Quick Queries #70
By Richard Rost
2 months ago
Why AI is Becoming Your Essential Junior Developer
In this Microsoft Access tutorial, we'll talk about how AI is becoming a handy junior developer, answer your YouTube comments, and share a useful Zoom trick for conditional formatting. We'll discuss custom events, why software development is always iterative, and clarify the differences between value lists and relational combo boxes for beginners. You'll also pick up practical tips for working with combo boxes and commenting code, and hear thoughts on the evolving role of AI, translation features, and best practices for using Access at work in different environments. This is part of my Quick Queries Q&A series.
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Keywords
TechHelp Access, AI junior developer, answers to YouTube comments, Zoom trick for conditional formatting, custom events, expression builder, value list vs relational combo box, split multi-user database, SQL statement generation, AI query builder, recordset loop, VBA code generation, iterative software development, comment block buttons, automatic video translation, tab key for indenting, load conflicts timer event
Intro In this Quick Queries video, we'll talk about how AI is becoming a useful tool for Microsoft Access developers, answer questions from YouTube viewers, and cover topics like a handy Zoom trick for conditional formatting, what custom events are and when they might be needed, and the difference between value lists and relational combo boxes for beginners. We'll also discuss the iterative nature of software development and share tips on working with code indentation and using translation features in Access tutorials.Transcript Today we are going to talk about how AI is becoming the junior developer you never knew you needed in Microsoft Access. Plus, we have answers to your YouTube comments. We are going to see a cool Zoom trick for conditional formatting that I did not know about. Someone taught me this one.
We'll talk about what custom events are and why most developers will never actually need to use them. We'll touch on why software is always iterative, not a one and done project. We will clear up some confusion about value lists versus relational combo boxes, especially for beginners who are just learning what a drop down really means. And lots more. So let's get to it.
All right. Today we are starting off with the "I love it when a student teaches me something" department. In a previous video, I was talking about how in the conditional formatting dialog you cannot use Shift+F2 to zoom in. When I am doing a video, I usually copy it over to Notepad and then use a bigger font there, then I have to copy it back.
Donald Blackwell, one of my Platinum members, said there is another way you could do it. You could use the expression builder, which I usually do not use. I am not a big fan of the expression builder, but he says when you are in there, you can type whatever you want and you can use the mouse wheel to increase and decrease the font.
All right, let's try this. Let's go in here, and we will go to design view and go into conditional formatting and a new rule. These are the little expression builder buttons. Usually, I work in "expression is," it has one too. If I type something in here, whatever text, it is really small. There are screen zoom tricks I can do and all that, but I do not like any of that. I just like to hit Shift+F2 in Access and that will show you what it is.
Let's try Donald's thing in the expression builder. Here it is. Now, Control and then mouse wheel. Oh boy, look at that. That is so cool. That has to be something that they added after I started using the expression builder, how many moons ago? But that is a really cool trick. I probably would not use this much for myself, but for videos, the key is for me to remember it because half the time I show you these tips and tricks that I never use. I am already set in my ways, so I will never remember it. But that is a really cool trick and I hope that helps someone else out and I hope you learned something from that.
Let's see here, and Sammy, I hope you are happy now. It made it.
All right, head over to the YouTubes. We have Sanford, who says, I have been developing Access databases for over 25 years. I recently tried asking AI to create some VBA code for me. I gave it some of my most complex challenges that I could think of, and it is almost always perfect. Have you ever tried to challenge AI to see how it stacks up?
Oh, yeah, all the time. I am constantly throwing things at AI to see what it can do. Sometimes I will throw questions at it that I already know the answer to, like, how would you do this? I would say 80 percent of the time it is right. For me personally, I use AI as a junior developer. It is great for boilerplate, routine stuff. Stuff that I already know how to do, but I just do not feel like sitting here and coding the whole thing.
Honestly, right now AI is closer to a toddler. You speak to it like you would a young child. Give it very specific instructions, correct it gently when it does something wrong or goes off the rails, and definitely do not give it too much credit. It can hallucinate and make things up that do not even exist. So anything you ask it, if you are looking for factual information, you should always check it against the original source and ask what its sources are if it has to look something up online.
For coding specifically, you want to double check and triple check everything it writes, especially if you are going to be putting this into production code. Like I said, it usually gets the basics and maybe about 80 percent of the logic right, but the edge cases can get weird. For example, what happens if the value is negative, or it is a null value, or it is out of range, or something like that.
