Beginning Access 2002 VBA (Programmer to Programmer)

In this chapter we've looked at ways to extend the functionality of Access, both from a programmer's point of view, by using library databases, and from a user 's point of view, by using Add-Ins. Both of these use standard Access databases, so there's no major difference between what you do in these databases and what you do in normal databases.

What we've concentrated on is:

• Using library databases to provide common functionality to many databases. This allows you to provide routines to other Access programmers, and is especially useful for supplying routines to power users, who are good at using Access, but haven't mastered VBA yet.

• Using object-oriented features, by providing class libraries. These extend the benefits of classes, putting them in a more distributable format.

• Using Add-Ins to extend the functionality of Access, providing users with a richer working environment.

As you've seen, there's not a great deal of complexity involved in using libraries and Add-Ins, just a few points to follow and a few points to watch out for.

Now it's time to look at extending the functionality of Access by using other applications, such as Word and Excel.