Apr 28

Microsoft Access Video on VBA Programming with Luke Chung at Access DevCon 2017

FMS President Luke Chung was a presenter at the Microsoft Access DevCon 2017 in Vienna, Austria in early April.

Before giving two conference presentations, he was sat down and spoke with Philipp Stiefel of codekabinett.com of Germany. Philipp is creating a series of videos discussing VBA development.

Luke shares the history of how FMS Inc. began working with MS Access and how we now offer 12 products for the Access community, including Total Access Analyzer, Total Access Emailer, Total Visual CodeTools, and Total Visual SourceBook.

They talked about:

  • VBA Best Practices
  • How end-users migrate from Excel to Access, then learn how to code
  • Why people are hesitant to purchase third party products and how FMS overcomes that by showcasing the value we offer
  • Using tools like Total Access Analyzer to catch errors before shipping and learning best practices
  • Using the module code in Total Visual SourceBook to address problems we’ve already solved so you can focus on the unique issues in your applications
  • The value of creating consistent, quality code
  • How to improve code for developers of all backgrounds
  • Being in constant “growth” mode to look for ways to become a better developer

FMS Inc. is proud of the quality of products we have produced for the past 30 years. We are honored to continuously be regarded as a leading expert in the Access community. Thank you for supporting us and we hope you enjoy the 20 minute interview!

 

Dec 31

Total Visual CodeTools 2010 Updated for Microsoft Access Office VBA and Visual Basic 6

Microsoft Access 2010 VBATotal Visual CodeToolsMicrosoft Access VBA, VB6 Module Coding ToolsModule Code Cleanup and Builders

Visual Basic 6An update of Total Visual CodeTools 2010 is released with support for Microsoft Office/Access 2010, 2007, 2003 and Visual Basic 6.0. Several enhancements were made to improve the New Procedure Builder, VBE color scheme builder, icons for the toolbars, setup program and IDE integration, etc. Here are the details on the latest enhancements of Total Visual CodeTools.

Total Visual CodeTools is an add-in to your Office/Access/VBA and VB6 integrated development environment (IDE) that helps you write, clean-up and deliver better solutions. Available from the IDE menu or a toolbar, a variety of tools help increase your efficiency and consistency when writing code and taking over someone else’s work. Features include:

  • Code Builders to create new procedures, properties, ADO and DAO recordsets, message boxes, select case statements; convert SQL strings, copy control event procedures, use the Format and DateDiff functions, comment blocks of text, etc.
  • Cleanup Existing Module Code by adding Option Explicit, standardizing formatting, adding error handling to procedures that lack it, rename variable names to your convention, etc.
  • Deliver Modules with Line Numbers plus obfuscation
  • Find Unused Variables to pinpoint unnecessary code
  • Macro Recorder for playing back keystrokes while editing

Registered customers should have received email notification with download instructions of the update.

Jul 09

Microsoft Access Application Standards

Here’s a response to a question about the standards we implement for our Microsoft Access applications. These are some fundamentals for ensuring a solid foundation for professional Access solutions in priority with some resources related to them:

  1. Establish a backup, compact and repair, and disaster recovery plan. We use our Total Visual Agent program to schedule and automate the daily database chores.
  2. Putting in a comprehensive and global VBA error handling structure so crashes are documented with the procedure call stack and we don’t have to rely on a user’s recollections. As part of the error handling, we also always add line numbers to the code we deliver so we can pinpoint exactly where a crash occurs. We use the Code Delivery feature of Total Visual CodeTools to do this.
  3. Split Database Design. Without this, it’s nearly impossible to enhance the database while others are changing the data.
  4. Cleaning up VBA code. From code indentations to applying our variable naming conventions along with prefixes for global vs. module vs. procedure, and constants vs parameters vs. regular variable names. We use the Code Cleanup feature of Total Visual CodeTools to do this. Personally, without cleaning it up to our standards, I find it nearly impossible to get any work done while I’m struggling with someone else’s convention.
  5. Setting up a development, testing and deployment process so changes can be implemented safely and efficiently. Lots of issues around this but having a fast, stable way to manage changes and how people launch the Access application is critical. We use our Total Access Startup program to help with this.
  6. After these structures are in place, we’re ready to run Total Access Analyzer against the database to address the issues it finds wrong and could be improved in the application.

For additional details, including Luke Chung’s PowerPoint presentation at the Portland Access User Group conference in May, read his paper Taking Over Legacy Microsoft Access Database Applications.

Aug 02

Total Visual CodeTools 2010 Ships for Microsoft Office 2010

Total Visual CodeTools for Microsoft Office 2010 for VBA and VB6FMS is pleased to announce the release of Total Visual CodeTools 2010, the most popular commercial Visual Basic for Application (VBA) and Visual Basic 6 (VB6) coding product for the Microsoft Office/Access community.