It is definitely getting better fast. It is way ahead of where it was a year ago, and in a few years, it is going to be incredible. But it is still no substitute for actually learning how to program so you understand what you are looking at. People that are all about vibe coding, I am not about that. I like to use it. It can teach me something new occasionally. Sometimes it will come up with some code and I will ask, what does this line mean? But I like to use it for stuff where I give it the overall broad picture and then have it do the things I do not feel like doing.
I know how to write a recordset loop. I know how to write basic SQL. So I will just have it write an SQL statement that does this and this from these fields and these tables, and it can put it together faster than I can. That is where it is nice. I use it for rewriting and cleaning up text, like my Captain's Log that I do every morning. I can just go off the stream of consciousness and tell it what I want to write about, and then it will put it together into a rough draft for me and then I will go through each paragraph and reword stuff. It is good for things like that.
In fact, I have done a bunch of videos on integrating Open AI into your Access database itself. I built this thing, the AI query builder, where you can say what I just said a minute ago, like, give me a list of all the unpaid orders that are 30 days late with the order totals. Then the AI can look at all your tables and structure and just write the SQL for you. Then you get the query back. The newer update, 1.2, can actually write VBA code. For example, write me a subroutine that loops through all the customers from Florida with a recordset, adds their first name and last name and email to a comma delimited text string, message boxes the results, and it writes all that. So you can actually do really cool things inside of Access with it.
But it is still an emerging field, and the people who are scared of AI and refuse to use it are going to be replaced by someone who does. I am not saying AI is going to replace us, but people who know how to work with AI will definitely replace people who do not. That is my forecast. It is like the same people who said, "Oh, computers will never replace calculators and a slide rule" - well, guess what? People who learned how to use the computers and learned how to program replaced all the people who refused.
Do not get dragged kicking and screaming into the future. Take some time now and learn it. I have been thinking about putting together a simple AI course, but I am not sure if you are interested in something like that. Let me know, post a comment down below.
Next up, we have Carl, who says, personally, I use custom events for data transfer between forms. Maybe you can do a video on custom events sometime.
Yeah, probably eventually. Not sure if I will make it a TechHelp video, but maybe a developer lesson. For the TechHelp videos, I try to make them things that have a wide audience so a lot of people can benefit from it.
For anyone who is watching who has never heard of a custom event, they are basically little signals you can create inside of a class module. Instead of only relying on the built-in events like OnClick or AfterUpdate, you can invent your own and you can raise it when something happens so another form or object can listen and react. It is sort of like saying, "Hey, something just changed over here. Go do your thing." Most Access developers never need it, and it is a really neat trick for really complex stuff.
For me personally, I rarely use custom events. They can be useful, but I would say in my 30 year consulting career, I honestly never really ran into a situation where I needed them. I am covering class modules right now in my Access Developer 50 something lessons, and I have plenty more topics planned in that series, so I may work them in there. They are handy and cool, but they are definitely not a requirement for building really good Access applications. But thanks for the suggestion.
Next up, we have Shadow Dragon. I love seeing these QOL tweaks. They show that software development is iterative, not the one and done that a lot of people think it is. For those of you who are not familiar, QOL is just quality of life. In software terms, it basically means little tweaks that you make to the application to make something nicer to use without changing the core functionality - smooth your workflow, fewer clicks, better defaults, that kind of stuff.
That is how Access and software really is - iterative. You build something, use it, spot a rough edge, smooth it out, rinse and repeat. That is why I am doing the fitness series, for example - over my lifetime of using it as a user, I am discovering things that I want to change because it is not working the way I want. As a consultant, that is sometimes the difficult part because you build software but you do not use it as a user. Take, for example, my website. I do not use my website to learn. I built it, I record videos, I maintain it, I use the forums a lot as a user so I have tweaked those quite a bit, but I do not really go there to watch my videos and learn from it. I rely on feedback from my students to say, "OK, this needs to get tweaked here, this needs to get tweaked there." That is how software works or that is how websites work. That is a very iterative process. That is not like writing a novel where once it is published, it is done.
I like series like the fitness series because it gives me a chance to keep going back to software that we are building. I cannot show all these tricks just starting from the blank template every time because it does not have all the stuff that you need to get up to that point. So, yeah, very cool.
