Customizing Menus and Toolbars CHAPTER 12 Customizing Menus and Toolbars

1. Using Access Command Bars The basic element of toolbars, menu bars, and shortcut menus is the command the user chooses to cause an action to take place The command can appear as a button with an image or a menu command showing text The commands can be grouped as a set of items in several ways: ◦ In a menu, such as the New, Open and Close commands on the File menu. ◦ On a toolbar, such as the Print, Print Preview on the Form View toolbar.

2. Showing/Hiding Built-in Toolbars To add toolbars not in the list to the window, open the Customize dialog box using one of the following methods: ◦ Choose Customize at the bottom of the toolbar shortcut menu. ◦ Choose View  Toolbars  Customize. ◦ Choose Tools  Customize.

2. Showing/Hiding Built-in Toolbars The Toolbars tab contains a list of all three types of available toolbars.

2. Showing/Hiding Built-in Toolbars Click the check box of any toolbar you want to add to the display, and then click Close. To remove a toolbar from the display, clear the check mark and click Close.

3. Showing/Hiding Toolbar Buttons To show a button ◦ Click the Toolbar Options button on the right end of the toolbar. ◦ Click Add or Remove Buttons and point to the toolbar name in the list of toolbar buttons currently showing To hide a button, clear the check mark next to the button name

4. Adding/Deleting Toolbar Buttons To add a button from the Customize dialog box: ◦ Select command tab ◦ Choose the type of command you want in the Categories list. The Commands list shows images and text of commands in that category. ◦ When you find the button you want, drag it to the toolbar. When you see a dark I-beam, drop the button on the toolbar.

4. Adding/Deleting Toolbar Buttons

5. Adding Built-in Menus You can add built-in menus to a toolbar or a menu bar by drag from the Commands box of the Customize dialog box. The only difference between adding toolbar buttons and menus is that the menus, by default, show only text, while the buttons show only an image.

5. Adding Built-in Menus With the new menu bar or toolbar showing, open the Customize dialog  select the Commands tab. Scroll down the Categories list and select Built-in Menus

5. Adding Built-in Menus Drag the menu from the Commands box to the menu bar or toolbar, and then drop the menu when you see the dark I-beam.

6. Adding Custom Menus To add a new custom menu: Open the Customize dialog box  select the Toolbars tab  New  Type Toolbar Name  OK

6. Adding Custom Menus Select commands tab Scroll down the list of Categories  select New Menu.

6. Adding Custom Menus Drag New Menu from the Commands box to the menu bar or toolbar. Right-click the New Menu, enter a name in the Name box  ENTER

6. Adding Custom Menus Add commands to the new menu by choosing from the Commands dialog box

7. Adding a Submenu To add a custom submenu to an existing menu, do the following: ◦ Drag the New Menu command from the Commands box to the menu you want to contain the submenu ◦ Right-click New Menu and type a name for the submenu  ENTER.

7. Adding a Submenu Select and drag a command to the empty box and when the I-beam appears, release the mouse. Drag the names of the object you want in the submenu from the categories list to the submenu.

7. Adding a Submenu

8. Attaching a Custom Command Bar to an Object Reports, forms, and controls have properties that specify which, if any, command bar is to be displayed when the object is in view. To set one of these properties: ◦ Open the object’s property sheet  Other tab. ◦ Select the name of the command bar from the drop-down list

8. Attaching a Custom Command Bar to an Object Repeat the process for each form, report, or control to which you want to attach a command.

9. Deleting a Custom Command Bar To delete a custom toolbar, menu bar, or shortcut menu: ◦ Open the Customize dialog box as usual, and then click the Toolbars tab. ◦ Select the item you want to delete and click Delete

9. Deleting a Custom Command Bar Deleting a shortcut menu is a little different. You must convert it to a toolbar before you can delete it. ◦ Open the Customize dialog box  Toolbars, and then select any toolbar. ◦ Shortcut menus don’t appear in the list, so you need to select any toolbar to get started.

9. Deleting a Custom Command Bar Click Properties  In the Selected Toolbar box, choose the name of the shortcut menu you want to delete.

9. Deleting a Custom Command Bar Choose Toolbar in the Type list to change it to a toolbar, and then click Close to return to the Customize dialog box. The shortcut menu name is added to the list of toolbars. Select the name of the shortcut menu in the list of toolbars to open the Toolbar Properties dialog box and delete