Hi FullName,
This message brings you good news from ProgrammingMSAccess.com. Despite the name of the site, we have for a long time included content on SQL Server, VB.NET, and web technologies including ASP and ASP.NET along with Microsoft Access. Our focus is on those building data-based solutions for themselves, small businesses, and departments in larger organizations. Many students report deriving value from our site because of its broad array of free, valuable content.
This message highlights four topics. First, we tell you of a recent surge in the popularity of our code sample collection. Try some of the links for samples to see if the samples will make you want to come back more often. Next, we tell you about where to find more code samples at the site. Third, you learn of a very interesting Access application that you can get for free. Finally, we wrap up with a new set of links that point at 10 more articles by the webmaster. These articles are chuck full of code. So if you like the code at our site, you are likely to really enjoy these articles.
Surge in Code Sample Popularity
Our Code Samples section has always been a popular reason for visiting the site. Originally, we offered code samples to give you a taste of what was in the webmaster's first Programming Microsoft Access book. That was five books, three DVDs, and countless articles ago. Since then, we started adding articles from other sources. We also started diversifying the topics for which we offer code samples.
True to our code sample heritage, many of the code samples at the site illustrate how to use VBA and ADO with Access. As Microsoft broadened the range of technologies targeting developers who serve small businesses and departments in large organizations, we expanded the topics that we addressed with our code samples. You'll now find code samples in VB.NET and ADO.NET as well as T-SQL. My next book will be on SQL Server Express, Visual Basic Express, and Visual Web Developer Express. Therefore, you can look forward to additional content on these topics at the site over the next few years.
Since the beginning of July, here are the ten most frequently visited code sample pages:
Add a column check constraint to a table in an Access database
Add contacts, count and print contact information, and trap error in Outlook from an Access
Load a database on a SQL Server with an .mdf file with a sqlCommand object
Inventory data access pages in an Access database file or an Access project
Where You Can Find More Code Samples
There are many more code samples at the site besides those in the Code Samples section. One particularly rich area for code samples is in the Book and DVD section. When you visit the Book and DVD section scroll down the home page to find a book title that interests you. Five excerpts are available from the book titled "Programming Microsoft Access Version 2002". One of the most popular of the excerpts is an introduction to Access projects (.adp files). This excerpt closes with a code sample that shows how to attach database files to a SQL Server instance, which demonstrates a solution to one of the most frequently asked questions at SQL Server newsgroups. You can find this sample and hundreds more samples in my most recent Access programming book titled "Programming Microsoft Office Access 2003".
I make a point of adding my best code samples to the Database Developers Group (DDG) library. There are currently over 50 items in the library. The items range from presentation slide decks to book excerpts and white papers. In many cases, a load-and-go code sample file is available for a book excerpt or presentation slide deck. If you like the free content at the ProgrammingMSAccess.com site, you are going to love the content in the DDG library. There is an annual fee for belonging to the DDG, but the value of membership far exceeds the fee. For example, we pass along consulting and tech support referrals to DDG members. ProgrammingMSAccess.com offers a table with titles and brief summaries for each item in the DDG library. I invite you to sign up for the DDG right now. As a matter of fact, those who join or renew during August 2005 become eligible to win one of two great prizes.
An Interesting Access Application
One of the privileges of being an author and the webmaster at ProgrammingMSAccess.com is that I learn about a lot of cool stuff. One of the coolest applications that I learned about recently was a searchable version of the New King James Version bible. As it turns out, I am an adult Sunday school teacher and a prayer class instructor, but even if you do not care for the subject matter you may still find this application interesting.
It gives me great honor to say that Keith Clayton, the author of the application, started the project after reading one of my database programming books (Professional SQL Server Development with Access 2000). Keith's application lets you browse verses of books from the bible. In addition, you can do searches. I did a search for the word "prayer" in the New Testament. His applications returned 53 hits. The third one is one of my favorites: And whatever things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive. His application found the verse and gave me the citation to it (Matthew 21:22). Selecting the Print button allowed me to preview an Access report with all 53 prayer verses.
Keith volunteered to share his search application with others who may care to receive it. His application is about 15 MB so be prepared to wait awhile as you open the attachment to the email he will send you. In order not to unnecessarily expose Keith to spam by posting his email address in this message, you can just send me your request by replying to this message and I will pass it on to him.
Added Some New Article Links to the Site
ProgrammingMSAccess.com has always been about providing great content on Microsoft database development techniques. In addition to being your webmaster at ProgrammingMSAccess.com, I also author books and articles for leading computer publications, such as Smart Access, Visual Studio Developer, and SQL Server Magazine. Microsoft periodically adds some of my articles in computer periodicals to its MSDN site. I just added a new table to the site with links for ten of my articles by the webmaster posted at the MSDN site. If you like receiving these messages or the content at the ProgrammingMSAccess.com site, chances are that one or more of these articles will appeal to you.
I hope that you found this message interesting. I encourage you to try some of the links in this message to visit ProgrammingMSAccess.com. If you have a question about Access, SQL Server, VBA, or Visual Basic .NET, you may well find what you need at our site. Also, take a moment to share this message with one or more of your colleagues who may also be able to benefit from our content or our prizes. If you no longer wish to receive messages from ProgrammingMSAccess.com, just reply with Remove in Subject field.
Rick