ACCESS VBA BASICS 

MODULES
There two types of modules

Standard module – a page that contains VBA that is accessible to all objects in a database.

Class Module – a page that is attached to every form and report.  The code is only accessible to the form or report it is attached to.

Viewing Modules
To view standard modules – click on the module button in the database window

To view a class module, in design view, choose View | Code  or ALT F11 (toggles)

ALT Q closes a module and returns to Access

PROCEDURES
A series of steps carried out in a specific order to achieve a desired result.
Each step in a procedure is a single line of code – a statement

Procedures are tied to events in your database.  When the event happens (eg you open an object) Access calls the procedure.

There are two types of procedures:

Sub procedure:

Sub procedures are always contained within a pair of

Sub
Sub End

Sub procedures perform a task

Function procedure:

Function procedures perform calculations:

Function
End Function

A module may contain several procedures.  Procedures within the same module are separated by a horizontal line.

THE VISUAL BASIC EDITOR

Project Explorer
Lists all the modules in the current database

Properties Window
Shows the properties of whatever is selected on the form or report

Immediate Window
Used for test code – sometimes referred to as the debug window

Code Window
Used for writing code.  When you press enter at the end of a line of code, the VBE compiles the code to see whether it works

Object Library
When objects are made available VBA can use them.  To use VBA to manipulate objects in Access, you have to make those objects available to VBA.
Tools | References shows a list of object libraries.  The ones that are ticked are available to VBA

Object Browser
Allows you to see objects that are available in each library or all libraries
View | Object Browser