How to use the Common Dialog API in a database in Access 2003 or Access 2007

  • Article
  • Applies to:
    Microsoft Office Access 2007, Microsoft Office Access 2003

Original KB number:   888695

INTRODUCTION

This article describes how to use the Common Dialog API in Microsoft Office Access 2003 or in Microsoft Office Access 2007 to replace the Common Dialog Box functionality. The functionality is included only in the Microsoft Office 2000 Developer Edition or in the Microsoft Office XP Developer Edition.

Microsoft provides programming examples for illustration only, without warranty either expressed or implied. This includes, but is not limited to, the implied warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose. This article assumes that you are familiar with the programming language that is being demonstrated and with the tools that are used to create and to debug procedures. Microsoft support engineers can help explain the functionality of a particular procedure, but they will not modify these examples to provide added functionality or construct procedures to meet your specific requirements.

Steps to replace the Common Dialog functionality

Microsoft Office Access 2003

  1. In Access, open the sample database that is named Northwind.mdb.

    Note

    The Northwind.mdb database for Access 2003 is typically located in the C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\OFFICE11\Samples folder.

  2. Under Objects in the Northwind Database window, click Forms .

  3. In the Database window toolbar, click New.

  4. In the New Form dialog box, click Design View, and then click OK.

  5. Add a text box to Form1, right-click the text box, and then click Properties.

  6. Click the All tab, click Name, typeText1, and then close the Properties dialog box.

  7. Right-click the label control that is associated with the Text1 text box, click Properties, and then click the All tab.

  8. Click Caption, type Text1, and then close the Properties dialog box.

  9. Add a command button to Form1, right-click the command button, click Properties, click Name, type Command1, click Caption, and then type Command1.

  10. Click the Event tab, click [Event Procedure] in the On Click list, and then click the ellipsis button to start the Microsoft Visual Basic Editor.

  11. Modify the code in the Command1_Click procedure to the following:

    Private Sub Command1_Click()
 Me!Text1 = LaunchCD(Me)
End Sub

  12. On the Insert menu, click Module, and then insert the following code into Module1:

    Private Declare Function GetOpenFileName Lib "comdlg32.dll" Alias _
"GetOpenFileNameA" (pOpenfilename As OPENFILENAME) As Long

Private Type OPENFILENAME
 lStructSize As Long
 hwndOwner As Long
 hInstance As Long
 lpstrFilter As String
 lpstrCustomFilter As String
 nMaxCustFilter As Long
 nFilterIndex As Long
 lpstrFile As String
 nMaxFile As Long
 lpstrFileTitle As String
 nMaxFileTitle As Long
 lpstrInitialDir As String
 lpstrTitle As String
 flags As Long
 nFileOffset As Integer
 nFileExtension As Integer
 lpstrDefExt As String
 lCustData As Long
 lpfnHook As Long
 lpTemplateName As String
End Type

Function LaunchCD(strform As Form) As String
 Dim OpenFile As OPENFILENAME
 Dim lReturn As Long
 Dim sFilter As String
 OpenFile.lStructSize = Len(OpenFile)
 OpenFile.hwndOwner = strform.hwnd
 sFilter = "All Files (*.*)" & Chr(0) & "*.*" & Chr(0) & _
  "JPEG Files (*.JPG)" & Chr(0) & "*.JPG" & Chr(0)
 OpenFile.lpstrFilter = sFilter
 OpenFile.nFilterIndex = 1
 OpenFile.lpstrFile = String(257, 0)
 OpenFile.nMaxFile = Len(OpenFile.lpstrFile) - 1
 OpenFile.lpstrFileTitle = OpenFile.lpstrFile
 OpenFile.nMaxFileTitle = OpenFile.nMaxFile
 OpenFile.lpstrInitialDir = "C:\"
 OpenFile.lpstrTitle = "Select a file using the Common Dialog DLL"
 OpenFile.flags = 0
 lReturn = GetOpenFileName(OpenFile)
    If lReturn = 0 Then
        MsgBox "A file was not selected!", vbInformation, _ 
          "Select a file using the Common Dialog DLL"
     Else
        LaunchCD = Trim(Left(OpenFile.lpstrFile, InStr(1, OpenFile.lpstrFile, vbNullChar) - 1))
     End If
End Function

  13. On the Debug menu, click Compile Northwind, and then close the Visual Basic Editor.

  14. On the View menu, click Form View.

  15. Click Command1, and then click a file in the window that opens.

    The path of the file appears in the Text1 text box.

