minutes to go.

See, it's picking up speed now... 66% after 50 minutes. 27 minutes to go.

There... all done. Only took 2.5 hours. Not too bad.

Our CD Duplicator Has Died

Tue, 9 Apr 2013 00:48:57 GMT

BAD NEWS: Big Bertha, my huge 6-bay CD duplicator tower that I built myself about 10 years ago, has finally died. Cue sad music. She served me well. Anyone who is waiting for a CD to come in the mail is going to have to wait a little while longer. :(

GOOD NEWS: I just ordered a brand-new standalone 7-bay DVD duplication tower that should be here in 3 to 5 business days. This puppy will allow me to burn DVDs now instead of CDs, so that means I'll be able to fit even MORE stuff on a single disc. No more shipping 5 CDs when someone wants my complete Access collection.

Fortunately over 95% of you opt to DOWNLOAD your courses or watch them online. With almost everyone having high-speed Internet nowadays, it just makes so much sense. However, for the handful of you who have been waiting for discs in the mail, I apologize. I'll get them out to you as soon as the new tower arrives.

That's why I say "please allow 6 to 8 weeks for delivery... just in case." Well, this is one of those cases.

(And, no, I won't be changing the name of the site to 599DVD now. Haha. Interesting... just for the heck of it, I looked it up, and someone has registered that name and is sitting on it. Waste of money for them, I guess.)

UPDATE: New Duplicator Has Arrived

My Office 2013 Installation Notes

Mon, 8 Apr 2013 17:52:17 GMT

So I've made the permanent switch to Office 2013. So far, so good.

I purchased an Office 365 subscription about a month ago and I've been playing with the various features of Office 2013 since the beta came out back in December. I like it a lot so far. It's very clean and well organized. I like the Office 365 subscription model because you just pay one price per month and don't have to worry about buying a whole new package next time Microsoft decides it wants to upgrade. Plus automatic updates come right down to your computers.

As far as my forte goes, there aren't a ton of NEW features in Access. Access 2013 is almost identical to 2010 with a few minor cosmetic (and nomenclature) differences. I'll be addressing these in an upcoming seminar shortly. I've had Access 2013 on my laptop for about 2 months now, playing with the various features. The only MAJOR upgrades have been to Web databases - which I'll cover in a separate seminar. I'm still NOT sold on them. They are very "version 1.0" looking. I'm sure once Microsoft puts the polish on them that they deserve, and they become as robust as the full version of Access, you'll start seeing them everywhere.

I was able to safely install Office 2013 on the same PC as my older Office 2010 version. Both seem to work OK. I want to keep 2010 around for training purposes JUST IN CASE.

One thing that's SUPER aggravating is that the Office 365 install process shows a welcome video with NO WAY TO SKIP IT. I hate that. Just like I hate it when web sites play video without warning you and your speakers are up real loud. Ugh.

With my Office subscription, I purchased what they call the "Office 365 Midsize Business" package. They have so many different subscription levels and their web site is organized SO POORLY that it took me FOREVER to figure out which package was right for me. I wanted all of the Office 2013 apps, of course. I also wanted the ability to set up hosted Access databases online. For this, you need Sharepoint service. It's not clear WHICH of their packages was the least expensive (because I only need it for ME, not a team of 100 employees) but yet still gives me what I want. Turns out the "Midsize Business" package is the right one. It gives me the Sharepoint hosting, but only for 1 user. I'd have to add more people on if I want to share the database with a "team" of users... which is really all hosted Access databases are good for now anyways... SO FAR.

I did set something cool up though. Just for a trial, I built table and published it to my Sharepoint site. Then I was able to easily connect to it from multiple Access 2013 databases. This is REALLY cool. This allows you to have your TABLES hosted in the "cloud" up on Microsoft's server, yet you still work with a local "desktop" Access database front-end. This is great for sharing information with other team members... but again, it's not quite ready for PUBLIC database use yet. I'll be making a short seminar on how to do this in the coming weeks. It's really cool. Want to share your customer list or order history with your sales team but you DON'T want to spend a lot of time on it - just post your table up to Sharepoint.

More to come....

Access 2010 Expert 3

Fri, 5 Apr 2013 19:04:15 GMT

This is the third Microsoft Access video tutorial in the Expert series. It picks up where Expert Level 2 left off.

This class is 1 hour, 26 minutes long and teaches you the basics of SQL (the language behind all of the queries in your database), form footer totals, subforms, and lots more You will learn...

- SQL Basics
- Future Callbacks for Customers
- Default Value to Tomorrow at 9 AM
- Creating Subforms
- Link Master & Child Fields
- Using SQL in Form Record Source
- Form Footer Totals
- Sum, Avg, Max, Min, Count
- Modifying Embedded Macros

Click here for more information on Access 2010 Expert Level 3, including a course outline, sample videos, and more.