ACC: Form Size Changes Not Retained

• Microsoft Access versions 1.0, 1.1, 2.0, 7.0, 97

SYMPTOMS

Novice: Requires knowledge of the user interface on single-user computers.

If you change the size of a form in Design view, and then save and close the form, when you open the form from the Database window, the size of the form will not reflect the changes you made.

CAUSE

You sized the window that contains the form, not the form itself. A form has its own dimensions independent of the size of the window the form is displayed in, so that the form can be printed correctly no matter what size the window is.

RESOLUTION

There are several methods of changing a form's size, including the following:

• Set the form's AutoResize property to No. This will cause the Form window to open to the size you set it to, rather than snapping to the size of the form contained within it.
• Set the form's Width property to the width you want.
• Set the form section's Height property to the height you want for that section.
• Use the mouse to drag the right side of the form to make the form the width you want.
• Use the mouse to drag the bottom of the form or section to make the form or section the height you want.

NOTE: If you view the form in Form view directly from Design view, the Form window will remain the same size it was in Design view. You can force the Form window to snap to the size of the form by choosing Size To Fit Form from the Window menu when you are viewing the form in Form view.

If you open the form in Form view from the Database window, the Form window will snap to the size of the form automatically.

MORE INFORMATION

Steps to Reproduce Behavior

1. Create a new, blank form. Note that the white area of the detail section is 5 inches wide and 1 inch tall.

2. Drag the Form window to make it narrower than 5 inches wide.

3. Save the form with any unique filename, and then close the form.

4. In the Database window, select the form and then choose Open.

   The form will open 5 inches wide and 1 inch tall.

REFERENCES

For more information about sizing forms, type "sizing forms" in the Office Assistant, click Search, and then click to view "Set the size of a form when it's first opened" or "Size a form to fit its contents."