Microsoft Office Access 2007

  1. In Access 2007, open the sample database that is named Northwind.accdb.

  2. On the Create tab, click Form in the Forms group.

  3. On the Format tab, click the down arrow below View, and then click Design View.

  4. Add a text box to Form1, right-click the text box, and then click Properties.

  5. Click the All tab, click Name, and then type Text1.

  6. Right-click the label control that is associated with the Text1 text box, click Properties, and then click the All tab.

  7. Click Caption, and then type Text1.

  8. Add a command button to Form1, right-click the command button, click Properties, click Name, type Command1, click Caption, and then type Command1.

  9. Click the Event tab, click [Event Procedure] in the On Click list, and then click the ellipsis button (...) to start the Microsoft Visual Basic Editor.

  10. Modify the code in the Command1_Click procedure to resemble the following code example.

    Private Sub Command1_Click()
 Me!Text1 = LaunchCD(Me)
End Sub

  11. On the Insert menu, click Module, and then insert code that resembles the following code example into Module1.

    Private Declare Function GetOpenFileName Lib "comdlg32.dll" Alias _
"GetOpenFileNameA" (pOpenfilename As OPENFILENAME) As Long

Private Type OPENFILENAME
 lStructSize As Long
 hwndOwner As Long
 hInstance As Long
 lpstrFilter As String
 lpstrCustomFilter As String
 nMaxCustFilter As Long
 nFilterIndex As Long
 lpstrFile As String
 nMaxFile As Long
 lpstrFileTitle As String
 nMaxFileTitle As Long
 lpstrInitialDir As String
 lpstrTitle As String
 flags As Long
 nFileOffset As Integer
 nFileExtension As Integer
 lpstrDefExt As String
 lCustData As Long
 lpfnHook As Long
 lpTemplateName As String
End Type

Function LaunchCD(strform As Form) As String
 Dim OpenFile As OPENFILENAME
 Dim lReturn As Long
 Dim sFilter As String
 OpenFile.lStructSize = Len(OpenFile)
 OpenFile.hwndOwner = strform.hwnd
 sFilter = "All Files (*.*)" & Chr(0) & "*.*" & Chr(0) & _
  "JPEG Files (*.JPG)" & Chr(0) & "*.JPG" & Chr(0)
 OpenFile.lpstrFilter = sFilter
 OpenFile.nFilterIndex = 1
 OpenFile.lpstrFile = String(257, 0)
 OpenFile.nMaxFile = Len(OpenFile.lpstrFile) - 1
 OpenFile.lpstrFileTitle = OpenFile.lpstrFile
 OpenFile.nMaxFileTitle = OpenFile.nMaxFile
 OpenFile.lpstrInitialDir = "C:\"
 OpenFile.lpstrTitle = "Select a file using the Common Dialog DLL"
 OpenFile.flags = 0
 lReturn = GetOpenFileName(OpenFile)
    If lReturn = 0 Then
        MsgBox "A file was not selected!", vbInformation, _ 
          "Select a file using the Common Dialog DLL"
     Else
        LaunchCD = Trim(Left(OpenFile.lpstrFile, InStr(1, OpenFile.lpstrFile, vbNullChar) - 1)) 
     End If
End Function

  12. On the Debug menu, click Compile Northwind, and then close the Visual Basic Editor.

  13. On the Format tab, click the down arrow below View, and then click Form View.

  14. Click Command1, and then click a file in the window that opens.

    The path of the file appears in the Text1 box.