Chapter 8
Making Your Datasheets Dance

In This Chapter

• Adjusting column width, row height, and more
• Seeing the datasheet in a whole new font
• Changing the background

It's pretty boring when your new datasheet looks just like every other datasheet. Where's the creativity in that? Where's the individuality? Where's the life, liberty, and pursuit of ultimate coolness?

Granted, Access 95 is a database program, and databases aren't generally known for being the life of the party. But that still doesn't mean you're trapped into a monotonous world of look-alike datasheets. This chapter explores the tools at your disposal to turn even the most dreary datasheet into a slick-looking exposition of your data.

This entire chapter focuses on datasheet tricks -- things to do when you're working with information in a datasheet. These tricks work with datasheets from both tables and dynasets, so use them to spruce up every datasheet in sight. If you haven't heard about dynasets yet, don't worry. They're covered in Part III.

Seeing More (or Less) of Your Data

First on the datasheet tune-up list is fiddling with the look of your datasheet. There's plenty to fiddle with, too. At first blush, your datasheet looks pretty mundane, much like Figure 8-1. To perk it up a bit, you can change the column width, row height, and column order, and you can lock a column in place while the others scroll around it. Heck, you can even make columns temporarily disappear.

Each following section explores one of these techniques. You can fix one thing (like changing the column width) or a number of things -- it's your choice. Each adjustment is independent of the others. Plus, these changes don't affect your actual data. They make the data appear differently on-screen, but they don't change the underlying data at all.

Most of the commands work from the mouse itself, but some send you back to the menu bar. If a command is in both places, it works the same either way.

Changing the column width

Even though Access 95 is pretty smart, it still has some trouble figuring out how wide to make a column. In fact, it usually just gives up and sets all the column widths identically, leaving some far too wide and others way too small. Pretty wimpy solution for a powerful program, if you ask me.

Setting a new column width is a quick operation. Here's what to do:

1. With your table in Datasheet view, put the mouse pointer on the vertical bar to the right of the field name (see Figure 8-2).

2. The mouse pointer changes into a bar with arrows sticking out of each side.

3. Click and hold the left mouse button while moving the mouse appropriately.

4. To make the column wider, move the mouse to the right. To make it smaller, move the mouse left.

5. When the width is just right, let up on the mouse button.

6. The column is locked into its new size, as Figure 8-3 shows.

   Tell Access 95 to save the changes to your table, or all of your hard work will be lost forever. The program automatically asks about saving changes when you close the table.

Changing the row height

Access 95 does better in the row height department, leaving enough room to separate the rows while displaying plenty of information on-screen, but there's still room for improvement. If you have large fields in your table, changing the row height lets you see more data in each field while still displaying the same number of fields on-screen.

Like changing column width, adjusting the row height takes only a couple of mouse clicks:

1. While viewing your table in a datasheet, put the mouse pointer in the far left side of the window on the line between any two rows in your spreadsheet (see Figure 8-4).

2. The mouse pointer changes into a horizontal bar with arrows sticking out vertically.

3. Click and hold the left mouse button; then move the mouse to change the row height.

4. Move the mouse down to make the row higher. Move it up to squash the row and put the squeeze on your data.

5. When the row height is where you want it, release the mouse button.

6. Access 95 redisplays the table with its new row height (see Figure 8-5).

Reorganizing the columns

When you laid out the table, you put a lot of thought into which field came after which other field. Most of the time, your data looks just the way you want it on-screen, but occasionally it helps to stir things up a bit.

To move a field to a different place on the datasheet, use these steps:

1. Click on the field name of the column you want to move; then click and hold the left mouse button.

2. The whole column darkens, with a smaller box at the bottom of the column, and the mouse pointer changes to an arrow (see Figure 8-6).

3. Drag the column to its new destination.

4. As you move the mouse, a dark bar moves between the columns, showing you where the column will land when you release the mouse button.

5. When the column is in place, let up on the mouse button.

6. The column, data and all, moves to the new spot (see Figure 8-7).

Hiding a column

This is one of those features that seem totally unimportant until the moment you need them, and then they're worth their weight in gold. If you want to temporarily not display a particular column, just hide the little fellow. The data is still in the table, but it doesn't appear on-screen. Too cool, eh?

