How to Create a Dropdown Combo Box in Access

A very useful feature in Access or any database is the ability to create data combo dropdown boxes within our application. Data dropdown selection boxes are a great way to make data entry easier and fool-proof for our users.

In this video tutorial I walk you through how to create a new dropdown selection box bound from one table to another and how that impacts the relationship of your tables in your database.

Video Tutorial:




If you have any questions feel free to send me an email.

Tim

How to Create Data Validation Rules in Microsoft Access

I get a lot of questions about Microsoft Access, so I wanted to create this video tutorial on how to create data validation rules and logic in Access database tables. Data validation is a very important issue when dealing with data integrity in databases. As we know, people can misspell or even put a space in a row before entering the correct data and it creates all sorts of unique challenges when it is time to query or manage our data. I hope this tutorials helps you think of ways to use validation within your own projects.

If you would like more tutorials on Access, just send me an email and I will be glad to create more.

Video Tutorial:



Tim

How to Create a Ringtone for Your iPhone in GarageBand

In this video tutorial I walk you through the basics of how to create your own custom ringtone in GarageBand for your iPhone.

Video Tutorial:



If you have any questions, please let me know.

Tim

Attention - Security Flaw in Adobe Acrobat/Reader 9.2

According to a post by Adobe, there is a security weakness in the latest version of the PDF reader. An updated post on the Adobe blog indicates that a security advisory has been officially posted regarding a critical vulnerability in Acrobat Reader and Acrobat 9.2 that could cause a crash of your system (Windows, Mac and Unix) and allow an attacker to take control of your system.

For the most up to date information you should refer to the Security Advisory for information on mitigating this vulnerability. Adobe will update the advisory.

For the current recommend solution please visit this link at the Adobe Knowledge Base.

Let me know if you have any questions.

Tim

Should You Upgrade to Windows 7?

With the recent release of Windows 7, I have had many people ask me if they should upgrade or not. It is sort of a loaded question with as many questions as there are responses. However, I will provide a few key points that may help you decide.

You should ask yourself the following questions before upgrading:

• Do you or your organization really need Windows 7?
• How will you specifically benefit from upgrading?
• Would it be wiser to forecast the upgrade a few months or more out so the initial problems will be addressed by Microsoft?
  
• If you are still running XP, Microsoft ended mainstream support in April of 2009. However security fixes will be provided through 2014. Hows does this impact your decision to upgrade to Windows 7 or possibly another operating system?
• Will the new administration tools in Windows 7 be important enough to your organization to make you consider upgrading?
• Do you have peripherals such as printers, scanners or other devices that are critical parts of your business? If so, are you sure there are Windows 7 drivers available?
  
• Do you need the built-in support for touch screen monitors offered in Windows 7?
• Will the upgrade to Windows 7 force new hardware purchases?
• Since there is no direct upgrade path from XP to Windows 7, will this impact your decision?
• Are there any application compatibility concerns?
• Is your IT staff trained to support and administer Windows 7?
  

This article should help you start thinking about the basics when considering an upgrade to your desktop operating system. Please send me your comments, thoughts or experiences regarding Windows 7.

Tim