Progress bar

[rcollins]

So, I was looking into the article section a bit today (needed a break from my own work). This caught my eye because my coworker and I have already decided that it woult be nice to see the progress that the import is doing (Yes, Mary, same project as before). So I have the spreadsheets and database open on logon so she dowesn't have to open 15 spreadsheets. She clicks on the import button and all of the info from 15 spreadsheets 6 pages per is imported into a temp table. A query runs, deletes the records not wanted (distinguised by not having a null duration time) then appended to the real table. It takes quite a while for this import to run, and on occation has failed, where at this point it would be nice to know what spreadsheets have been imported and where it stopped so we can tell where the problem was. Also, it would be nice to see how much longer. Any help would be appriciated, and more details can be given when needed. Access 2003 windows xp. Thanks

[nico5038]

In a similar case I added a textbox (with a red backcolor) on the form and filled it from the code after each step with a text like:
"Step 7 of 27 Spreadsheet XYZ imported"
With a Me.Repaint I took care that the message became visible before executing the next step.

Nic;o)

[ADezii]

So, I was looking into the article section a bit today (needed a break from my own work). This caught my eye because my coworker and I have already decided that it woult be nice to see the progress that the import is doing (Yes, Mary, same project as before). So I have the spreadsheets and database open on logon so she dowesn't have to open 15 spreadsheets. She clicks on the import button and all of the info from 15 spreadsheets 6 pages per is imported into a temp table. A query runs, deletes the records not wanted (distinguised by not having a null duration time) then appended to the real table. It takes quite a while for this import to run, and on occation has failed, where at this point it would be nice to know what spreadsheets have been imported and where it stopped so we can tell where the problem was. Also, it would be nice to see how much longer. Any help would be appriciated, and more details can be given when needed. Access 2003 windows xp. Thanks

You can also use the built-in Progress Meter in Access (Status Bar) to provide a visual cue as to where a process is as far as completion.
How to Use a Progress Meter in Access

[FishVal]

Hi, collins.

As an additional option to Nico's and Adezii's sugestions you may place progress bar control on the form. You may use [Microsoft progress bar control] available via [More controls] button. It's Value property accepts progress in percents.

with me.axProgressBar
    .Value=0       'no progress
    .Value=50     ' half way
    .Value=100   ' completed
end with
 

[NeoPa]

All these ideas are good ones, but my personal favourite is a simple form that I've designed with messages on it to indicate what stage the job is at. Individual steps are hard to report on (accurately), as Access is notoriously unreliable in what it reports is the progress.
The form I use is popped to the front twice a second by timer code and will hang around for a specified period of time afterwards to ensure the operator has time to take it in. Click on the title after it's finished and it will disappear though.

[ADezii]

All these ideas are good ones, but my personal favourite is a simple form that I've designed with messages on it to indicate what stage the job is at. Individual steps are hard to report on (accurately), as Access is notoriously unreliable in what it reports is the progress.
The form I use is popped to the front twice a second by timer code and will hang around for a specified period of time afterwards to ensure the operator has time to take it in. Click on the title after it's finished and it will disappear though.

Sorry NeoPa, I still think a Picture is worth a thousand words. There is nothing in my mind that can replace some kind of visual display to indicate the relative completion percentage of a process. Just my 2 cents.

[ADezii]

So, I was looking into the article section a bit today (needed a break from my own work). This caught my eye because my coworker and I have already decided that it woult be nice to see the progress that the import is doing (Yes, Mary, same project as before). So I have the spreadsheets and database open on logon so she dowesn't have to open 15 spreadsheets. She clicks on the import button and all of the info from 15 spreadsheets 6 pages per is imported into a temp table. A query runs, deletes the records not wanted (distinguised by not having a null duration time) then appended to the real table. It takes quite a while for this import to run, and on occation has failed, where at this point it would be nice to know what spreadsheets have been imported and where it stopped so we can tell where the problem was. Also, it would be nice to see how much longer. Any help would be appriciated, and more details can be given when needed. Access 2003 windows xp. Thanks

Progress Bar in Access 2000 (Specifically Posts 7 to 9)

[NeoPa]

Sorry NeoPa, I still think a Picture is worth a thousand words. There is nothing in my mind that can replace some kind of visual display to indicate the relative completion percentage of a process. Just my 2 cents.

I don't really disagree ADezii, but as the progress bar is so unreliable I don't find it's very useful. A thousand words are all very well, but if they're all lies? :D

[ADezii]

I don't really disagree ADezii, but as the progress bar is so unreliable I don't find it's very useful. A thousand words are all very well, but if they're all lies? :D

Just for curiosity NeoPa, how is it so unreliable?

[NeoPa]

Just for curiosity NeoPa, how is it so unreliable?

Well my experience is that it frequently shows 1 pip for about 95% of the time then suddenly it's all finished. Another frequent occurrence is that the progress bar fills up almost immediately but the job doesn't finish for ages.
Thinking about it though (particularly in as much as you would even ask that if you had noticed the same thing) my experience is mainly with linked tables via an old ODBC driver (EasySoft ODBC) which may well be where I'm getting my somewhat jaded opinion from. Maybe it's not Access after all.
If that turns out to be the explanation then I retract all I've previously said unreservedly.
Well worth asking the question ADezii :)

[ADezii]

Well my experience is that it frequently shows 1 pip for about 95% of the time then suddenly it's all finished. Another frequent occurrence is that the progress bar fills up almost immediately but the job doesn't finish for ages.
Thinking about it though (particularly in as much as you would even ask that if you had noticed the same thing) my experience is mainly with linked tables via an old ODBC driver (EasySoft ODBC) which may well be where I'm getting my somewhat jaded opinion from. Maybe it's not Access after all.
If that turns out to be the explanation then I retract all I've previously said unreservedly.
Well worth asking the question ADezii :)

Always willing to learn something new, NeoPa!