Output individual records as PDF files

Anonymous
2019-10-29T19:10:56+00:00

My organization is using MS Word form to create a client questionnaire. Each Word doc form is saved as PDF file and stored in the Client's folder. I created a form in Access to capture and parse the questions but I cannot find a way to create and output a PDF file from Access. This requires me to repeat the entry process manually into the Word document.  My IT department won't let me roll this out to other employees because of A) the double entry issue and B) they fear other users apparently will have to learn and use VBA to output individual records.

My question is: Can Access output individual records as a printable PDF format and cannot it be done without VBA?

Microsoft 365 and Office | Access | For home | Windows

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Anonymous
2019-12-04T04:17:58+00:00

I can answer the one question...  You can set two Primary Keys by highlighting both rows and then pressing Primary Key.

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Anonymous
2019-11-21T22:31:42+00:00

David,

Me <--no degree in Computer Science.

I did have a great teacher who was a co-worker.  I learned a lot for her but more from the great help I received in newsgroups as there were no forums at the time.  If I were a beginner now I would start with Crystal's book which is free...

http://allenbrowne.com/casu-22.html

You can also go here for free Data models...

http://www.databaseanswers.org/data_models/

https://www.access-diva.com/tips.html#bmDataModels

Access is simple enough for non-technical Users but once you start getting *serious* you do need to do some reading.  And those hundreds of hours are over time with the help of the many Forums where free help is given including helping you create a data model.  So if you ever decide it's worth the time, we are here to help.

I also noticed you said you created a Form and tried to add fields from another table which sounded like it was unrelated to the record source of the Form.  Well, this can only be done when table is part of the record source.  You can create a query which can include multiple tables from which you need fields and build your form though most would just use a subform in a typical one-to-many scenario.

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  1. Anonymous
    2019-11-06T00:58:42+00:00

    There is a logic to hyper markup language that I understand and completely different from the logic of Access.

    You are comparing chalk and cheese.  Relational database management systems like Access are essentially set oriented.  The logic of data retrieval and manipulation is ultimately derived from relational algebra and relational calculus.  However, you don't need to understand the mathematics to work with Access.  SQL, which is a very logical language, is the medium through which the fundamentally mathematical operations are executed.  The basics of SQL are relatively easy to grasp.

    VBA is a general purpose procedural language, which is used in other Office applications as well as Access.  Again, it is not difficult to learn to a level which will enable many basic tasks to be undertaken, providing a foundation on which to build more advanced skills.

    I'm not a great fan of 'tutorials'.  All too often they tell you what to do, not how to do it, and do not engender an understanding of the sort Richard Feynman was urging his students to achieve in the quote below my signature.  Traditional study by means of well structured books was my way of scaling the learning curve, along with looking at examples of both SQL and VBA code until I understood how it works.  This is what I make my demos available in OneDrive for.

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  2. George Hepworth 23,120 Reputation points Volunteer Moderator
    2019-11-06T04:32:48+00:00

    The First Rule of Holes.

    When you find yourself at the bottom of one, stop digging.

    Also, regarding Feynman, the following is attributed to Murray Gell-Mann:

    The Feynman Problem-Solving Algorithm:

    (1) write down the problem;

    (2) think very hard;

    (3) write down the answer.

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  3. Anonymous
    2019-11-07T00:22:01+00:00

    I created a table that pulls data from other tables without building relationships between the two. I tried creating a form to link to my tables using the Blank Form but every time I select a field from another table it negates the the field from the previous table. Entering records in the the in Datasheet View will suffice so, I won't not bother building a form, which, I suppose, requires VBA. That said, I'm not quite sure if I need to build relationships between tables. I haven't found any learning source that explains the logic, the why and the how. 

    As for tutorials, I agree, they show but not explain. Microsoft's tutorials are especially useless. (I'm sure the folks at MS marketing department creates those tutorials instead of actual engineers.

    Can you recommend a good book? 

    Thanks,

    DC

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