Is there a way to hide 'Tell me what you want to do' from the Access-ribbon / Access main bar?

MarcoM 1 Reputation point
2021-11-21T10:05:09.123+00:00

I've been developing (for years ...) an access application with Access 2000: now I'd like to try to distribute it.

I converted the application to access 2007-2016, with access 2016 (front end is .accde/r, with shift disabled at start up, which links - via VBA only - to a back end .accdb protected with pw).

Within Access 2000, I set the start up options as in the image below:
151222-startupaccess2000.png

Converting the mdb to accdb everything seems to work fine:
my custom menu bar ('MenuPrincipale') can be now accessed through the add-in tab in the main bar of the converted accde. It works fine, although, using Access 2016, I can't modify anymore items in 'MenuPrincipale' and in the other shortcut menus I've created within Acc2000 (for me it's not a problem: I continue developing in access 2000 format). By the way, I can still make visible or not some items dinamically through VBA7.

The BIG problem (so far the only problem...) is that, when the mdb/mde or the accdb/accde is executed by Access 2016 (also in runtime mode), near to the add-in tab that contains my custom menu bar, there is the little helper 'Tell me what you want to do' (that I profoundly hate...) through which users could easily see back end / front end tables, import data into it, relations (it seems that users could even create relations !), and so on (I didn't have the courage to see what else users could do...).

Does anyone know if that door 'Tell me what you want to do' (let's now call it 'Helper') can be closed/hidden with VBA code?
with sth like:
CommandBars("BarName").Controls(" HelperName ").Visible = False

Now it seems that with a new custom bar created within Access2016 the helper vanishes (fortunately...):
the problem is that I should shift to the accdb format (I certainly will, but not now).

Using only VBA would be a better solution, for me.

Thank you

Access Development
Access Development
Access: A family of Microsoft relational database management systems designed for ease of use.Development: The process of researching, productizing, and refining new or existing technologies.
898 questions
0 comments No comments
{count} votes

3 answers

Sort by: Most helpful
  1. DBG 2,376 Reputation points
    2021-11-22T17:55:11.457+00:00

    Hi. Like you said, when you use Access 2016 to open a database file, accdb or mdb, the menu and toolbars are automatically displayed as ribbons. So, to manipulate the ribbon, you'll have to create a custom ribbon. It may not be necessary to use a accdb file to do that (I think). Give it a try and see what happens. Create a USysRibbons table and add your custom (blank) ribbon to it. Then, see is Access 2016 uses or ignores it.

    I may have missed something in reading your post. I thought you wanted to continue using a mdb and only use accdb later. But, it seems you also mentioned you already converted your mdb to accdb.

    0 comments No comments

  2. MarcoM 1 Reputation point
    2021-11-22T22:32:04.93+00:00

    Hi thedbguy
    you didn't miss anything:
    my post is not very clear with respect to what Access format I'm using.

    Just to be clear:
    I'm using an mdb, edited indifferently with Access 2000 and Access 2016 (with no problem at all, it seems.... I've been doing this for years...).

    The question is:
    is there a way to hide the Helper (that appears only when the mdb is run by Access 2016) with one (or two...) line/s of VBA7 code (code that would compile also in Access 2000 environment)?

    0 comments No comments

  3. DBG 2,376 Reputation points
    2021-11-22T22:35:12.407+00:00

    Okay, thanks for the clarification. As I was saying, the only way to manipulate the ribbon is through ribbon XML. The only thing I haven't tried is create a custom ribbon in an MDB file. So, that's what I was asking you to try and let us know the results. The only thing, that I know of, you can do with VBA with regards to the ribbon is to hide it completely, which means even your custom menu and toolbars will go away.

    0 comments No comments

Your answer

Answers can be marked as Accepted Answers by the question author, which helps users to know the answer solved the author's problem.