Expert Access™ 2007 Programming

Chapter 12. Configuration and Extensibility

If you're writing an off-the-shelf application or even an in-house application, it might not always be clear how all of your customers will use your product. Many times, users need to determine how they work best. To enable users to work in a way they feel most comfortable, you can add the capability to customize your application. In this chapter, we explore how to create applications that are flexible and that give users the ability to configure them to meet their needs. More specifically, in this chapter you learn:

• How to create localized Access applications that can be used in locales other than your own

• How to create options for your applications to provide users with choices for configuration that meet their needs

• How to create styles for your forms and reports to provide a uniform look throughout your application

Localization

The marketplace is constantly expanding and opportunities for development can sometimes arise in countries other than your own. When such opportunities present themselves, you should keep in mind that users tend to prefer to work in their native languages. Localization is the process of adapting the interface for a given software product to a language other than the one it was authored in. For Access applications, this could mean providing alternate translations for forms and reports, and changing the way that dates and numbers are represented for a given location.

Locale Settings

Two different locale settings are ...