ACC2000: How to Open Multiple Instances of a Form

ID: Q210248

The information in this article applies to:

Microsoft Access 2000

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

This article applies to a Microsoft Access database (.mdb) and a Microsoft Access project (.adp).

SUMMARY

This article shows you how to use Visual Basic for Applications to open multiple instances of a form. Being able to open multiple instances of a form enables you to work on more than one record at once. For example, in an Order Entry application, you can start taking an order, pause and take a second order, and then return to the first order, without losing any data. Microsoft provides programming examples for illustration only, without warranty either expressed or implied, including, but not limited to, the implied warranties of merchantability and/or fitness for a particular purpose. This article assumes that you are familiar with the programming language being demonstrated and the tools used to create and debug procedures. Microsoft support professionals can help explain the functionality of a particular procedure, but they will not modify these examples to provide added functionality or construct procedures to meet your specific needs. If you have limited programming experience, you may want to contact a Microsoft Certified Solution Provider or the Microsoft fee-based consulting line at (800) 936-5200. For more information about Microsoft Certified Solution Providers, please see the following page on the World Wide Web:

http://www.microsoft.com/mcsp/

For more information about the support options available from Microsoft, please see the following page on the World Wide Web:

http://www.microsoft.com/support/supportnet/overview/overview.asp

MORE INFORMATION

The syntax for opening multiple instances of a form includes a Set statement, the keyword New, and a form reference, as in the following example:


   Set x = New Form_Form1

Because you can't use the New keyword to create a new instance of a lightweight object, any form that you intend to use the New keyword with must have its HasModule property set to True.

When you open multiple instances of a form, the original instance is the only form object that is stored permanently in the database. The other instances are temporary and are removed from memory when you close them.

NOTE: When you close the original instance of a form, all other instances of the form are closed as well.

To open multiple instances of a form, follow these steps.

CAUTION: Following the steps in this example will modify the sample database Northwind.mdb. You may want to back up the Northwind.mdb file and perform these steps on a copy of the database.

Open the sample database Northwind.mdb.

Open the Customers form in Design view.

On the View menu, click Code to open the editor.

Type the following line in the Declarations section:


Option Compare Database
Option Explicit
Dim frmX as Form

Close the editor or press ALT-F11 to switch back to Access.

Add a command button to the Customers form and set the following properties:


   Command Button:
   --------------------------
   Name: cmdOpenNewCust
   Caption: Open Customers
   OnClick: [Event Procedure]

Set the OnClick property of the command button to the following event procedure:


Private Sub cmdOpenNewCust_Click()
   Set frmX = New Form_Customers
   frmX.setfocus
End Sub

Save and close the Customers form.

View the Customers form in Form view and click the command button, Open Customers.

Note that a second instance of the Customers form opens.

REFERENCES

For more information about using the New keyword with a Set statement, click Microsoft Access Help on the Help menu, type Set in the Office Assistant or the Answer Wizard, and then click Search to view the topics returned.

Additional query words: copy copies duplicate

Keywords : kbusage kbdta AccCon FmsHowto
Version : WINDOWS:2000
Platform : WINDOWS
Issue type : kbinfo