Two forms showing with acCmdAppMinimize?

[missinglinq]

I'd like to use acCmdAppMinimize with two forms on the screen at once. Currently, if I have a form opening the db (with DoCmd.Maximize in the OnLoad event) and then a popup form on top of the first form, the first form vanishes when the second form appears.

Alternatively, I like to have both showing with just the Access container showing, with no native menus showing. Unchecking everything in Startup gets rid of everythinh except File - Edit - Insert - Records - Help menu.

Does anyone have any relevant experience?

Thanks!

[Denburt]

Will this do what you would like?

DoCmd.RunCommand acCmdTileVertically

[missinglinq]

Sorry, didn't explain clearly enough! I have a maximized from with a smaller popup form on top and I want them both to appear. Currently the larger (background form) disappears when the popup appears.

I will, however, stash your response away for future reference!

[Denburt]

I still don't understand maybe you have some code on that button click, or somewhere making the first form hide itself. I can make a popup and still see the first form no problem....

[Denburt]

I have tried to work this a number of ways using acCmdAppMinimize to minimize the application, when I return to the application it is fine, I think what may be going on is that you may be clicking on a form that is open, the task bar will by default show all forms etc. open in access (this can be changed), so if you don't click the Application itself then your issue could happen. I Press Alt and hold it then I can tab through and see the application Icon and no problem.

[missinglinq]

I'm doing a very small app for non-techies and apparently they're intimidated by the Access background/menus etc. The main form is fairly small, so I've just got a second form simply to provide a "backdrop" for the main form. The backdrop form is maximized, no border without any of the usual native Access controls; no maximize/minimize/close buttons, etc. This form is set in Startup to load when the app starts up. When it backdrop form loads, in the OnLoad event:

1) The backdrop form maximizes
2) the acCmdAppMinimize command is given
3) The backdrop form calls the second, popup form

When Access opens the db, only the second (popup) forms appears! If the acCmdAppMinimize command is omitted, the background form loads then the popup form loads on top of it, with both forms showing, as is wanted.

[Rabbit]

When you maximize a form, everything in the database gets maximized. So what you actually want is to maximize just the one form to fill the screen as a "background" and have the second form be non-maximized, corrent?

Just trying to clarify, I don't know of a way to do this. Maybe throuh an API.

[MMcCarthy]

Hi Linq

Have you thought about having your popup form(s) appear on the background form as subforms. That way the background form remains maximised and the subform could be designed with borders to look like a form.

Mary

[missinglinq]

Rabbit: That's correct. The popup form is set to Dialog and doesn't maximize, even though it opens after the maximized form. I believe that's the only exception to "everything maximizes."

Mary: That's an idea! I'll give it a try!

Thanks everyone!

Linq

[missinglinq]

No joy, Mary! When I tried your suggestion, everything worked fine until I threw acCmdAppMinimize into the mix. Here's the sum total of code in the maximized, background form. It's so simple I don't see how it could affect anything:

Private Sub Form_Load()
  Dim stDocName As String
  Dim stLinkCriteria As String
 
 DoCmd.Maximize
 DoCmd.RunCommand acCmdAppMinimize
 stDocName = "frmWeights"  'the popup form
 DoCmd.OpenForm stDocName, , , stLinkCriteria
End Sub
 

I'm beginning to think the normal behaviour of acCmdAppMinimize is to only display one form at a time; I just wish someone could confirm that, if true. I've trolled the web for two days looking, as well as going thru all my reference books! The fun thing about Access, of course, is that so very much of it isn't documented anywhere, not even in MS' Knowledge Base!

Thanks anyway!

Linq

[MMcCarthy]

No joy, Mary! When I tried your suggestion, everything worked fine until I threw acCmdAppMinimize into the mix. Here's the sum total of code in the maximized, background form. It's so simple I don't see how it could affect anything:

Private Sub Form_Load()
  Dim stDocName As String
  Dim stLinkCriteria As String
 
 DoCmd.Maximize
 DoCmd.RunCommand acCmdAppMinimize
 stDocName = "frmWeights"  'the popup form
 DoCmd.OpenForm stDocName, , , stLinkCriteria
End Sub
 

I'm beginning to think the normal behaviour of acCmdAppMinimize is to only display one form at a time; I just wish someone could confirm that, if true. I've trolled the web for two days looking, as well as going thru all my reference books! The fun thing about Access, of course, is that so very much of it isn't documented anywhere, not even in MS' Knowledge Base!

Thanks anyway!

Linq

Why do you need acCmdAppMinimize?

[missinglinq]

This is just a very small app with a limited function to be used by non-techie end users. Apparently the end users feel intimidated by the Access container/background/menus! Of course the person requesting my help didn't tell me this until after the fact! I'm going to drop the acCmdAppMinimize and just go with having everything unchecked in Startup. This will give me the same look with only the minimal Access container with the single File/Edit/View/Insert menu at the top.

BTW, the command works great for popping up a single form on the desktop, without all the overhead normally associated with Access!

Thanks again!

Linq

[MMcCarthy]

Thanks for the advice Linq. I'll have to remember that one. Glad you have it working. Wouldn't it be great if we could eliminate the users. :rolleyes:

Mary

[missinglinq]

Yeah!It's like they say about teaching; it's a pretty good job if it weren't for the students! Of course you have to understand, they person requesting my help, who didn't mention hiding the Access background until after the app was 90% finished, is an Assisstant Professor of Informatics!

Have a great afternoon, Mary!

Linq

[missinglinq]

Got the answer! In case anyone is interested (or hits this post on a search on the subject) the answer was to have both forms set to popup!

Thanks to Vic Rauch

http://www.vicrauch.com/

aka The GolferGuy for the solution!

[Denburt]

Glad you got it.