Chapter 9: Presenting Data with Access Reports
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To move only one of the controls in a compound control, drag the desired control by its moving
handle (the large square in the upper-left corner of the control). When you click a compound con-
trol, it looks like both controls are selected, but if you look closely, you see that only one of the
two controls (text box or label) is selected (as indicated by the presence of both moving and sizing
handles). The unselected control displays only a moving handle. A pointing finger indicates that
you’ve selected the move handles and can now move one control independently of the other. To
move either control individually, select the control’s move handle and drag it to its new location.Cross-Reference
To move a label that isn’t attached, simply click any border (except where there is a handle) and drag it.
To make a group selection, click with the mouse pointer anywhere outside a starting point and
drag the pointer through (or around) the controls you want to select. A gray, outlined rectangle
appears, showing the extent of the selection. When you release the mouse button, all controls the
rectangle surrounds are selected. You can then drag the group of controls to a new location.Tip
The Selection Behavior option (choose File ➪ Options ➪ Object Designers ➪ Form/Reports ➪ Selection Behavior)
determines how controls are selected with the mouse. You can enclose them fully (the rectangle must com-
pletely surround the selection) or partially (the rectangle must touch only the control), which is the default.
Make sure you also resize all the controls as shown in the figure. Change the size and shape of the
Features memo field and the OLE picture field Picture. The OLE picture field displays as a rectan-
gle with no field name in Design view. (It’s to the right in Figure 9.32.)Place all the controls in their proper position to complete the report layout. Figure 9.32 shows one
possible layout of the controls. You make a series of group moves by selecting several controls and
positioning them close to where you want them. Then, if needed, you can fine-tune their position
by dragging individual controls.Use Figure 9.32 as a guide to placing on the report. Notice that the Cost label in the Detail section
has been renamed to Cost/Retail Prices.At this point, you’re about halfway done. The screen should look something like Figure 9.32.
Remember that these screenshots are taken with the Windows screen resolution set to 1,024 x- If you’re using a lower resolution, or you have large fonts turned on in the Windows Display
Properties (in the Control Panel), you have to scroll the screen to see the entire report.
These steps complete the rough design for this report. There are still properties, fonts, and sizes to
change. When you make these changes, you have to move controls around again. Use the designs
in Figure 9.32 only as a guideline. How it looks to you, as you refine the look of the report in the
Report window, determines the final design.