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unbound forms



 
 
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  #1  
Old May 4th, 2010, 07:51 PM posted to microsoft.public.access.forms
icccapital
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 88
Default unbound forms

I have a form that has a recordsource based on a query I typed in and I have
all the controls on the form unbound. I believe with a bound control it
keeps a link to the database so there is a lot of communication between form
and database right? With an unbound form does the recordsource "download" a
recordset that the form then walks through? So if I add a next button to the
form, when next is clicked does the form requery the database or does it get
the data from the recordset?

I am working in access 2007 and right now the database is split with the
backend still in access, but I hope to move it to sql server so that is part
of the reason I am trying to unbind some of the information, to improve
performance after the move.

Thanks for the thoughts.
  #2  
Old May 5th, 2010, 01:04 AM posted to microsoft.public.access.forms
Golfinray
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 1,597
Default unbound forms

Unbound forms are not less complex, but MORE. Having to set recordsources on
the fly is something you should avoid. Bind the forms to a table or query
then when you upgrade the sql it will be easy to set the links. Google unc
paths to find out how.
--
Milton Purdy
ACCESS
State of Arkansas


"icccapital" wrote:

I have a form that has a recordsource based on a query I typed in and I have
all the controls on the form unbound. I believe with a bound control it
keeps a link to the database so there is a lot of communication between form
and database right? With an unbound form does the recordsource "download" a
recordset that the form then walks through? So if I add a next button to the
form, when next is clicked does the form requery the database or does it get
the data from the recordset?

I am working in access 2007 and right now the database is split with the
backend still in access, but I hope to move it to sql server so that is part
of the reason I am trying to unbind some of the information, to improve
performance after the move.

Thanks for the thoughts.

  #3  
Old May 5th, 2010, 01:33 PM posted to microsoft.public.access.forms
Linq Adams via AccessMonster.com
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 1,474
Default unbound forms

If the "next" button you're talking about adding is from the Command Button
Wizard it's not going to do anything on an unbound form!

A big part of the reason to use Access for database development is the speed
with which it can be created, using bound forms. Several developers I know,
experienced in Visual Basic database development and Access development,
estimate that development using unbound forms by ***experienced*** developers
takes twice as long as it does when using Access and bound forms.

The belief that unbound forms are necessary in order to do data validation
(the reason usually given) is simply not true!

If you insist on using unbound forms, you'd be far better off using a
straight VB or C++ front end with a SQL Server or Oracle back end.

You can create an EXE file which gives total protection to your code/design

You can distribute the db to PCs without a copy of Access being on board

Your data security if far, far better than anything you can do in Access

--
There's ALWAYS more than one way to skin a cat!

Answers/posts based on Access 2000/2003

Message posted via http://www.accessmonster.com

  #4  
Old May 5th, 2010, 03:08 PM posted to microsoft.public.access.forms
BruceM via AccessMonster.com
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Posts: 448
Default unbound forms

I have to disagree with the general statement that setting a record source on
the fly is something to be avoided. It is often more efficient to load just
the records that are needed rather than loading the entire recordset and
filtering it, but the OP is not talking about that, so in the context of the
question I am inclined to agree.

One curiosity is that the OP seems to be describing a form that is bound to a
record source, but the controls are unbound. This may be the worst of both
worlds. To view or edit the data it will be necessary to use a bound form,
or maybe to write the data for a single record to unbound controls, which I
agree would be something to avoid.

golfinray wrote:
Unbound forms are not less complex, but MORE. Having to set recordsources on
the fly is something you should avoid. Bind the forms to a table or query
then when you upgrade the sql it will be easy to set the links. Google unc
paths to find out how.
I have a form that has a recordsource based on a query I typed in and I have
all the controls on the form unbound. I believe with a bound control it

[quoted text clipped - 10 lines]

Thanks for the thoughts.


--
Message posted via AccessMonster.com
http://www.accessmonster.com/Uwe/For...forms/201005/1

  #5  
Old May 6th, 2010, 03:43 AM posted to microsoft.public.access.forms
David W. Fenton
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 3,373
Default unbound forms

=?Utf-8?B?Z29sZmlucmF5?= wrote
in :

Unbound forms are not less complex, but MORE.


Very true -- you have to put in a whole bunch of code to replicate
features and events that you get without code in a bound form.

Having to set recordsources on
the fly is something you should avoid.


Why? I see absolutely no reason to avoid it. Indeed, I'd say it's
the first choice for any form.

Bind the forms to a table or query


Terrible idea -- it may work with small tables, but quickly becomes
inefficient. It's also very bad if you try to upsize it.

then when you upgrade the sql it will be easy to set the links.
Google unc paths to find out how.


UNC has zilch to do with the subject of bound/unbound.

--
David W. Fenton http://www.dfenton.com/
usenet at dfenton dot com http://www.dfenton.com/DFA/
  #6  
Old May 6th, 2010, 02:54 PM posted to microsoft.public.access.forms
icccapital
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 88
Default unbound forms

golf, linq, bruce and david--

Thank you all, this is a great discussion. I am fairly new to front end
design and using all the tools out there to create them. I have for classes
done some database frontend with php and because I found it unweildy for
creating gui I decided to create it in Access. But please, let me know what
your favorite (best) way to create a frontend gui that you have found, I am
very interested to learn.

Also, as stated before I have found the limitations of the jet database
engine too much and would like to move to a sql express backend, so much of
what I am doing now is to help with that transfer. When I did a first test
upscale to sql and ran it, I found it to be terribly slow because it turned
out that access forms were making a lot of calls to the database so I was
attempting to simplify that part of it. Please let me know your thoughts on
what the best way to goa bout this is, assuming I don't switch to another
frontend.

I know this might be vague so ask directing questions. I hate to make the
question so long by adding every detail I know.

Thanks again for all the thoughts and help.

"golfinray" wrote:

Unbound forms are not less complex, but MORE. Having to set recordsources on
the fly is something you should avoid. Bind the forms to a table or query
then when you upgrade the sql it will be easy to set the links. Google unc
paths to find out how.
--
Milton Purdy
ACCESS
State of Arkansas


"icccapital" wrote:

I have a form that has a recordsource based on a query I typed in and I have
all the controls on the form unbound. I believe with a bound control it
keeps a link to the database so there is a lot of communication between form
and database right? With an unbound form does the recordsource "download" a
recordset that the form then walks through? So if I add a next button to the
form, when next is clicked does the form requery the database or does it get
the data from the recordset?

I am working in access 2007 and right now the database is split with the
backend still in access, but I hope to move it to sql server so that is part
of the reason I am trying to unbind some of the information, to improve
performance after the move.

Thanks for the thoughts.

 




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