Adding Other Controls to Reports

Access places no limit on the toolbox controls that you add to reports. So far, the controls that you have modified or added have been limited to labels, text boxes, lines, and the combo boxes that Access places automatically for fields configured as lookup fields. These four kinds of controls are likely to comprise more than 90 percent of the controls used in the reports you create. Controls that require user interaction, such as lists and combo boxes, can be used in a nonprinting section of the report, but practical use of these controls in reports is limited. The following list describes other controls that you might want to add to reports:

• Bound object frames print the contents of the OLE Object field data type. An OLE object can be a still or animated graphic, a video clip, a waveform or CD audio, or even MIDI music. Reports are designed only for printing, so animated graphics, video, and sound are inappropriate for reports.

• Unbound object frames display OLE objects created by server applications, such as Microsoft Graph 97 (included with Access), Windows Paint, Excel, or the Microsoft WordArt or Equation Editor OLE applets included with Microsoft Word. Usually, you place unbound objects in the report's Form Header or Form Footer section, but you can add a logo to the top of each page by placing the image object in the Page Header section. A graph or chart created by the Chart Wizard is a special kind of unbound OLE object.

• Lines and rectangles (also called shapes) create decorative elements on reports. Lines of varying widths can separate the sections of the report or emphasize a particular section.

• Check boxes and option buttons can be used to indicate the values of Yes/No fields or within group frames to indicate multiple-choice selections. Group frames, option buttons, and check boxes used in reports indicate only the value of data cells and do not change the values. Reports seldom use toggle buttons.

• Command buttons execute Access VBA procedures.

Bound and unbound object frames are the subject of Chapter 19, "Adding Graphics to Forms and Reports." Access VBA programming is the topic of Part VII, "Programming and Converting Access Applications."