ACC: Set the RowSource Property of a Report Graph Dynamically

• Microsoft Access versions 2.0, 7.0, 97

SUMMARY

Moderate: Requires basic macro, coding, and interoperability skills.

This article discusses how to set the RowSource property of a graph object in a Microsoft Access report programmatically.

MORE INFORMATION

If you try to set the RowSource property of a graph object on a report in Print Preview, you may receive the following error message.

Microsoft Access 7.0 and 97

   You can't set the Row Source property after printing has started.

Microsoft Access 2.0

   Can't set property 'Row Source' after printing has started.

CAUTION: Following the steps in this example will modify the sample database Northwind.mdb (or NWIND.MDB in Microsoft Access 2.0). You may want to back up the Northwind.mdb (or NWIND.MDB) file and perform these steps on a copy of the database.

Creating the Graph Report

1. Open the sample database Northwind.mdb (or NWIND.MDB in 2.0).

2. Create a new report not based on any table or query in Design view.

3. Add a graph to the detail section of the report showing the total number of customer orders taken by each employee.

   In Microsoft Access 7.0 and 97:

       a. On the Insert menu, click Chart, and then click in the detail
          section of the report to invoke the Chart Wizard.
   

       b. In the "Which table or query would you like to use to create your
          chart?" dialog box, select the Orders table, and then click Next.
   

       c. In the "Which fields contain the data you want for the chart?"
          dialog box, add OrderID and EmployeeID to the Fields For Chart box,
          and then click Next.
   

       d. In the "What type of chart would you like" dialog box, click Column
          Chart, and then click Next.
   

       e. In the "How do you want to lay out the data in your chart?" dialog
          box, drag OrderID to Data (at the upper-left of the graph). Drag
          EmployeeID to Axis (at the bottom of the graph). Leave Series blank,
          and then click Next.
   

       f. In the "What title would you like for your chart" dialog box, click
          Finish.
   

   In Microsoft Access 2.0:

       a. Click the Graph button on the Toolbox toolbar, and then click in the
          detail section of the report to invoke the Graph Wizard.
   

       b. In the "Where do you want your graph to get its data?" dialog box,
          select the Orders table and then click Next.
   

       c. In the "Which fields contain the data you want for your graph?"
          dialog box, add Order ID and Employee ID to the Fields For graph
          box, and then click Next.
   

       d. In the "What categories do you want along the graph's axis?" dialog
          box, add Employee ID to the Categories For Axis box, and then click
          Next.
   

       e. In the "How to you want to calculate the totals for each category on
          your graph?" dialog box, click "Count the number of records in each
          category," and then click Next.
   

       f. In the "What type of graph do you want?" dialog box, click Next.
   

       g. In the "What title do you want on your chart?" dialog box, click
          Finish.
   

4. Set the Name property of the graph object to GraphTest.

5. Save the report as OrdersPerEmployee and close it.

Creating the Macro

1. Create a new macro called RptGraph with the following actions.

   NOTE: In the SetValue expression of the following macro, an underscore (_) at the end of a line is used as a line-continuation character. Remove the underscore from the end of the line when re-creating this expression.

   NOTE: In the SetValue expression of the following macro, type a space in [Employee ID], [Order ID], and [Customer ID] in Microsoft Access 2.0.

       Macro Name   Action
       -----------------------
       RptGraph     Echo
                    OpenReport
                    SetValue
                    RunCommand (or DoMenuItem in versions 2.0 and 7.0)
                    OpenReport
                    Echo
   
       RptGraph Actions
       ------------------------------------------------------------
       Echo
          Echo On: No
       OpenReport
          Report Name: OrdersPerEmployee
          View: Design
       SetValue
          Item: Reports!OrdersPerEmployee!GraphTest.RowSource
          Expression: "SELECT [EmployeeID], Count([OrderID]) as _
             [Number of Orders] FROM [Orders] where [CustomerID] = _
             Forms!Customers![CustomerID] GROUP BY [EmployeeID];"
   
       In Microsoft Access 97 only, use the following Runcommand:
   
       RunCommand
          Command: Save
   
       In Microsoft Access 2.0 and 7.0 only, use the following DoMenuItem:
   
       DoMenuItem
          Menu Bar: Report
          Menu Name: File
          Command: Save
   
       OpenReport
          Report Name: OrdersPerEmployee
          View: Print Preview
       Echo
         Echo On: Yes
   
   

2. Save the macro and close it.

Adding the Macro to a Button on a Form

1. Open the Customers form in Design view.

2. Add a command button to the Form Header section of the form and set the following properties:

         Command Button
         --------------
         Name: OpenReport
         Caption: Preview Graph
         OnClick: RptGraph
   

3. Open the form in Form view and click the Preview Graph button. Note that the graph report opens and shows a count of orders taken, by employee, for the current customer record.

4. Close the report and return to the Customers form.

5. Move to a different customer record and click the Preview Graph button. Note that the graph report opens and shows orders, by employee, for the current customer record.

REFERENCES

For more information about the RowSource property, search the Help Index for "RowSource property," or ask the Microsoft Access 97 Office Assistant.

Keywords          : AutoGrph kbinterop kbprg PgmHowTo IntpGrph
Version           : 2.0 7.0 97
Platform          : WINDOWS
Hardware          : x86
Issue type        : kbhowto