Next up, Fleet Ferris says, I use this feature all the time. He is talking about the comment block buttons that I showed you how to put on in one of last week's videos. Set it up long ago, did not realize it was not there by default. The other one that is great is the indent buttons, which I use all the time to keep my code clean and readable. I do not know how anyone would get by without these.
I do not use the buttons myself. I just use the tab key. It is tab and Shift+Tab to indent and unindent stuff. So let's say you want to indent this stuff. Just select all those lines and hit the tab key. Tab, tab, tab, tab, tab, and then Shift+Tab to go back. That only works with multiple lines. If you just do the one line, it just erases it, so you have to make sure you have multiple lines selected - at least two like this. Then tap, tap, tap. That is why I never use those indent buttons because I just hit the tab key.
All right. Next up, we have dragon VV2 EW who says, hold on, hold on, hold on. We have translate here. Italian. The automatic video translation has improved a lot. Even the tone of your voice sounds just like yours. I do not use it a lot myself, but let's check it out.
Here is the original English. To do that for you, we will go to settings. To do that audio track, let's do Italian. Yeah, that does kind of sound like me. I will just reverse the bass. The Russian does it. He has got a higher pitched voice. The Spanish sounds a little sexy. Ha ha. I have to put it back to English now or I will forget that. Not too bad.
So yeah, it seems like every couple of months when I check it, it is getting better. Just like AI, their translations are getting really good. Video is getting good now too. It is scary how good this stuff is getting.
Suffie Killim, talking about my "When Access is the Right Tool" and people try to always use Excel for it, says, "Watching this after being discouraged from using Access at work makes me now want to use Access at work even more." That is right. You do that. You use Access at work as much as possible. If the boss does not like it, too bad - you tell him I said... no, I do not want to get in trouble. Do not lose your job over me.
No, as long as Access is allowed in your workplace, by far, it is the right tool for the right job. It is just another tool to have in your toolbox there. Do not get me wrong, Excel is great, but it has its limitations.
All right. Next up, we have a comment from YAF2544. He is talking about my "Drop Down: A Beginner Video" explaining what drop down means. He says, "Thank you very much for the explanations. You are doing a great job. However, I have a slight doubt about the best way to manage value lists when you have a split multi-user database. It is necessary to use a relational table when the list value is done. I have different attributes and so on and so forth."
OK, I understand what you are trying to say and thanks for the comment. You are absolutely right that in a split multi-user database, you generally want to use relational tables for shared lists. That is the proper long term approach once you are building a real production application.
Now, this particular video was aimed at absolute beginners who are just learning what "drop down box" means and that in Access, they are called combo boxes because people do not know to search for the term "Microsoft Access combo box" because they do not know what a combo box is; they think it is called a drop down. There are a lot of other applications that call it a drop down, which is what I spend the first five minutes of that video talking about. If they are coming from the web world or using a different application where it is called a drop down list, now they know what it is called in Access.
I was explaining the different types of combo boxes: value list and relational. The video focused on teaching the two basic types: simple value lists and simple relational combo boxes. You can even have a value list in a split database if it is something that you do not plan on ever having to change or it is not going to appear in multiple places. The goal of that video was not to teach multi-user architecture or splitting the database. I am just introducing really basic concepts.
But yes, if you are in a split environment, anything you add via a value list in the front end will only exist in that one copy unless you distribute your front end to your users. If it is a relational database and it has tables in the back end, then everyone will see them instantaneously. I cover that in detail in my other "Relational Combo Box" video, but I do not always want to bury beginners under that level of complexity on day one. That is why I do not even cover relational combo boxes until I get into my Expert series, after ten levels of beginner lessons. I am not trying to break anyone's brains too fast. So your point is correct. But for this video, it was just meant as a friendly intro for people who are just starting their Microsoft Access journey. They will get to splitting databases and relational modeling soon enough. Thank you very much for your comment.
