Explanations of Built-in Functions

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Can anybody recommend a good book or site where I can get a simple explanation of all of the built-in functions in Access with easy-to-understand language of how they work (examples of each would be nice, too)?

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Hi John,

There are lots of books about access, but the simplest way to get help on all of the functions is just put the cursor on the function you want help on and press the famous F1 button.
The access help is pretty good and on each function are one or more examples available.

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Bart, what version of Access do you have? I have 2000 and when you hit F1 the help you receive is not too great (in my opinion) and when you hit the Help button it takes you to something that gives you general help on the expression builder. I know that the F1 key and the Help button were useful in earlier versions of Access.

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Help in Access 2000 definitely requires getting used to, and a lot of sample code that used to be included no longer exists in the help files. There is sample code, but not everything that was there before.

It’s also context sensitive in a new way. The help you see from the database window is not the same help you see from the VB IDE, and searching on the same expression in the answer wizard won’t give you the same results. I do find that the index is almost useless, but the answer wizard is much more “helpful”. The trick is to word the expression you type in as a “how do I” kind of question. Mind you, I didn’t say it was easy to use; but I’ve been using TechNet and MSDN for years anyhow, so I’m not as bothered by it as most people. I just wish they had included a better search engine, because the one they used definitely needs work.

In the VB IDE, F1 is highly useful if you position your cursor on a function, object, method or property and the press F1. That will take you directly to help for the specific item…usually. This version of help seems to founder easily, so sometimes you have to try getting there another way. F1 is also useful from the object browser, which is what I use instead of the Help index.

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I use several versions.
Last couple of months mainly 97, but also 2000.
Sometimes still some work in Access 2.0.

I also use Technet and MSDN a lot.
It takes a little bit experience to ask the right questions, but it still can give you most answers.

A good resource is alse the access web: http://www.mvps.org/access/toc.htm%5B/url%5D
or Helen Feddema’s home page: http://www.helenfeddema.com/%5B/url%5D
or Peters Software home page: http://www.peterssoftware.com/index.htm%5B/url%5D

Check them out!

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I would recommend the Que Special Edition Using Access 2000. Pages 328..350 have excellent function examples that I find to be very helpful. You can visit my web site at http://www.absupport.com[/url%5D for some built in function examples….

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