DataBase - Position form near control that called it

Asked By Barry

19-Jan-10 11:24 PM

Howdy:
I would like to position a form (a calendar) near the control that issued a
call to open the calendar form.  So, wherever on my calling form there is a
control that requires a date, the calendar form will open just beneath that
control.  Is this a job for MoveSize?  Any examples around to show the way?
I look forward to your input.
Thanks,
Barry

20-Jan-10 01:03 AM

There is more to this than you might imagine. Here is what I use:

http://www.smccall.demon.co.uk/Forms.htm#OpenUnder

HTH

20-Jan-10 09:31 AM

Stuart:
Thanks.  that certainly is more than I had bargained for.  I was hoping that
there was a method I might actually understand.  This will give me something
to chew on for a while.  Is there no other way to find the position of a
control using the Access form's Left, Top and Down in relation to the Access
window?
Thanks again,
Barry

20-Jan-10 01:57 PM

Some time ago, I worked this out for a newsgroup post:

'------ start of code ------

Dim strFormToOpen As String
Dim ctlTarget As Access.Control
Dim lngBorderHoriz As Long
Dim lngBorderVert As Long

strFormToOpen = "SomeFormName"

Set ctlTarget = Me.ActiveControl

DoCmd.OpenForm strFormToOpen

lngBorderHoriz = (Me.WindowWidth - Me.InsideWidth) / 2
lngBorderVert = (Me.WindowHeight - Me.InsideHeight) / 2

With Forms(strFormToOpen)
.Move _
(Me.WindowLeft - .WindowWidth) + lngBorderHoriz +
ctlTarget.Left, _
Me.WindowTop + lngBorderVert + ctlTarget.Top
End With
'------ end of code ------

In the above case, I opened the form to the left of the calling control, but
it should be straightforward to modify the code to get other relative
positions.

--
Dirk Goldgar, MS Access MVP
Access tips: www.datagnostics.com/tips.html

(please reply to the newsgroup)

20-Jan-10 01:59 PM

The way Access forms are constructed and their built-in behaviour makes this
more of a task than we'd like. Fortunately you do not need to understand the
code in order to use it. Just follow the easy instructions in the
DropDownForm procedure.

20-Jan-10 02:10 PM

Dirk:
Thanks so much for your help.  At least this is something that I can wrap my
head around.  I will give it a try in my app as soon as I have a moment.
Thanks again.
Barry

20-Jan-10 06:01 PM

I have not used it in awhile, but I believe Allen Brown's form based calendar
does exactly that:

http://allenbrowne.com/ser-51.html

--
Message posted via http://www.accessmonster.com

22-Jan-10 09:42 PM

Good example Dirk.
This is much simpler than using APIs like I have found in most other examples.

Thanks

I need this to open a popup form to the right of the command button so I
created this variation.
works by calling it as a sub procedure with parameters
and uses more variables for position to get the relative position to the
right of the control


'------ start of code ------

' sCForm is the Calling Form Name
' sCCtrl is the Calling Control Name
' strFormToOpen is the Name of the Form to Open
'
Sub SetFormPosition(sCForm As String, sCCtrl As String, strFormToOpen As
String)
Dim ctlTarget As Access.Control
Dim lngBorderHoriz As Long
Dim lngBorderVert As Long
Dim lngCmdWidth As Long
Dim lngCmdHt As Long
Dim lngCmdTop As Long
Dim lngFrmHt As Long
Dim lngLeftBuffer As Long

Set ctlTarget = Forms(sCForm).Controls(sCCtrl)

DoCmd.OpenForm strFormToOpen
With Forms(sCForm)
lngBorderHoriz = (.WindowWidth - .InsideWidth) / 5  ' adjust value for
position as needed
lngBorderVert = (.WindowHeight - .InsideHeight) / 2

lngCmdWidth = ctlTarget.Left + ctlTarget.Width
lngCmdHt = ctlTarget.Height
lngCmdTop = ctlTarget.Top
lngFrmHt = Forms(strFormToOpen).WindowHeight

' Buffer value for space from right of control to left of popup form
lngLeftBuffer = 100

nWinLeftPos = .WindowLeft + lngBorderHoriz + lngCmdWidth + lngLeftBuffer
nWinTopPos = .WindowTop + lngBorderVert + lngCmdTop + lngCmdHt - lngFrmHt

End With

' Moves the form position
Forms(strFormToOpen).Move nWinLeftPos, nWinTopPos

End Sub

'------ end of code ------

22-Jan-10 10:07 PM

That code will work for a form set up in a particular way, not the general
case though. If that is sufficient for your needs then fair enough. However:
Try switching on the main form's header. Try it with and without a record
selector on the main form. Try it with the control to be opened under close
to the right or bottom of the screen. Also try with the main form control on
a tab page. Those are just the things that spring to mind - I wrote my
module quite some time ago so I am a bit vague on all the pros and cons, but
you will meet them, guaranteed.