Data access pages: What they are and how they work
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A data access page is a special type of Web page designed for viewing and working with data from an Internet or intranet data that is stored in a Microsoft Access database or a Microsoft SQL Server database. The data access page may also include data from other sources, such as Microsoft Excel.
This topic provides reference information about:
Designing different types of data access pages
Using data access pages in Internet Explorer
Using data access pages in Microsoft Access
Designing different types of data access pages
You design data access pages in page Design view in Microsoft Access. The page is a separate file that is stored outside Microsoft Access; however, when you create the file, Microsoft Access automatically adds a shortcut to the file in the Database window. Designing a data access page is similar to designing forms and reports you use a field list, the toolbox, controls, the Sorting and Grouping dialog box, and so on. However, there are some significant differences in the way that you design and interact with data access pages as opposed to forms and reports. How you design the page depends on what it will be used for:
Interactive reporting This type of data access page is often used to consolidate and group information that is stored in the database, and then publish summaries of the data. For example, a page might publish the sales performance for each region in which you do business. Using expand indicators, you can go from a general summary of the information, such as a list of all the regions and their combined sales total, to specific details on individual sales within each region. While the data access page may also provide toolbar buttons for sorting and filtering the data, you can't edit data on this type of page. See an example and learn more about data access pages that group records for interactive reporting.
Data entry This type of data access page is used to view, add, and edit records. Learn more about data access pages used for data entry.
Data analysis This type of data access page may include a PivotTable list, similar to a Microsoft Access PivotTable form or Microsoft Excel PivotTable report, that lets you reorganize the data to analyze it in different ways. The page might contain a chart that you can use to analyze trends, detect patterns, and compare data in your database. Or the page might contain a spreadsheet in which you can enter and edit data, and use formulas to calculate as you do in Microsoft Excel.
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Using data access pages in Internet Explorer
A data access page is connected directly to a database. When users display the data access page in Microsoft Internet Explorer, they are viewing their own copy of the page. That means any filtering, sorting, and other changes they make to the way the data is displayed including changes they make within a PivotTable list or spreadsheet affect only their copy of the data access page. However, changes that they make to the data itself such as modifying values, and adding or deleting data are stored in the underlying database, and therefore are available to everyone viewing the data access page.
Users get Help on how to work with the page in Internet Explorer by clicking the Help .gif "Aa190651.0984(en-us,office.10).gif")
button on the record navigation toolbar. The Help file that displays is automatically included with any data access page that's published with a record navigation toolbar. If you delete the record navigation toolbar or if you disable the Help button on it, you should provide instructions for those who will use the page.
Note To view and work with the data access page on the Internet or an intranet, users need Microsoft Internet Explorer 5 and a Microsoft Office 2000 license.
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Using data access pages in Microsoft Access
You can also work with a data access page in Page view in Microsoft Access. Data access pages can supplement the forms and reports that you use in your database application. When deciding whether to design a data access page, form, or report, consider the tasks that you want to perform.
You get Help on how to work with the page in Page view by clicking the Help button on the Page View toolbar to display Access Help. Clicking the Help button on a record navigation toolbar on the page displays Help for working with the page in Internet Explorer. As mentioned previously, this Help file is automatically included with any data access page that's published with a record navigation toolbar. You can delete the Help button on pages that are used only within Access, or you can modify the button to provide custom Help.
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