Next up, we have MD Jam. I am not going to try to pronounce the whole thing. MD Jam, that is your name now. You are explaining way better than my school teachers. Sweet, I appreciate that. Send your school teachers to my YouTube channel, maybe they will learn something. I kid. School teachers are doing their best jobs. It is one thing to be a math teacher or teach computers in a high school or college, but Microsoft Access might not be their thing. I even went to a community college when I was growing up, and the math teacher was assigned to teach the computer stuff. They did a little bit of this and a little bit of that, but that was not their thing. It was just part of the curriculum so they had to teach it. Your teachers might not be career Access developers, so they are doing the best they can with what they have. They might just be one step ahead of the class, but that is fine. I was there too. I used to teach things that I was not really an expert in, like Photoshop or applications that I used a little bit, but I was not an expert. Give your teachers some slack. They are doing the best they can.
Next up, we have Black Cat. First comment after being a silent observer for the last couple of years, but I have to give a round of applause. Well, thank you very much. This is a very elegant solution. You are talking about my "Load Conflicts" video where I show you how if you have one form that needs to load another one or even multiple forms, like when the database starts up, and it is having issues because those other forms have events that are running and it causes problems with the first one, you can stick it in a timer event. That way, the first form finishes loading completely, then the timer kicks off the loading of the other forms.
He said this is an elegant solution. I struck this problem just last week and could not tweak it out. I knew the problem was no matter what I changed, it would not work. AI only complicated it to the point where I just gave up in disgust. Yeah, that will happen. Like I said, AI is kind of like a toddler at this point and it is just throwing out ideas for you to try, but it does not have the experience and knowledge of a master Access developer. Yeah, it is getting there, but it does not yet. There is no substitute for experience right now.
Hopefully, it will not get that good until after I retire and then you guys have to worry about it. Who am I kidding? I am never going to retire. I love doing this stuff.
All right, that is going to about do it for today, folks. Do not forget to save the date: March 27, 2026, for Access Day in Redmond, Washington. Stop by my website to see what is new and what is up.
Do not forget to check out my Captain's Log - had some really silly stuff in there this week. Stop by the merch store. Get your merch. Got lots of mouse pads and sweaters and all kinds of stuff. Grab a copy of my Beginner Level One book on Amazon. Make sure you are on my mailing list because I will email you stuff and you will get cool notifications. That is cool.
That is going to do it for your Quick Queries video for today. Hope you learned something. Live long and prosper, my friends. Enjoy your weekend. I will see you next time.Quiz Q1. What role does the instructor suggest AI currently serves best for a Microsoft Access developer?
A. As a full senior developer replacement
B. As a junior developer for boilerplate and routine tasks
C. As an advanced, autonomous programmer for all coding challenges
D. As a project manager overseeing database builds
Q2. Which of the following statements about using AI-generated code in production is considered BEST PRACTICE according to the video?
A. Trust all output from AI and deploy directly
B. Check AI-generated code once for major errors only
C. Always double check and triple check everything before using in production
D. Only use AI code for user interface design, not logic
Q3. Which of the following is a potential limitation of AI when writing code, as described in the video?
A. It cannot write any SQL at all
B. It is always perfect and never needs review
C. It may get standard logic correct but often fails in edge cases
D. It generates code only for outdated versions of Access
Q4. What is a custom event in Microsoft Access, as described in the video?
A. A VBA function that must be called repeatedly in a loop
B. A way to create built-in events such as OnClick or AfterUpdate
C. A signal you can create and raise in a class module so other forms or objects can listen and react
D. A database trigger that fires automatically on data updates
Q5. According to the video, are custom events essential for most Microsoft Access developers?
A. Yes, they are required for any effective database
B. No, most developers never need to use them
C. Yes, because standard events are not reliable
D. Only in web-based Access projects
Q6. What does the instructor say about software development with respect to iteration?
A. Software should be released once and never updated
B. Software is always iterative - you build, use, spot rough edges, and improve
C. Software should only be changed when users formally complain
D. Software iteration is only necessary for web applications
Q7. In the context of Microsoft Access, what is a value list in a combo box?
A. A drop down that gets its values from a related table in the database
B. A hard-coded list of values entered directly into the combo box properties
C. A dynamic list built from user input each time the form opens
D. The set of values generated by an SQL query only
Q8. When is it appropriate to use a value list in a split multi-user Access database, based on the video?
A. For core, widely used lists that all users need to share and edit
B. Only if the list will never change or is not shared across multiple forms or users
C. For managing user-level security permissions
D. Any time, as value lists automatically sync between front ends
Q9. What is the main difference between a value list and a relational combo box according to the lesson?
