An Overview of Add-Ins | Microsoft Access Version 2002 Inside Out (Inside Out (Microsoft))

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An add-in is simply a utility that adds extra functionality to the core Access program. Some add-ins automate or step you through a procedure that you can do manually, and some add brand-new functionality. An add-in might, for example, analyze the relationships in the data tables you create, enable you to use custom commands, or let you quickly rename database objects according to a naming convention. You can use three types of add-ins in Access:

Built-in Access add-ins. These add-ins, which include menu add-ins, wizards, and builders, are designed to add functionality to Access. Some Access add-ins are provided with Access and are available via the menu system. On the Tools menu, for example, you’ll find the Analyze, Database Utilities, and Add-Ins submenus, each with its own set of selections. Third-party Access add-ins (such as my LNC Rename add-in, which is described in Chapter 21, "Creating Your Own Add-Ins") can be installed from the Add-Ins menu.
COM add-ins. These add-ins, introduced in Microsoft Office 2000, are Office-wide add-ins (although a COM add-in can be written for just one Office program). Access doesn’t come with any COM add-ins (other than one that does housekeeping chores behind the scenes); my LNC Rename COM add-in is an example of a third-party COM add-in. You access the COM add-ins by choosing Tools, COM Add-Ins.
VBA add-ins. These are third-party or custom utilities that help you work with VBA code. They’re available only in the Visual Basic Editor, where they have their own Add-In Manager dialog box, which you open by clicking Add-In Manager on the Add-Ins menu in the Visual Basic Editor.

The Office Developer Tools component of Microsoft Office XP Developer offers additional tools and utilities, most of which are designed to be used from the Visual Basic Editor.

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In addition to the add-ins available from various menus, Access also offers a number of wizards that help you create various objects such as forms, reports, controls, and queries, as well as builders that help you select a value for a property. These wizards and builders are covered in the chapters that deal with the particular database objects.

Leading third-party vendors of add-ins include FMS (http://www.fmsinc.com) and Database Creations (http://www.databasecreations.com). Some of my freeware add-ins are available on the companion CD, and others are available from my Web site, at http://www.helenfeddema.com. Rick Fisher’s shareware add-in, Find And Replace is also available on the companion CD (in the Third Party Add-ins and can also be downloaded from Rick Fisher’s Web site, at http://www.RickWorld.com.