Create a toolbar in Access (not in a database)

[Peter]

Would someone provide a gentle explanation of how programs such as Adobe
Acrobat and Crystal Reports are able to add toolbars to the Access UI. (So
that when you start msaccess.exe these toolbars are visible immediately and
do not depend on a database being open).
The follow on Q would be whether it is possible to do this myself (add my
own toolbar), but if this requires detailed Windows-level programming it's
not something I would venture into.

Peter

[Ed Robichaud]

Those programs run a macro to create a toolbar. You can do the same, or
interactively use "Tools-Customize-Toolbars", click "New", then add the
buttons you desire.
-Ed

"Peter" <ru***@127.0.0.1> wrote in message
news:48********************@pipex.net...

Would someone provide a gentle explanation of how programs such as Adobe
Acrobat and Crystal Reports are able to add toolbars to the Access UI.
(So that when you start msaccess.exe these toolbars are visible
immediately and do not depend on a database being open).
The follow on Q would be whether it is possible to do this myself (add my
own toolbar), but if this requires detailed Windows-level programming it's
not something I would venture into.

Peter

[Peter]

Sorry - I don't follow.
What sort of macro are you talking about?Where would this macro reside?

Peter
"Ed Robichaud" <ed*********@wdn.com> wrote in message
news:44**********************@news.wdn.com...

Those programs run a macro to create a toolbar. You can do the same, or
interactively use "Tools-Customize-Toolbars", click "New", then add the
buttons you desire.
-Ed

"Peter" <ru***@127.0.0.1> wrote in message
news:48********************@pipex.net...

Would someone provide a gentle explanation of how programs such as Adobe
Acrobat and Crystal Reports are able to add toolbars to the Access UI.
(So that when you start msaccess.exe these toolbars are visible
immediately and do not depend on a database being open).
The follow on Q would be whether it is possible to do this myself (add my
own toolbar), but if this requires detailed Windows-level programming
it's not something I would venture into.

Peter

[Br]

Peter wrote:

Sorry - I don't follow.
What sort of macro are you talking about?Where would this macro
reside?
Peter
In Access. You can create your own toolbars in Access and you can create a
default menu that will appear when no forms are open.
"Ed Robichaud" <ed*********@wdn.com> wrote in message
news:44**********************@news.wdn.com...

Those programs run a macro to create a toolbar. You can do the
same, or interactively use "Tools-Customize-Toolbars", click "New",
then add the buttons you desire.
-Ed

"Peter" <ru***@127.0.0.1> wrote in message
news:48********************@pipex.net...

Would someone provide a gentle explanation of how programs such as
Adobe Acrobat and Crystal Reports are able to add toolbars to the
Access UI. (So that when you start msaccess.exe these toolbars are
visible immediately and do not depend on a database being open).
The follow on Q would be whether it is possible to do this myself
(add my own toolbar), but if this requires detailed Windows-level
programming it's not something I would venture into.

Peter

--
regards,

Br@dley

[Ed Robichaud]

Should have said: Their installation programs run a macro script to add
their specific toolbar. Are you trying to customize your own version of
Access? If so, just use "Tools-Customize-Toolbars", click "New", then add
the bars & buttons you desire.
-Ed

"Peter" <ru***@127.0.0.1> wrote in message
news:NO******************************@pipex.net...

Sorry - I don't follow.
What sort of macro are you talking about?Where would this macro reside?

Peter
"Ed Robichaud" <ed*********@wdn.com> wrote in message
news:44**********************@news.wdn.com...

Those programs run a macro to create a toolbar. You can do the same, or
interactively use "Tools-Customize-Toolbars", click "New", then add the
buttons you desire.
-Ed

"Peter" <ru***@127.0.0.1> wrote in message
news:48********************@pipex.net...

Would someone provide a gentle explanation of how programs such as Adobe
Acrobat and Crystal Reports are able to add toolbars to the Access UI.
(So that when you start msaccess.exe these toolbars are visible
immediately and do not depend on a database being open).
The follow on Q would be whether it is possible to do this myself (add
my own toolbar), but if this requires detailed Windows-level programming
it's not something I would venture into.

Peter

[Albert D. Kallal]

You can simply run some of your code to add a menu, or tool bar.

However, I see LITTLE if any advantage to writing code to add a button to
EXISTING menus and tools bars (they kind of annoy users).

You can however create your own custom menu and tools bars for you
application. In fact, I strongly suggest that you do. Here is some screen
shots of menus created in ms-access, and no code, or macros were used to
create them.....

http://www.members.shaw.ca/AlbertKal...erFriendly.htm

You can create you own menu and tools bars by right clicking on a existing
menu bar..and select customize......
--
Albert D. Kallal (Access MVP)
Edmonton, Alberta Canada
pl*****************@msn.com
http://www.members.shaw.ca/AlbertKallal

[Peter]

I know I asked for a gentle explanation but I don't feel I'm making progress
at the moment.
What I am looking at is the possibility of adding my own 'database open'
toolbar button to the Access menu.

I could write a VB front end program to act as my start-up application and
achieve what I want with that.

However, I see programs such as Acrobat and Crystal Reports adding toolbars
into my Access config and wanted to try to understand how they were doing
this. That is why I was quite specific in my Q about there being no database
open, only msaccess.exe.
I know how to add menus and toolbars to an Access application. That is not
the issue here.

Ed has said that this is done by those apps running scripts but that is
still begging the Q in my eyes.
I'm really after some principles here. Is this done by making registry
changes? By modifying msaccess.exe? By using publicly available hooks
through a Windows sdk ? Something else?
I really have no idea where to start and so don't know what is the correct
Q.

Although my interest is doing this in Access perhaps I should have asked in
a Windows forum.

Peter

[Br]

Peter wrote:

I know I asked for a gentle explanation but I don't feel I'm making
progress at the moment.
What I am looking at is the possibility of adding my own 'database
open' toolbar button to the Access menu.

I could write a VB front end program to act as my start-up
application and achieve what I want with that.

However, I see programs such as Acrobat and Crystal Reports adding
toolbars into my Access config and wanted to try to understand how
they were doing this. That is why I was quite specific in my Q about
there being no database open, only msaccess.exe.
I know how to add menus and toolbars to an Access application. That
is not the issue here.

Ed has said that this is done by those apps running scripts but that
is still begging the Q in my eyes.
I'm really after some principles here. Is this done by making
registry changes? By modifying msaccess.exe? By using publicly
available hooks through a Windows sdk ? Something else?
I really have no idea where to start and so don't know what is the
correct Q.

Although my interest is doing this in Access perhaps I should have
asked in a Windows forum.

Peter

Make an Access toobar or create a menu with macros. Then in the
Tools/Startup set the Menu Bar value. If you need further help look in the
Access help.
--
regards,

Br@dley

[Peter]

AFAIK You can't create a menu/toolbar in Access unless you are in a
database. Then that menu/toolbar is part of that mdb file. It only adds to
the application UI not to the initial Access UI.

Thanks for trying though.

Peter

Make an Access toobar or create a menu with macros. Then in the
Tools/Startup set the Menu Bar value. If you need further help look in the
Access help.
--