Using the Office Assistant
Another way to get help in Access is to use the Office Assistant. The Office Assistant supplies the same type of access to the Help system as the Ask a Question box. You ask the Office Assistant a question, and it
supplies
you with a list of possible answers that provide links to various Help topics. The
next
two sections discuss how to use the Office Assistant.
Turning the Office Assistant On and Off
By default, the Office Assistant is off. To show the Office Assistant in your application window, select the
Help
menu and then select
Show the Office Assistant
.
You can also quickly hide the Office Assistant if you no longer want it in your application window. Right-click the Office Assistant and select
Hide
. If you want to get rid of the Office Assistant completely so it isn't activated when you select the Help feature, right-click the Office Assistant and select
Options
. Clear the
Use the Office Assistant
check box, and then click
OK.
You can always get the Office Assistant back by selecting
Help, Show Office Assistant
.
Asking the Office Assistant a Question
When you click the Office Assistant, a balloon appears above it. Type a question into the text box. For example, you might type
How do I print?
for help printing your work. Click the
Search
button.
The Office Assistant provides some topics that reference Help topics in the Help system. Click the option that best describes what you're trying to do. The Help window appears, containing more detailed information. Use the Help window to get the exact information that you need.
Although not everyone likes the Office Assistant because having it enabled means that it is always sitting in your Access application window, it can be useful at times. For example, when you access particular features in Access, the Office Assistant can automatically provide you with context-sensitive help on that particular feature. If you are
brand-new
to Microsoft Access, you might want to use the Office Assistant to help you learn the various features that Access provides as you use them.
Tip
Select Your Own Office Assistant
Several different Office Assistants are available in Microsoft Office. To select your favorite, click the Office Assistant and select the
Options
button. On the Office Assistant dialog box that appears, select the
Gallery
tab. Click the
Next
button repeatedly to see the different Office Assistants that are available. When you locate the assistant you want to use, click
OK
.
|
