skinning?

[robert.waters]

I saw an image of an Access 2007 database, and it was stunning; it
made an Access app look like something not designed in 1995.
Does anyone have experience with using Windows themes to skin/change
the look and feel of their Access app? (for instance, on a terminal
server)

[Tom van Stiphout]

On 21 Mar 2007 06:19:58 -0700, "robert.waters"
<ro***********@gmail.comwrote:

If you are referring to the sample applications from Microsoft, they
are created not using Windows themes, but using Access ones. Mostly a
background graphic, and smart use of fonts and other properties.
Download one and pick it apart.

Otherwise share that image with us.

-Tom.

>I saw an image of an Access 2007 database, and it was stunning; it
made an Access app look like something not designed in 1995.
Does anyone have experience with using Windows themes to skin/change
the look and feel of their Access app? (for instance, on a terminal
server)

[robert.waters]

On Mar 21, 9:33 am, Tom van Stiphout <[e-mail]:

On 21 Mar 2007 06:19:58 -0700, "robert.waters"

<[e-mail]:

If you are referring to the sample applications from Microsoft, they
are created not using Windows themes, but using Access ones. Mostly a
background graphic, and smart use of fonts and other properties.
Download one and pick it apart.

Otherwise share that image with us.

-Tom.

I saw an image of an Access 2007 database, and it was stunning; it
made an Access app look like something not designed in 1995.
Does anyone have experience with using Windows themes to skin/change
the look and feel of their Access app? (for instance, on a terminal
server)

Here's the page on which I found the image:
http://blogs.msdn.com/clintcovington...-services.aspx
(<a href="http://blogs.msdn.com/clintcovington/archive/2007/02/20/web-
service-discussion-and-sample-book-database-that-uses-amazon-s-web-
services.aspx">link for html readers</a>)

The image is right below "Access 2007 Sample Books Database".

[DavidB]

THAT is considered stunning? It looks like a 3rd grader did it (or an
AOL user)... :)

You can actually use ANY graphic you want as the 'skin' for your
forms. I prefer a clean and simple standrad color. I find it a waste
of system resources to 'pretty up' or 'glitz over' a database. Id
rather the time, effort, and resources be used on making a database
that functions correctly and at a decent speed, but to each his
own... One way (there are many) is to simply use an unbound object
frame (I believe thats the correct control anyway)...
On Mar 21, 10:53 am, "robert.waters" <[e-mail]:

On Mar 21, 9:33 am, Tom van Stiphout <[e-mail]:

On 21 Mar 2007 06:19:58 -0700, "robert.waters"

<[e-mail]:

If you are referring to the sample applications from Microsoft, they
are created not using Windows themes, but using Access ones. Mostly a
background graphic, and smart use of fonts and other properties.
Download one and pick it apart.

Otherwise share that image with us.

-Tom.

>I saw an image of an Access 2007 database, and it was stunning; it
>made an Access app look like something not designed in 1995.
>Does anyone have experience with using Windows themes to skin/change
>the look and feel of their Access app? (for instance, on a terminal
>server)

Here's the page on which I found the image:http://blogs.msdn.com/clintcovington.../web-service-d...
(<a href="http://blogs.msdn.com/clintcovington/archive/2007/02/20/web-
service-discussion-and-sample-book-database-that-uses-amazon-s-web-
services.aspx">link for html readers</a>)

The image is right below "Access 2007 Sample Books Database".- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

[Larry Linson]

"robert.waters" <ro***********@gmail.comwrote

I saw an image of an Access 2007 database, and
it was stunning; it made an Access app look like
something not designed in 1995.

Whoop - tee - DOOO! It's been possible to give Access Forms and Reports a
"different" look than the standard default appearance since before 1995.
But, it's not often done, particularly when someone is paying to have a
database developed, because it doesn't make it easier or faster to develop a
solution to whatever issue or problem the database is addressing.

And, that is what database applications are for: they are for solving
problems, finding data, manipulating it, massaging it, and reporting it.
Eye candy is for games and entertainment. But, if Access is your choice for
developing "somethings" for entertainment, you can certainly do it. It's
just not a subject often dealt with in the newsgroups, because most people
use other software tools to develop their entertainment stuff.

Does anyone have experience with using Windows
themes to skin/change the look and feel of their
Access app? (for instance, on a terminal server)

For the reasons given above, that's not been a high priority. But, you can
embed pictures in the background in Forms and Reports, and display them in
Image Controls and Object Frames, and you can choose most any font or
typeface for anywhere that you display text. Others have given more detail.

Office 2007 does provide a bit more capability in the UI area, and forces
some changes that may or may not fit your needs (e.g., the Ribbon instead of
more traditional menus). The "more capability" is enhanced if you are using
Vista, with appropriate hardware to support its more advanced (e.g., Aero
Glass) visual interfaces.

Larry Linson
Microsoft Office Access MVP

[rkc]

The image is right below "Access 2007 Sample Books Database".

That's just the way Access 2007 looks on Windows Vista.
You need something pretty to look at while it loads.

[Tom van Stiphout]

On Wed, 21 Mar 2007 21:09:03 -0400, rkc <rk*@rkcny.yabba.dabba.do.com>
wrote:

Not so.
I believe this is similar to the sample databases I was referring to
up on office.microsoft.com, such as this one:
http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/te...CT101428241033
The blue gradient in the "Don't make me think" title is accomplished
using a graphic. The "Save and New" options are buttons with some
creative property settings, and so is everything else.

The form would look the same on any OS; does not depend on Vista at
all (except perhaps the specific look of the dropdown button of the
dropdown list).

-Tom.

>The image is right below "Access 2007 Sample Books Database".

That's just the way Access 2007 looks on Windows Vista.
You need something pretty to look at while it loads.

[Albert D. Kallal]

Actually, access 2007 does have themes.

You can choose silver, black, or blue..and, I have to agree..they look
really nice....

Note that in a2003 you could turn themes on, and they freshen up the
software a lot.

Here is a series of screen shots from a2003 (with themes turned off, and
then on).

http://www.members.shaw.ca/AlbertKal...heme/index.htm

And, some more screens here:

http://www.members.shaw.ca/AlbertKal...icles/Grid.htm

For a2007, the screens along with the ribbon look even nicer (and, you do
have color schemes in a2007).

The option can be found in:

office button -access options

And then choose "popular",
in that screen, you see a option for color scheme. The blue, and the black
schemes are nice looking indeed....
--
Albert D. Kallal (Access MVP)
Edmonton, Alberta Canada
pl*****************@msn.com