MS Access Guidance
This page provides basic guidance on the MS Access toolbar icons and terminology that you will need to use PlanChest most effectively. Please read in conjunction with the PlanChest Guidance page.
Datasheet View
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Located on the standard PlanChest toolbar, this icon 'toggles' with the Form View icon. Datasheet View is enabled only for lists and displays the same information as the Form View, but in a tabular form more like a spreadsheet. Datasheet View has two specific characteristics which provide an advantage over Form View, particularly when compiling Schedules: Always use Datasheet View when copying-and-pasting records, e.g. when copying a batch of similar rooms from one floor to another, or a batch of drawings with similar names and numbers. Datasheet View allows the re-sizing and/or moving of columns to see more information or to place columns adjacent to each other when entering batches of similar data. |
Delete Record
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Located on the standard PlanChest toolbar, this icon provides an alternative to the 'Delete' key when deleting records. Note that Access always displays a prompt to check that you wish to delete the selected record(s) before actually completing the operation. |
Filtering
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Filter By Selection Located on the standard PlanChest toolbar, this icon does what it says. Highlight a field, or any part of a field, in one record, select this icon, and only records with similar information will be shown. Note that MS Access has some built-in characteristics that can trap the inexperienced. In particular, Access treats a filter selection that includes/excludes the start of a field differently. For example, you wish to select all companies with a Project Role which includes the word 'Surveyors'. If the first record, which you are highlighting, has just the word 'Surveyors' and you select the complete field, the filtered list will show only those records which start with the word 'Surveyors'. If, however, you select just 'urveyor', the filtered list will show all records with this in the text including, for example, Quantity S'urveyor's. Spend a few moments trying-out various options to familiarise yourself with this particular quirk of MS Access. |
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Filter Excluding Selection Located on the standard PlanChest toolbar, this icon does what it says. It is particularly useful if you wish to exclude all records with one particular field blank. Highlight any blank field, select this icon, and all records with that field blank will be excluded. |
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Remove Filter/Sort Located on the standard PlanChest toolbar, this icon removes all applied filters and restores the record set to its default sort order. If you 'lose track' during a series of complicated filter criteria, select this icon and start again. |
Find
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Located on the standard PlanChest toolbar, this icon provides a standard Access function. The options are too numerous to describe in detail here. Spend a few moments trying-out various options to familiarise yourself with the 'Find' function. |
Form View
| < > | Located on the standard PlanChest toolbar, this icon 'toggles' with the Datasheet View icon. In all cases, the Form View is the pre-set default PlanChest view of a particular set of information. |
New Record Selector
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Located on the standard PlanChest toolbar, and at the base of the form view, list view, or screen, this icon is used to create new records in many PlanChest views. If it is 'greyed-out' you cannot create a new record from that particular view. |
Record Selector
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Located at the left-hand side of the 'selected' record in a list view, and at the base of the form view, list view, or screen. |
Sorting
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Put the cursor into any field, select this icon, and PlanChest will sort the record set 'ascending'. Remember that in any field with both text and numbers, the numbers will sort before the letters. |
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Put the cursor into any field, select this icon, and PlanChest will sort the record set 'descending'. |