Access is like a fine car

with regards to your Null issue, ASP pages are usually written in VBScript
correct? In which case, I believe the Nz function would work.

I accept I maybe completely incorrect - whilst I did use VBScript a fair
amount in the past, I have since transferred to JavaScript; and switching
between that and VBA (for Access & Excel), and C++, sometimes I get a
little confused; praise the good people at Amazon for my costly library sat
at work!

Cheers

John Webb

--
Message posted via http://www.accessmonster.com

Here's an idea,

How about you take the role of 'developer' for real? Stop whining about
broken references and troubleshooting. ...if you haven't figured out in the
many years you've used Access that the program changes - and if you haven't
figured out when the program changes, your development level needs to change,
then you need to get out of the development game.

I've been building databases since Access 2.0. I've seen what initially
seemed to be rediculous changes in the way Access was built. Inevitably, I
find out it was done for a reason. By the way, have you ever tried calling
Microsoft to have them help you? Here's an anecdote for you:
I tried to import data from a program called Registrar into Access 97.
Registrar only exported as an .xls file. I opened it in Excel and tried .db,
..txt, .csv, every format I could think of. I finally called Microsoft to ask
them and got what sounded like an 18 year old high schooler on the phone. I
asked my question - "why won't this file import?". He immediately replied
with "when you saved the file in Excel, what font did you have set?"

As you can imagine, I asked for his boss before he could take another
breath. My thought was "what the f@#$ does the font have to do with the
data?". He told me he knew it sounded rediculous, but to humor him and try
changing the font to courier before importing, and if it didn't work he'd
give me to his supervisor immediately.

Well, it worked, freakiest thing I've ever seen. My point is, nowhere have
you ever indicated you've taken the time to actually call Microsoft and let
their guys take a crack at your problems. Don't come back with the 'oh, I
shouldn't have to spend my time/money/effort to call them, it should be
right' line. If you consider the sheer volume of lines of code needed to put
these applications together, not to mention having to wade through 'problems'
reported by every user level from expert down to the
why-the-hell-do-you-touch-a-keyboard?, you'd know how difficult it is to
please everyone. As a developer, you take the responsibility to know the
answer, and if you don't know it, figure out who does. If you haven't called
Microsoft for your problems as a last resort because 'you shouldn't have to',
then move to another application and stop crying about the 'limitations' of
Access. Your rant sounds like what I used to hear from Unix programmers,
until they were finally phased out of my client's companies in favor of
people who actually will work to find solutions instead of saying 'i don't
know the answer off of the top of my head, so it can't be fixes'.

And before you say I should be in bed with Billy, know this, I can't stand
the way Microsoft is operating and dominating the market, it IS stifling
development and competition, and yes, he does run his company with more
arrogance than anyone should be able to posess, but it's the best on the
block...if you don't like it, go program a better Linux solution, and let the
rest of us work in peace.

"Mark A. Sam" wrote:

I have been thinking a lot about Access and what it has meant to me over the
years, and how it has "evolved". Not only Access but all Microsoft
Products. Most of my experience is with Access so I will use it in an
analogy. I don't want to offend anyone here who lives and breaths Microsoft
and has an image of Bill Gates overlooking your back yard alter, so I will
start by saying that Access is a great product and has many valuable
features for making top notch applications. That's true, and I'll even
liken Access to a top of the line luxury car, like a Cadallac or Lincoln (
or you choose your favorite car ), but with a few minor problems.

When you drive your car, you feel very proud becuase it looks good and has a
smooth and quiet ride, however you need to stop and put water in the
radiator every 500 miles or 3 days which ever comes first. The wheels are
always out of alignment one way or the other (it changes from trip to trip),
so you need to replace your tires more often then normal. Also it pulls one
way while you are driving and the other way when you step on the brakes.
This is nothing that you can't get used to however. Sometimes the brakes
grab but not always. Every once in a while the driver side air bag inflates
when you bang on the steering wheel to reset it in place. This is not too
often, and the steering wheel usually stays on. It does come loose
unexpectedly sometimes, but it has never caused you to crash. When the
airbag does inflate, it makes this loud noise like, Boonk (similar to the
noise when an error box pops up in an application). You need to check the
oil everytime you stop or every 50 miles whichever comes first, becuase
sometimes it loses oil for no apparent reason and without any indication as
to why. Sometimes you may go months without an oil loss and sometimes it
will happen 3 or 4 times in a day. It is better to check regularly than to
wreck your engine. This wasn't a problem for the first year, but occured
about the normal trade in time almost as if it was programmed to happen.

Well, you have a good care, Made in America and you are happy. The problems
are minor compared to the fine workmanship which went into enginerring and
building your car. Yes you worked hard to get where you are and your car
tells the story of your success. What will your next car be?