🚀 Developers App Helper - part 2

Today, I am continuing my series of articles on the Developers App Helper. In this second part, I will introduce you to more small but extremely useful little helpers that will make your databases more professional, convenient, and flexible.

🎯 What is behind it?

In my projects, I have developed a series of functions that are used in the area of applications and databases. They are small, effective, and can be easily integrated into existing VBA solutions.

Today, we will focus on the following functions:

✅ AppMenuHide
Hides or displays the entire Access interface (navigation pane, ribbon, status bar). Prevents users from regaining access to navigation with F11 (when Hide is enabled). The setting remains in effect even after the next startup.

✅ AppWindowControl
Controls the state of the main Access window: hide, minimize, maximize, restore, and various special modes (e.g., “noactivate” and ‘forcemin’). Helpful for presentation mode, kiosk applications, or for “clean” working without distractions.

✅ AppGetWindowSize and AppSetWindowSize
Reads the current size and position of the Access window. Sets specific new size and position values, e.g., for layout tests, special presentation requirements, or automated adjustments in multi-monitor environments.

✅ AppWindowOnTop
Forces Access to always remain in the foreground (“Always-On-Top”), ideal for dashboards, info terminals, or kiosk solutions.

✅ AppInForeground
Brings the Access application to the foreground – for example, after a notification, task change, or when switching within complex processes.

✅ AppIconFlashTaskbar
Makes the Access icon flash multiple times in the taskbar to attract attention, e.g., for important events, waiting or error states.

✅ AppWindowTransparency
Sets the transparency of the Access main window (or a form) – for special layouts, visualizations, information displays, or visual effects.

✨ Specific application examples

Kiosk/dashboard mode:
With AppMenuHide and AppWindowOnTop, the complex Office interface disappears; Access remains visible and in focus, and the user cannot “look away” – ideal for info panels or touch terminals.

Secure database mode:
In productive use, the navigation, ribbon, and status bar can be completely hidden, and users cannot modify any objects or settings.

Presentations and training:
With AppWindowControl and AppSetWindowSize, all display modes can be prepared in a flash—full screen, partial window, minimized, maximized, depending on the presentation situation.

Monitoring and notifications:
For important events such as data imports or errors, the AppIconFlashTaskbar flashes and Access automatically jumps into view with AppInForeground.

Accessible user guidance:
The transparency function allows the screen to be flexibly adjusted – for example, for visual cues or crossfades.

Why are these features helpful?

✅They make Access applications more user-friendly, secure, and modern.
✅They help developers to individually control presentation and production environments – beyond the standard functions.
✅Many of the features are not available natively in Access, or are only available in a cumbersome way, in particular the targeted hiding of the app window and special effects such as transparency or taskbar notifications.
✅They increase the professionalism and customizability of Access solutions in the corporate and training sectors.

In summary, Developers App Helper offers a toolbox for the modern Access professional that significantly improves usability, security, and presentation.

🧪 Just give it a try

You can try out the features directly using my little testing form. This makes it easy to get to know the effects step by step – and, of course, to adopt them for your own application.

Do you do a lot of development with Access? Then give it a try – I look forward to your feedback or ideas for further features! 🚀 

You will find the detailed description and all instructions directly in the code - well documented as usual.

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Version: 1.0