Microsoft KB Archive/207672

= HOW TO: Open Microsoft Access 2000 to a Specific Form by Using a Shortcut =

Article ID: 207672

Article Last Modified on 6/24/2004

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APPLIES TO


 * Microsoft Access 2000 Standard Edition

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This article was previously published under Q207672



Moderate: Requires basic macro, coding, and interoperability skills.

This article applies to a Microsoft Access database (.mdb) and to a Microsoft Access project (.adp).

IN THIS TASK
SUMMARY
 * Method 1
 * Method 2

REFERENCES



SUMMARY
This article describes how you can create two types of shortcuts on the Windows 95 or later desktop, both of which start an Access database and open to a form of your choosing. You can create such a shortcut either by dragging the form from the Database window to the desktop or by using the /cmd command-line switch.

CAUTION: If you follow the steps in this example, you modify the sample database Northwind.mdb. You may want to back up the Northwind.mdb file and follow these steps on a copy of the database.

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Method 1
You can drag a form from the Database window directly to the desktop. To do so, follow these steps:
 * 1) Open the sample database Northwind.mdb.
 * 2) Select the Customers form in the Database window.
 * 3) Restore and position Microsoft Access so that you can see both the desktop and Microsoft Access.
 * 4) Drag the Customers form to the desktop. Note that you now have a shortcut on your desktop named "Shortcut to Customers in Northwind."
 * 5) Close Microsoft Access.
 * 6) Double-click the shortcut on the desktop. Note that Microsoft Access starts with the Customers form of the sample database Northwind.mdb open.

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Method 2
The following example demonstrates how you can create two shortcuts that start Access and open either the Orders or the Employees form:  Right-click the desktop, point to New, and then click Shortcut.  In the Create Shortcut dialog box, create the following two shortcuts (one at a time) with the following command-lines:

NOTE: In the following example, an underscore (_) at the end of a line is used as a line-continuation character. Remove the underscore from the end of the line when re-creating this sample.   C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office\Msaccess.exe _ C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office\Samples\Northwind.mdb _ /cmd "Orders"   C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office\Msaccess.exe _ C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office\Samples\Northwind.mdb _ /cmd "Employees" NOTE: These shortcuts assume that Microsoft Access is installed in the C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office\ folder.   Open the sample database Northwind.mdb and create the following function in a new module: Function CheckCommandLine ' Check value returned by Command function. If Command = "Orders" Then DoCmd.OpenForm "Orders" ElseIf Command = "Employees" Then DoCmd.OpenForm "Employees" Else Exit Function End If End Function  Create a new macro as follows and save it as AutoExec:

Action

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RunCode

AutoExec Actions

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RunCode

Function Name: CheckCommandLine

 Close Microsoft Access. On the desktop, double-click the first shortcut. Note that Microsoft Access starts with the Orders form of the sample database Northwind.mdb open. Close Microsoft Access. On the desktop, double-click the second shortcut. Note that Microsoft Access starts with the Employees form of the sample database Northwind.mdb open.</li></ol>

If you click Options on the Tools menu, and then click the Advanced tab, you will see the /cmd value in the Command-Line Arguments box.

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