A. Value list stores data in the back end, relational does not
B. Relational combo boxes get values from tables, value lists are hard-coded into the control
C. Value lists are only for single-user systems, relational is for multi-user only
D. There is no significant difference; they are synonyms
Q10. Which of the following is NOT recommended by the instructor regarding learning and using AI?
A. Assume AI is always correct
B. Learn how to use AI because those who do will replace those who do not
C. Use AI to help with repetitive or boilerplate tasks
D. Gently correct AI when it is wrong and always verify facts
Q11. What is the main reason the instructor prefers using the Tab and Shift+Tab keys for code indentation in Access over the indent/unindent buttons?
A. The indent buttons do not exist in Access
B. Using Tab is faster for multiple lines and is how the instructor is used to working
C. Tab key only works on single lines
D. Indent buttons are only available in web applications
Q12. What is the recommended way to ensure consistent list values across all users in a split Access database?
A. Manually distribute updated front end files with value list changes to all users
B. Store the list in a backend relational table so all users see updates instantly
C. Only use single-user databases for shared lists
D. Rely solely on front end value lists for all dropdowns
Q13. According to the video, why is software development for tools like Microsoft Access described as an iterative process?
A. Because you should never change your software after release
B. Because the first version should always be perfect
C. Because you build, refine based on feedback and usage, then improve again
D. Because Microsoft requires it
Q14. Why is a relational combo box recommended over a value list for production databases in multi-user environments?
A. It is easier to design
B. It allows all users to access and update the same list dynamically from the backend
C. It is faster to implement initially
D. It requires less knowledge of Access
Q15. What advice does the instructor give to those who are hesitant to use AI tools?
A. Avoid AI because it is not reliable yet
B. Embrace AI and learn how to use it, or risk being replaced by those who do
C. Wait until AI is perfected before using it
D. Only use AI for entertainment purposes
Answers: 1-B; 2-C; 3-C; 4-C; 5-B; 6-B; 7-B; 8-B; 9-B; 10-A; 11-B; 12-B; 13-C; 14-B; 15-B
DISCLAIMER: Quiz questions are AI generated. If you find any that are wrong, don't make sense, or aren't related to the video topic at hand, then please post a comment and let me know. Thanks.Summary In today's Quick Queries video from Access Learning Zone, I want to talk about how artificial intelligence is evolving into that junior developer you might not have realized you needed in Microsoft Access. Alongside that, I'll be responding to your YouTube comments and sharing a useful Zoom trick for conditional formatting in Access that I recently learned from a viewer.
To start, let me share something a student showed me. Previously, I mentioned that you can't use Shift+F2 to zoom into the conditional formatting dialog. My workaround has always been to copy content to Notepad, increase the font size, and then copy it back. However, a helpful tip from Donald Blackwell pointed me toward using the expression builder, where you can actually zoom the font in and out with your mouse wheel while holding down the Control key. This is a handy trick if you're working in the expression builder, and while I may not switch my habits, I think it could be beneficial for those who want more readable text. It's something I'll try to remember, especially for making tutorials clearer.
Moving to your comments, Sanford mentioned he's been developing with Access for over 25 years and has started leaning on AI for VBA code, even for complex challenges. He finds the results almost always solid. Have I ever challenged AI myself? Absolutely. I'm regularly testing AI with questions, many of which I already know the answers to. It gets things right about 80 percent of the time in my estimation. I see AI as a junior developer - it's great for routine, boilerplate tasks, but not something that should be relied on for production code without thorough checking. AI is advancing quickly, but for now, you really still need to have a solid understanding of programming fundamentals so you can check, correct, and guide what AI gives you.
I also use AI for tasks like generating recordset loops or writing SQL statements that are pretty standard, and even for tasks like cleaning up text for my Captain's Log. With AI, you can speak in plain language - ask it, for example, to write code that collects certain data or writes a subroutine - and it'll do the bulk of the work. I've created Access tools that connect with AI to build queries and even write some VBA code based on plain English instructions. It's a fascinating area, but it remains a work in progress. My advice is to embrace AI as a tool rather than fear it. Those who learn AI will ultimately have the advantage in the workplace.
