Work with Images and Objects in Microsoft Access
Welcome
This seminar will teach you how all about working with images, pictures, graphics, OLE objects, attachments, and pictures from the Web. You will learn how to store pictures in your database, and how to work with images that are NOT stored in your database. You'll also learn how to work with the new Attachment data type.
This seminar came about because one of my customers had a need to work with a large number of images in his database, but storing pictures in an Access database is NOT a very efficient use of space. Your database gets big and slow very quickly. So, in this seminar, I will show you a technique for selecting a file by browsing your drives, copying that file to an Images folder, and then displaying that image in your database forms and reports without storing it in the database.
But... we don't stop there. Since we're going to learn about images, we might as well learn everything about images. We'll start with basic OLE objects (bound, unbound, linked, embedded, etc.) and move right into VBA coding for Image controls. You'll learn about the new Attachment field type and lots more.
Resources
Main Seminar Goals
- Learn about the different types of OLE objects
- Discuss the most efficient way to work with images
- Embed and Link OLE objects into your forms
- Work with non-image objects (spreadsheets, docs)
- Display external images in your forms & reports
- Browse your hard drive to select a file
- Copy files to a central "Shared Images Folder"
- Display images found on Web sites in your Database
- Work with the Attachment type
Topics Covered
We will begin by learning about all of the different types of objects you can use in Microsoft Access. You'll learn about bound and unbound OLE objects, images, linking vs. embedding, non-image objects, when and when NOT to store images in your database, and you'll learn about the new Attachment data type.
Next we'll build a table and form to store embedded OLE objects right in our database tables. This is OK if you don't have a very large number of images to work with. You'll see how easy it is to edit these images in place.
In the next lesson, you'll see how easy it is to work with non-image objects in your database. We will embed a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet into a database form and give our users the full functionality of Excel without ever leaving Access.
Next you'll see how we can embed a company logo ONCE in a single form, and then use that same image in all of our other forms and reports without making separate copies of it. This saves a lot of space in our database.
We will then learn how to work with the Image control. This allows us to specify the path and filename of a picture file on our hard drive (or network) and view the image without having to store it in the database.
Next we're going to look at the Microsoft Common Dialog Control. This was an ActiveX control that shipped with Access 2003 and earlier, but is no longer available in 2007. It allows you to quickly and easily browse for a file on your hard drive.
Don't worry, Access 2007 and later users. I've got a solution for you. Using a little bit of VBA code, we can access that Common Dialog window without a special ActiveX control.
Once we learn how to select a file, now we can copy that file up to a central Shared Images folder (or just your database folder if you prefer). This way we can keep all of our images together in one place, and even rename them if we want. If you're working on a network, you want to put your images where everyone has access to view them. Don't panic... I will explain all of the VBA programming code you need to know to get this to work.
Next you'll see how you can give your end-users the ability to actually EDIT those pictures using Microsoft Paint. Even though the images aren't stored in the database, we can launch Paint and load up the pictures with just a few lines of VBA code.
If you have a Web site with images on it, you can view those images and use them in your Access database forms and reports. This is especially handy if you already have all of your product pictures online. Just point to them, and voila...
Next, Access 2007 and later users will learn how to use the Attachment data type. You can store multiple objects (pictures, text files, documents, spreadsheets, you name it) as attachments to database records... just like Email attachments. I generally don't recommend storing files inside your database, but the option is available.
This seminar is perfect for anyone who wants to learn how to work with images, pictures, or any kind of objects in Microsoft Access databases. This seminar is long (over three hours) but it's broken up into easily managed lessons of about 10 minutes each. You can sit down, watch a lesson, review the material, test the code out yourself, and experiment. Do a little bit each day. It's long, but it's comprehensive - you won't miss a single step as I've recorded everything from start to finish. Of course, if you have any questions about whether or not this seminar is for you, please contact me.
Pre-Requisites
This is a Developer-Level Seminar. There will be a lot of VBA. It is strongly recommended that you have completed my entire Access Beginner and Expert series. My Developer 1 class is highly recommended so you understand the basics of programming in VBA. If not, at least watch my free Intro to VBA video.
Version
I am using Access 2007 in this seminar, however the lessons are perfectly valid for all versions of Access from 2003 and later. It's currently 2022 and I just recently verified that everything in this seminar still works with Access 2019 and Office 365. There are a few new things I've discovered since originally recording this seminar, and I've included those as addendums as well.
Enroll Today
Enroll now so that you can watch these lessons, learn with us, post questions, and more.
Questions?
Please feel free to post your questions or comments below. If you are not sure as to whether or not this product will meet your needs, I'd rather help you before you buy it. Remember, all sales are final. Thank you.
Keywords
microsoft access images, objects, ole, bound, unbound, linking, embedding, attachments, files, pictures, icons, zoom, clip, stretch, folder, copyfile, copy file, common dialog control, copy to server, images from web, image control, graphics, picture property, dll, winapi, dir, webbrowser, loadpicture
