Rich text data entry in a list? 1

[MaryWhitney]

Is it feasible/what would it take to allow rich text data entry in a list of items?

I have in mind something like an Excel spreadsheet interface, with bold, italics, font size changes possible.

Also good would be something like MS Project, with the outline format it uses of tasks & subtasks.

If I could launch Excel/Project from Access and save the data directly to Access, complete with formatting, that would be great.

I created a simple form with a Microsoft Rich Text control on it, but this doesn't even seem close to what I need. (The form won't allow Continuous Forms.)

Thanks,
Mary

 

[dannyocean]

May I ask Why??

 

[MaryWhitney]

The person I am developing this program for is a very visually oriented person, and requires the following:

KEY REQUIREMENTS
* Items visually distinct from one another:

More important items might be bigger, in bold, outdented or red. Related items under that might be in a smaller font, indented, etc.

I have also thought of using small pictures, like emoticons, but I don't know how difficult that would be to do.

Using reports to visually distinguish items is not acceptable to him. It must be entered that way.

* Scroll through an entire list at once in the data entry screen. Drill-down is not acceptable.

* Ability to print the list from the data entry screen.

* Ability to re-order a list of items (cut and paste to a different position in the list, insert new items in the middle of the list, etc.)

* Simple data entry (as close to free-form typing as possible)

So far, narrowing scope has been next to impossible. The system is to track lists of things, which are roughly 60% tasks, but might include other items such as a paragraph to include in a letter, a note for informational purposes, or a grocery list.

The tasks, however, are key, because he requires the ability to approve all tasks before they are done, and approve for completion after they are done. He wants the ability to view tasks by status, dates, person assigned, etc.

Each person on the staff needs the ability to access the information and add items to any given list.

Yet another: the ability to synchronize databases between the office and home, but that's a topic for another post.

You can now ask me if I'm crazy. (Not yet...I think.)

Mary

 

[Laois]

I think you need a Treeview control. That way as you create the control using code you can format the individual items and also add images to them.

Check out the QuantumTreelist from

http://www.devxpress.com.

I use it in Access 2000 and it works great.

Dermot

 

[MaryWhitney]

Thanks! I'll check that out.

Mary

 

[MaryWhitney]

This looks great! It's much better than I thought I would be able to find.

It'll take some work to get the formatting to work the way we want (format each item individually, on the fly, and save the format to the database), but it looks like it can do the job. I've already gotten a screen to display the formats based on settings in the database (bold, italics, underline, font size changes).

If we buy the XPress Printing System, we can print the list out, too.

Mary

 

[Laois]

Yes it is a great product. I use it all the time in Access. It can also be used as a grid so anyone looking for a good grid control fo Access might want to check it out. It is hard to find good ActiveX controls that work well in Access.

I am glad that it might work for you.

By the way, I have no connections with Developer Xprees. I just like their products.

Good Luck
Dermot