Carl brought up that he uses custom events for transferring data between forms and asked if I could cover the topic in a tutorial. I might cover it in a developer lesson one day, though not likely in a general TechHelp video since the audience for custom events is more niche. To clarify for those who are unfamiliar, a custom event is essentially a user-defined signal you can create in class modules, beyond the standard events like OnClick or AfterUpdate. They allow you to trigger responses in other objects or forms when something changes. For the vast majority of Access developers, custom events are unnecessary, but they're a neat tool for complex applications. In my thirty years of consulting, I've rarely needed them myself, but for some projects, they come in handy.
Shadow Dragon commented on software being "iterative" and said QOL improvements (Quality of Life tweaks) demonstrate this well. Iterative development means you build, use, spot issues, and refine repeatedly. This matches my approach with larger projects like the fitness series, where revisiting and refining over time leads to better software. Unlike a novel, software is never really finished. I don't often use my website in the way a student would, so I depend on user feedback to make those small day-to-day improvements.
Fleet Ferris wrote about the comment block and indent buttons in Access VBA. Personally, I still just use the Tab and Shift+Tab keys to manage indentation. If you select multiple lines, Tab will indent all of them and Shift+Tab will remove the indentation. It's quick, efficient, and I've found it eliminates the need for the toolbar buttons.
Next, a comment highlighted how improved automatic video translation is getting, especially with the tone and sound of the translated voice being even closer to my own. These technologies, like AI, are making fast progress and some translations are impressively accurate.
Moving on, Suffie Killim commented on feeling encouraged to use Access at work, especially after being previously discouraged in a workplace that heavily favored Excel. My advice: use Access when it's the right tool and it's permitted in your organization. Excel is great but every tool has its limits. Access really shines for database work.
On the topic of managing value lists versus relational combo boxes, YAF2544 raised a question about best practices for split, multi-user databases. In such cases, using relational tables for shared lists is definitely the best practice. My beginner video on drop down menus (which most users know as combo boxes in Access) was aimed at students new to the concept, to clarify types of combo boxes and show how value lists and relational tables work at a foundational level. I intentionally keep it simple at first and expand on more advanced practices such as splitting databases and back-end table management in later series once people are comfortable. For those building real production apps, shifting to relational tables for shared lists is the way to go.
MD Jam commented that my tutorials clarify Access in a way that even surpasses their school teachers. I appreciate hearing that, but want to remind everyone that often teachers get assigned to teach subjects outside their specialty. They do their best, even when they're only a lesson or two ahead. We've all been there.
Black Cat shared their appreciation for my "Load Conflicts" video, which covers how to sequence form loading in Access applications to avoid issues with events firing at the wrong time. By loading forms in a timer event, you can bypass conflicts and ensure forms initialize correctly. It's a helpful workaround that I've found useful, and sometimes AI-driven solutions aren't as effective here as direct experience and a deep understanding of Access.
That wraps things up for today's Quick Queries video. To learn more and watch the complete tutorial with step-by-step instructions for everything we've discussed today, head over to my website at the link below.
Live long and prosper, my friends.Topic List Using the mouse wheel to zoom font size in the expression builder
Conditional formatting dialog zoom limitations in Access
Assigning Shift+F2 to zoom text in Access dialogs
AI as a junior developer in Microsoft Access
Evaluating AI generated VBA code for accuracy
Benefits and drawbacks of using AI for coding tasks
AI driven query and code generation in Access
Integrating OpenAI with Microsoft Access databases
Using AI for automating routine VBA code
Overview of custom events in Access class modules
Utilizing custom events for communication between forms
Difference between built in and custom events in Access
Iterative software development and quality of life tweaks
Indenting and unindenting code using Tab and Shift+Tab
Comparison of value lists vs relational combo boxes
How combo boxes work in Microsoft Access
Implications of value lists in split multi user databases
When to use relational tables for combo box data
Loading multiple forms at database startup using a timer eventArticle Let's explore some valuable lessons for Microsoft Access developers of all skill levels, including some tricks, workflow advice, and a broader perspective on how AI fits into development these days. Along the way, you'll learn practical tips that can improve your daily experience, whether you're a beginner or a more advanced user.
Let's start with a handy trick for working with conditional formatting in Microsoft Access. Say you're trying to write an expression in the conditional formatting dialog, but the tiny font makes it hard to see or edit your text. While you might be used to copying the expression into Notepad to enlarge it, there's a better way. If you open the expression builder—by clicking the ellipsis (…) button next to the condition field—you can use Control plus the mouse wheel to zoom in and out, making the text larger or smaller as you like. This is much more convenient than copying your work elsewhere, especially for those with larger screens or when recording tutorials.