Total Visual CodeTools is an add-in that is integrated with the module editor of all VBA platforms such as Microsoft Office, Access, Excel, Outlook, Word, etc. It offers a wide range of utilities to help developers become more productive when creating new code, taking over existing projects, and delivering more robust solutions.

Total Visual CodeTools is by far my favorite third-party product,” says Alison Balter, author of Mastering Access Desktop Development, instructor and developer. “Total Visual CodeTools helps you get your job done more quickly and allows you to focus on the fun and exciting aspects of application development. My favorite feature is the Code Cleanup. If you’ve ever inherited a code-intensive database, you’ll appreciate this feature.”

Total Visual CodeTools 2010 includes many enhancements over its predecessor for Office 2007. In addition to supporting VBA in Office 2010, there are new options and better performance for Code Cleanup and Delivery, enhancements to many Code Builders including the Message Box Builder, Recordset Builder, Select Case Builder, and SQL Text Builder. New features simplify the replacement of existing error handling code, and the user interface is enhanced to support Windows 7. There’s also improved support for international languages and operating systems.

“We are very pleased to ship Total Visual CodeTools 2010,” said Luke Chung, President of FMS. “This version represents our seventh major release of this product and our continued support of the VBA and VB6 developer communities.”

Edwin Blancovitch of Advanced Developers in Puerto Rico adds, “I really recommend it. This tool definitely increased my productivity, allows for code optimization and quality, and best of all reduced my costs.

I really love Total Visual CodeTools,” said Peter Weinwurm of Axium Canada. “I am completely blown away by how much the products in the Total Access Developer Suite can do, and how much time they will save me.

Product Information

Total Visual CodeTools supports all Visual Basic 6.0 and VBA development environments including all versions of Microsoft Office from Office 2000 through 2010. Additional information is available on these web pages:

Licensing and Pricing

Total Visual CodeTools is available via ESD and also comes with a professionally printed 164 page user manual and CD.

Total Visual CodeTools is licensed on a per developer basis. A single license is $299. Existing customers can upgrade for $199. It is also included as a standalone product and is part of the Total Access Developer Suite, Total Access Ultimate Suite, and Total Visual Developer Suite.

Total Visual CodeTools can be purchased directly from FMS, corporate resellers, and international distributors. All FMS products include a 30-day money back guarantee.

Jun 21

Download the Free Preview of Total Visual CodeTools for Microsoft Office Access 2010

Download the free preview of Total Visual CodeTools 2010 for Microsoft Office/Access 2010. The Preview Version is fully functional through the end of July 2011. Take advantage of this opportunity to see how Total Visual CodeTools can cleanup the code in your existing projects, let you deliver more robust solutions, and simplify your daily coding chores.

Integrated directly into the Integrated Development Environment (IDE), Total Visual CodeTools gives you a rich set of tools to help you create, cleanup, and deliver better solutions. The latest version is enhanced for MS Office/Access 2010 and has many new features:

  • Supports Microsoft Access/Office 2010, 32-bit version
  • VBA Code Parsing Supports Access/Office 2010
  • Code Cleanup and Code Delivery Allow Immediate Overwrite
  • Code Cleanup Error Enabler and Handler Tags are Customizable
  • Copy Control Builder Supports Multiple Target Controls
  • Long Text/SQL Builder Supports Query Retrieval and Converts Tabs and Spaces
  • Select Case Builder Supports Text Blocks and Numeric Ranges
  • Recordset Builder Defaults to Current Database and Simplifies Selections
  • Three Locations for Total Visual CodeTools on Your Menus
  • Tools Available During Debugging
  • Default ‘Send To’ is Remembered
  • Screens are Resizable
  • Redesigned Storage of Standards for Improved International Support

Visit these pages for:

Total Visual CodeTools supports all VB/VBA hosts, including Visual Basic 6.0 (VB6) and Office 2010, 2007, 2003, 2002/XP, and 2000.

Feb 15

Luke Chung Speaking at Portland Access User Group Conference in May

FMS President Luke Chung will be attending and speaking at the three day Microsoft Access conference sponsored by the Portland Oregon Access User Group.  Join him and other guest speakers including Alison Balter from InfoTech Services Group Inc., Armen Stein from J Street Technology, and Kevin Bell from Microsoft.

Luke will be speaking on the following topics:

  • FMS Products for Microsoft Access Developers and How they Make You Money
  • Microsoft Access and Azure: Working in the Cloud
  • Microsoft Access Disaster Recovery Plans

For complete details visit PAUG 2011 Database Designer Conference and see you there May 14-16, 2011.

Mar 16

Latest Product Updates from FMS

As part of our commitment to quality software, FMS regularly releases product update patches to add new enhancements and resolve known issues. Most recently, we have released updates for Total Access Emailer, Total Access Analyzer 2007, and Total Visual CodeTools. Updates have been sent to all registered owners—contact us if you did not receive your update.

You can check for updates in most FMS products by using the built-in Update Wizard. From the Windows Start menu, select All Programs, FMS, Program Name, Update Wizard. Follow the wizard prompts to check for updates.