Building the User Interface

Let’s create the empty forms for the user interface. You will then write the code in class modules and standard modules, and finish off by adding code to each form to call the class modules and standard modules.

Try It Out-Building the frmSearch and frmCustomers Forms

Let’s create the two forms that will be used by the application.

1. Create a new form called frmSearch. Open the form in Design View. Next, drag the numerous controls onto the form and resize them, as shown in Figure 14-20.

   
   Figure 14-20

2. The following table will help ensure you have all the correct objects on the form. Rename the controls and change other properties for each object as shown in the following table. If you placed items on the form in a different order than described, your column default names may not match with the exact numbers shown below.

   Open table as spreadsheet

   Default Name on Figure 14-20	Name	Type of Control	Other Properties to Set from the Properties Dialog
   Form1	frmSearch	Form	Record Selectors = No; Navigation Buttons = No; Dividing Lines = No; Auto Center = Yes; Pop up = Yes; Caption = "Customer Search"
   Text0	txtCustomerNum	Text Box	Set corresponding label caption to "Customer Number:"
   Text2	txtPhone	Text Box	Set corresponding label caption to "Phone:"
   Text4	txtLName	Text Box	Set corresponding label caption to "Last Name:"
   Text6	txtFName	Text Box	Set corresponding label caption to "First Name:"
   Text8	txtCompany	Text Box	Set corresponding label caption to "Company:"
   Text10	txtAddress	Text Box	Set corresponding label caption to "Address:"
   Text12	txtCity	Text Box	Set corresponding label caption to "City:"
   Text14	txtRegion	Text Box	Set corresponding label caption to "State / Region:"
   Text16	txtPostalCode	Text Box	Set corresponding label caption to "Postal Code:"
   Command18	cmdSearch	Command Button	Caption = "Search"
   Command19	cmdClear	Command Button	Caption = "Clear"
   List20	1stResults	List Box	Caption = "Search Results"
   Labe122	1b1SearchInstr	Label	Caption = "Please Specify One Or More Search Criteria Below:"

3. Verify that each control on frmSearch has the correct name and other property settings as listed in the prior tables. If any of these are misspelled, later code referencing will produce an error you will have to fix. After setting all the properties, frmSearch should now appear as shown in Figure 14-21.

   
   Figure 14-21

4. Make sure to save all the changes made to frmSearch.

5. Next, create a new form called frmCustomers. Drag the controls onto the form and resize them as shown in Figure 14-22.

   
   Figure 14-22

6. The following table will help ensure you have all the correct objects on the form. Rename the controls and change other properties for each object as shown in the table. If you placed items on the form in a different order than described, your default names may not match exactly as shown below.

   Open table as spreadsheet

   Default Name (on Figure 14-22)	Name	Type of Control	Other Properties to Set from the Properties Dialog
   Form2	frmCustomers	Form	Record Selectors = No; Navigation Buttons = No; Dividing Lines = No; Auto Center = Yes; Pop up = Yes; Caption = "View / Manage Customer Accounts"
   Text0	txtCustomerNum	Text Box	Set corresponding label caption to "Customer Number:"
   Text2	txtLName	Text Box	Set corresponding label caption to "Last Name:"
   Text4	txtFName	Text Box	Set corresponding label caption to "First Name:"
   Text6	txtMName	Text Box	Set corresponding label caption to "Middle Name:"
   Text8	txtCompany	Text Box	Set corresponding label caption to "Company:"
   Text10	txtAddress1	Text Box	Set corresponding label caption to "Address 1:"
   Text12	txtAddress2	Text Box	Set corresponding label caption to "Address 2:"
   Text14	txtCity	Text Box	Set corresponding label caption to "City:"
   Text16	txtRegion	Text Box	Set corresponding label caption to "State / Region:"
   Text18	txtPostalCode	Text Box	Set corresponding label caption to "Postal Code:"
   Text20	txtHomePhone	Text Box	Set corresponding label caption to "Home Phone:"
   Text22	txtWorkPhone	Text Box	Set corresponding label caption to "Work Phone:"
   Text24	txtCellPhone	Text Box	Set corresponding label caption to "Cell Phone:"
   Text26	txtEmail	Text Box	Set corresponding label caption to "Email:"
   Combo28	cboPlan	Combo Box	Set corresponding label caption to "Plan:"
   List30	1stPlanHistory	List Box	Set corresponding label caption to "Plan History:"
   Command32	cmdSave	Command Button	Caption = "Save"
   Command33	cmdAddNew	Command Button	Caption = "Add New"
   Command34	cmdMoveFirst	Command Button	Caption = "Move First"; Picture = select Go To First 1 from list
   Command35	cmdMovePrevious	Command Button	Caption = "Move Previous"; Picture = select Go To Previous 1 from list
   Command36	cmdMoveNext	Command Button	Caption = "Move Next"; Picture = select Go To Next 1 from list
   Command37	cmdMoveLast	Command Button	Caption = "Move Last"; Picture = select Go To Last 1 from list

7. After setting all the properties, frmCustomers should now appear as shown in Figure 14-23.

   
   Figure 14-23

8. Save all the changes made to frmCustomers.

9. A database window of how the Customer Service Access project should appear at this point is illustrated in Figure 14-24.

   
   Figure 14-24