Productivity Cheat Sheet 20 - MS Access 2

Not many people are aware of the fact that Microsoft Access was originally the name of a communications program in Bill Gates’ product stable in the bygone era of Windows 3.1. During that time, it was primarily pitted against a successful serial communications software called ProComm. But lack of market response forced Microsoft to kill that Access. Year later, for whatever reason the company chose to label its relational database by the same name. And this Access has met with formidable success.

There are lots of excellent help sites on Access. Beginners can start with www.drewslair.com/desk/access_series/Intro.htm, followed by the FAQs at www.mvps.org/access. And then top it up with www.databasedev.co.uk and www.functionx.com/access/index.htm.

EDITING/NAVIGATING OBJECT LIST
F2: Renames selected object
End: Moves to last object
Home: Moves to first object

NAVIGATING/OPENING OBJECTS
Ctrl+Tab: Cycles through Objects bar top to bottom
Shift+Ctrl+Tab: Cycles through Objects bar bottom to top
Enter or Alt+O: Opens selected table or query in Datasheet view, or form in Form view
Enter: Opens selected report in Print Preview; opens selected data access page in Page view; runs selected macro
Ctrl+Enter or Alt+D: Opens selected table, query, form, report, data access page, macro, or module in Design view
Alt+N: Creates new table, query, form, report, data access page, macro, or module
F5: Refreshes Database window
Ctrl+G: Displays Immediate window in Visual Basic Editor

WORKING WITH MENUS
Shift+F10: Shows shortcut menu
F10: Makes menu bar active
Alt+Spacebar: Shows program icon menu (on program title bar)
Alt: Closes visible menu and submenu at same time
Esc: Closes visible menu or submenu

WORKING WITH TOOLBARS
Ctrl+Tab or Ctrl+Shift+Tab: Selects next or previous toolbar
Tab or Shift+Tab: When toolbar is active, selects next or previous button or menu on toolbar
Enter: When toolbar menu selected, opens menu; when button selected, performs assigned action

WORKING DATABASES AND DIALOG BOXES
Alt+1: Goes to previous folder
Alt+2: Opens folder up one level from open folder
Alt+3: Closes dialog box, and opens WWW search page
Alt+4: Deletes selected folder or file
Alt+5: Creates new subfolder in open folder
Alt+6: Switchs between List, Details, Properties, and Preview views
Alt+7: Shows Tools menu

USING PROGRAM WINDOWS
Alt+Tab: Switches to next program
Alt+Shift+Tab: Switches to previous program
Ctrl+Esc: Shows Windows Start menu
Ctrl+W: Closes active database window
Ctrl+F6: Switches to next database window
Ctrl+Shift+F6: Switches to previous database window

USING DIALOG BOXES
Ctrl+Tab or Ctrl+PgDn: Switches to next tab in dialog box
Ctrl+Shift+Tab or Ctrl+PgUp: Switch to previous tab in dialog box
Tab/Shift+Tab: Moves to next/previous option or option group
Spacebar: Performs action assigned to selected button; selects or clears check box
Alt+letter key: Select option, or selects/clears check box by letter underlined in option name
Alt+Down Arrow: Opens selected drop-down list box
Esc: Closes selected drop-down list box; cancels command and closes dialog box
Alt+F4: Close dialog box

WORKING WITH TASK PANES
F6: Moves to task pane from another pane in program window
Ctrl+Tab: When a menu or toolbar is active, moves to task pane
Tab or Shift+Tab: When task pane is active, selects next or previous option in the task pane
Ctrl+Down Arrow: Display the full set of commands on the task pane menu
Spacebar or Enter: Opens selected menu, or performs action assigned to selected button
Shift+F10: Opens shortcut menu; opens drop-down menu for selected gallery item
PgUp or PgDn: Scrolls up/down in selected gallery list
Ctrl+Home or Ctrl+End: Moves to top or bottom of selected gallery list