To hide a column, follow these steps:

1. With your table in datasheet view, right-click on the name of the column to hide.

2. The whole column goes dark and a pop-up menu appears.

3. Select Hide Columns from the menu (see Figure 8-8).

4. {Poof!} The column vanishes.

To hide more than one column at once, click and drag across the names of the columns you want to squirrel away, then select Format-->Hide Columns from the main menu.

When you're ready to bring back the temporarily indisposed column, use these steps:

1. Select Format-->Unhide Columns from the main menu.

2. This displays a small dialog box listing all of the fields in the current table. The fields with a check mark in the box next to them are already displayed.

3. Click in the check box next to each field you want to see on-screen again, then click Close (see Figure 8-9).

4. Depending on the number of fields in the list, you may have to scroll around to find all of the fields.

Freezing a column

If you have a lot of fields in a table, they don't all fit in the window. As you scroll from one side of the table to the other, fields are constantly appearing on one side and disappearing from the other. What if you want to keep looking at a column way over on one side of the table while looking at fields on the other?

The secret is to freeze the column in place. This locks a column into the left side of the window so it just sits there while you scroll merrily back and forth through the table. Of course, there's an unfreeze step to go along with it -- you don't want your tables catching cold, do you?

Here are the steps to freezing a column:

1. Right-click on the column you want to freeze.

2. The column turns dark, and the ever-anticipated pop-up menu appears.

3. Select Freeze Columns from the menu.

4. The column is now locked in place. You can now scroll back and forth through your table with impunity (and you don't have any restrictions, either).

To unfreeze the column when you're done, select Format-->Unfreeze All Columns from the main menu.

Fonting Around with Your Table

Being your basic, business-oriented program, Access 95 displays your table in a basic, business-oriented font. You're not stuck with that font choice forever, though (and it's a good thing, too, because it's boring). You have control over the font, style, and even the color your data appears in. It's up to you, so why not live on the edge and try a new look on your table?

These settings apply to the entire table, not just a particular row or column.

To change the font, style, or color of your table, follow these steps:

1. With the table in Datasheet view, select Format-->Font from the main menu.

2. The font dialog box elbows its way onto the screen.

3. Click on your choice from the Font list on the left side of the screen (see Figure 8-10).

4. Access 95 previews the font in the Sample box on the right side of the dialog box.

   It's best to pick a TrueType font instead of the other options. TrueType fonts have the little double-T symbol next to them in the list.

5. Click on the preferred style in the Font style list.

6. Some fonts may not have all of the common style options (normal, bold, italic, and bold italic). It depends on how the fonts were loaded onto your system. For more about fonts and font files, check out Windows 95 For Dummies (IDG Books Worldwide).

7. To select a different size, click on a number in the Size list.

8. As with style, not every font is available in all sizes. If you chose a TrueType font back in Step 2, this isn't a problem because TrueType fonts are scaleable (Windows simply makes them whatever size it needs).

9. If you want a new color, click in the arrow next to the Color box and pick your favorite from the drop-down menu.

10. You're almost done -- now's a good time to look at the Sample box and see if your choices look good together. If they don't, click Cancel and start over with Step 1.

11. Click OK to apply your font selections.

12. The datasheet now displays your table in its new digs (see Figure 8-11).

Giving Your Data the 3-D Look

This final change is purely cosmetic, but even tables like to feel good about how they look. Access 95 gives you a couple of cool looking, three-dimensional options for your datasheet. If there's a solution to the problem of boring-looking datasheets, this must be it (because it serves no other purpose).

To turn your datasheet into a cool work of art, follow these steps:

1. Select Format-->Cells from the menu bar.

2. The Cells Effects dialog box pops onto the screen.

3. For a cool, 3-D look, click either the Raised or Sunken radio buttons in the Cell Effect area (see Figure 8-12).

4. The Sample box previews your selection. (I think Raised both looks cool and is easy to work with, but that's personal preference.)

   If you don't want the gridlines (the lines separating the rows and columns) cluttering up your datasheet, leave the Cell Effect set to Flat and click the Gridlines Shown check boxes so they're blank.

5. Click OK when you're done.

6. The datasheet changes according to your selections, just like Figure 8-13.

   Unless you're really good with color combinations, leave the color settings alone. Since I regularly attempt to wear stripes and plaid together, I let Access 95 handle this on its own.