Chapter 26: Bulletproofing Access Applications
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FIGURE 26.1Well-documented code is easier to maintain and is less likely to lead to coding errors.
Tip
Be sure the documentation includes the exact version number in the title or footer so that users can verify that
the documentation is the right version for the software they’re using.
The users of your applications will benefit from the online help you build into the database. Online
help, of course, means everything from the ToolTips you attach to the controls on a form to status-bar
text, to sophisticated context-sensitive and “What’s This” help you see in many Microsoft products.Tip
It’s often useful to have a user write the actual user documentation (in conjunction with the developer, of
course). In this way, you can ensure that it’s written in language that the users understand.
Considering your users
How you develop your application depends on what the users want the application to do for them.
What may not be as obvious is that you also need to consider the capabilities and knowledge of
your users when you design the forms and reports. This is especially important when deciding on
what sort of feedback you’ll provide to the users if an error occurs (or even to confirm that the nor-
mal program flow is occurring).What they know
If you know in advance that the majority of your users are relatively unskilled or untrained, or that
they won’t have a lot of on-site support, you should ensure that the messaging and Help file in the
application are very detailed (sometimes referred to as “overengineering”). On the other hand, if
the users are relatively experienced in computing, you won’t have to do as much hand holding.