Now, on to AI in Access development. Many developers are discovering that AI can serve as a kind of junior developer—someone to handle routine or repetitive tasks. For example, if you need some boilerplate VBA code that you already understand but don't want to bother writing yourself, asking an AI tool can save you time. Most of the time, AI provides accurate code, but it's not foolproof. Think of AI as being at the toddler stage: you need to be specific with your instructions, double-check its work, and be ready to step in if it wanders off course or gives you information that isn't accurate. Edge cases especially—such as dealing with nulls, negative numbers, or unusual inputs—can trip up AI.
A good workflow is to use AI for routine code, like generating a Recordset loop or writing an SQL statement based on your provided requirements. For example, you might ask it to write VBA code that finds all customers from Florida, adds their names and emails to a text string, and displays them in a message box. The result can save you considerable time, but as always, review the code before running it in production. AI is improving rapidly, but if you want to continue developing your own skills and understanding, you should keep learning and take advantage of AI as an enhancement—never a full replacement for learning the craft. If you want to explore integrating AI with Access itself, tools exist where AI can look at your database structure and write queries or even VBA code for you right from inside your database.
Let's take a moment for a quick definition on custom events in Access VBA. Custom events are signals you can create in a class module, which can be raised when something happens so other forms or objects can respond. For example, you might raise a custom event when some data changes in a form, and another form can listen for that event and take action. While these are useful for complex projects, most Access developers will never need to use them in their day-to-day work. They tend to add a layer of complexity that's only justified in larger or more sophisticated applications.
Software development, especially in Access, is always iterative. You build it, use it, discover rough spots, smooth them out, and repeat. That's why features and tweaks that improve quality of life—like rearranging workflow for fewer clicks or making data entry more intuitive—matter so much. As a developer, you rarely get everything perfect on the first try. Your users' experience will point out what needs to be improved, and over time, this leads to a much more polished product.
Commenting and indenting VBA code are another practical concern. Keeping your code readable is essential, especially as your projects grow. In the Access VBA editor, you can indent multiple lines at once by selecting them and pressing Tab. Shift+Tab will unindent them. This is more efficient than hunting for the indent buttons in the toolbar. These keyboard shortcuts don't work if you only select a single line, so make sure to select at least two lines.
Technology itself is improving in leaps and bounds. Tools like YouTube's auto-translation are quickly becoming more accurate, and the tone is even starting to sound a lot like your own voice when translated to other languages. It's impressive and a little uncanny to see how quickly this technology is advancing, much like AI assistance in code.
A frequently asked question among Access beginners is when to use value lists versus relational tables for combo boxes (drop down lists). If you're just learning Access, a value list in a combo box is a simple way to provide the user with a fixed set of options. This is fine for very small or unchanging lists. However, in a multi-user (split) database environment where many users share the database backend, value lists quickly become a bad idea—they are stored in the front-end, so changes are not shared. In those cases, you should use a relational table to store the list of allowed values and bind your combo box to that table. That way, changes are seen by everyone instantly, and you are following best practices for data normalization.
Teaching styles can vary, and sometimes teachers themselves are only a few steps ahead of the curriculum they are teaching. If you find a particular resource or tutorial clearer than your classroom, it's probably because the teacher is more specialized or brings real-world experience. Don't be too hard on your school teachers; Microsoft Access, in particular, is rarely anyone's sole expertise unless they work with it daily.
Another tip for advanced form loading: if you have a series of forms that need to load in a particular order and you keep running into event conflicts (such as timers or data not being loaded fast enough), you can use a timer event to delay the loading of secondary forms until after the first form has finished initializing. This kind of workaround can help you avoid errors caused by overlapping events in forms that depend on each other during startup.
Finally, the bigger picture: tools like Microsoft Access and Excel each have their place. Access is the right tool for database applications, and you should use it without hesitation if it is allowed in your workplace and suits the job. Do not be discouraged if someone pushes you to use Excel for a task that Access does better; every tool has its strengths.
As you continue learning and improving as a developer, remember that you are part of an evolving community. New features, workflows, and tools like AI or enhanced editors will keep making your work both easier and more interesting. Stay curious, take advantage of new features, and remember—software and your own development learning should always be ongoing and iterative.
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