Microsoft Access 2010 Bible

Chapter 2: Creating Access Tables

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Instead of explaining each of the groups and controls within groups on the ribbon, I’ll introduce you

to each relevant ribbon command in the proper context in this chapter and the chapters that follow.

Other relevant features of the Access environment

The Access environment includes a number of other important features. In the far-right lower cor-

ner are two buttons that enable you to quickly change the selected object in the middle of the

screen from Design view to the object’s Normal view. For example, in the case of an Access table,

the Normal view is to display the table as a datasheet, while a report’s Normal view is to display

the report in Print Preview.

Figure 2.10 illustrates one of the more interesting changes for Access 2007 and 2010. A common

complaint among some developers with earlier versions of Access was the fact that, when multiple

objects were simultaneously opened in the Access environment, the objects would often overlap

and obscure each other, making it more difficult to navigate between the objects. For example, in

Access 2000, you might have a form open in Design view and, at the same time, a table open in

Datasheet view. Invariably, one of these objects would overlap the other, and, depending on how

large the object was, could completely obscure the other object.

FIGURE 2.10

The tabbed interface is a welcome addition to Access.

Selected tab Close button

Form view buttons