Windows 11 Update Breaks WiFi!

Software Bug

Microsoft has an early Christmas present for us all! 🙂

Another round of updates, another round of bugs, but this time it’s a doozy.

Just a quick heads up to block, and/or rollback, Windows 11 update KB5033375 as it is being massively reported as breaking WiFi connectivity!  Some also report KB50532288 as being equally responsible.

Some reports indicates that the issue is only hitting educational and enterprise licenses, but leaving home users’ systems intact.

If you want all the details take a look at:

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Microsoft Access Database Schemas

Database Schema - Relationship diagram

What is he talking about? Microsoft Access doesn’t having schema, does it?!

No, and that’s the point!

I recently came across the following discussion on UtterAccess

Object Naming Convention
I want to be able to create multiple databases from a master. My master now has about 15,000 objects. I have tried to do this in two ways: 1) move individual tables/forms/reports into a new database, and 2) delete objects from the master database...

in which MadPiet’s comment regarding Microsoft Access lacking schemas got me thinking a little.

For larger projects, schemas can be very beneficial for organizing and grouping database objects (amongst other things).  So instead of having one listing of all the objects mixed together, they are (or at least, can be) sub-divided and grouped by ‘subject’.  So in a corporate database, perhaps we would have groupings like:

  • HR
  • Sales
  • Management
  • IT
  • …

So what can be done in Access then to facilitate things?  How can we make working in larger projects a little more bearable when we’re dealing with 100s or even 1000s of objects?
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Microsoft Access Compact and Repair

What is Compact and Repair (C&R)?
What does it do exactly?
Why do most experience developers recommend it so much?

Well, these are some of the questions that I am going to try to answer in this article. So let’s take a closer look at Microsoft Access’ Compact and Repair command.

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Microsoft Access Database Bloating Main Causes

I recently released a YouTube video regarding the Compact and Repair command.

My objective with that video was to only summarily touch upon the command, how to run it and explain the 2 main benefits. I was aiming for a video for new users, and introduction to the subject.

I received a negative comment stating that I didn’t explain the causes of bloating …, I didn’t delve into the details of the issue enough.  Thus, I thought that today I’d start trying to cover some of the more known root causes of database boating and will most probably create a follow-up in the future to discuss this further.

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Shape The Future Of MS365

My parting gift to you is to share a link that was brought to my attention by Maria Barnes.

Microsoft is now holding ‘Research Panels’ to gather information that will help shape the direction that MS365 will take. This is where. even MVPs are being directed to provide feedback now!

So if you’re interested in joining in and having your say, then check out:

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The Future Of Microsoft Access

I thought I’d simply mention that Colin Riddington recently hosted and now has released a worthwhile YouTube video with multiple contributors regarding the future of Microsoft Access. I was particularly happy and interested in the segments from Microsoft personnel (so around the 30:34 mark in the video).

So, if you want a little idea of what might be finally coming our way, I’d urge you to look at the following video.

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New Access Product Manager

From memory, in the past few years, the Microsoft Access PMs have included:

  • Michael_Aldridge
  • Ebo_Quansah
  • Michal_Bar
  • …

Well, we have (for a short while now) had a new Microsoft Access Product Manager, Linda Lu Cannon.

She has taken over the reins and will be the new guiding light for future Access development.

You’d think this would be worthy of some type of post on the official Microsoft Access Blog, yet there is no mention of her or the change in ‘management’.

Maria Barnes recently shared with the rest of us MVPs a link to the recording of the Access User Groups lunchtime meeting from September 26th, 2023 in which Linda briefly presents herself, around the 30:45 mark:

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Microsoft, You Have To Do Better!

One of the most important thing for a developer are resources to learn from.  Whenever we start any development, especially for some new aspect, we do some form of research about available methods/properties…

Personally, I like to start of by trying to use Microsoft’s help.  You know, place my cursor on a method/property and press F1 to get Access to redirect my browser to the appropriate support article.

Yes, this can be very hit or miss:

  • The famous “Keyword not found” page!
  • Redirected to generic landing page
  • Redirected to the improper pages altogether that have nothing to do with the searched term
  • Even when you do get to the proper page, little to no content on the subject is to be found

but most of the time you can a good starting point.

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Constraints in Microsoft Access

Handcuffs

Were you aware that Microsoft Access ‘supports‘ applying constraints? Here’s what you need to know!

Things of Note Regarding Microsoft Access Constraints

Before diving into examples, I think it is best to talk about some of the particularities of Access constraints.

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