AEU Meeting Date 5 June 2024 starting at 18:00 UK Time (UTC+1)                            Page Last Updated 7 June 2024



Meeting Details:

This Access Europe meeting will be on Wednesday 5 June 2024 starting at 18:00 UK time (6 PM UTC+1) and finishing at about 19:30 (7.30 PM)

The start time is equivalent to 19:00 (7 PM) in Central Europe and 10 AM in Seattle / PST

Please note that the UK is currently on Summer Time (UTC+1). For local times, please check World Time Buddy

We use Zoom as our meeting application. Please click this link to Get Zoom if you don’t already have it.

When the time comes for the meeting, please use the following link: Join Zoom Meeting
If you are asked, use: Meeting ID: 924 3129 5683 ; Passcode: 661210

For more connection options, please see the AccessUserGroups.org web page for this event

All sessions are recorded and later uploaded to the Access User Groups channel on YouTube

If you do not wish to be part of the recording, please ensure your webcam and microphone are both switched off during the meeting.



Download Outlook Calendar (.ics file):

Click to download. Save in Outlook to create a recurring event for each month:       Outlook Calendar (.ics)



Topic outline:

In this session, Colin Riddington (MVP) will be demonstrating two separate items - each with a free example app:

1.   Import/Export Data Task Specifications
      Prior to Access 2007, import/export (IMEX) specifications were saved in 2 system tables: MSysIMEXSpecs / MSysIMEXColumns.
      Import/export specifications were only available for text files e.g. CSV.

      Mike Wolfe led a presentation called Streamline Your Import/Export Spec Workflow with VBA Classes at the Dec 2023 session of Access Europe.
      The video of that session is still available on the Access Europe YouTube channel at https://youtu.be/VUEMv_05hws

      This approach was supplemented with a wizard driven & arguably more powerful XML based system of Import/Export Data Tasks in Access 2007.
      The new approach is very simple to use and works for a wider range of files including Excel spreadsheets and Access tables.
      However, ease of use has also led to much greater obscurity in how the newer approach works.

      Colin will be demonstrating a utility intended mainly for program admins.
      It allows users to view and edit the contents of Import/Export Data Tasks and make them a much more useful feature

2.   Extended File Properties
      All files include several extended properties such as:
      •   Date created / date modified / date last accessed
      •   File size / file type / author / location

      Certain types of file will also contain additional extended properties including:
      •   Height / width / horizontal resolution / vertical resolution / bit size (image files)
      •   Contributing artist / album / year / genre / tile / track # / length / bit rate (audio files)

      There are currently over 320 extended file properties, though no files will ever contain all of those. Colin will demonstrate an Access app he created to provide
      an easy way of obtaining and storing all the extended properties for an individual file or all files in a selected folder and its subfolders



Bio:

Colin has been an Access developer for over 25 years with many years teaching in secondary schools.
He is the owner of Mendip Data Systems and is based in the U.K.


Colin was awarded MVP status for M365 Apps & Services (Access) in 2022 and again in 2023.

He is co-president of the Access Europe user group and has been a presenter at various Access online groups including Access DevCon, Denver Area AUG, UKAUG and the Lunchtime/Easter/Pacific and Espana chapters of AccessUserGroups.org.

He also part of a team of current and former MVPs contributing as both author and editor to the AccessForever website run by Karl Donaubauer (MVP).

Colin is active on many forums with the username Isladogs.

His Isladogs on Access website includes many Access articles, example apps, sample code and security challenges, together with commercial applications for businesses, schools and developers. He also has his own YouTube channel.

His focus is on extending the boundaries of what can be achieved using Access.



Downloads:

Click to download:
1.   A zip file containing a PDF of the Import/Export Data Task Specifications presentation used in this session together with the example app:
            ManageIMEXSpecifications     Approx 0.7 MB (zipped)

2.   A zip file containing a PDF of the Extended File Properties presentation used in this session together with the example app:
            Extended File Properties     Approx 1.3 MB (zipped)



Video:

The meeting was recorded and the video is now available on the Access Europe YouTube channel at https://youtu.be/jUed-4aCUxs or you can click below:

       



Colin Riddington           Mendip Data Systems                 Last Updated 7 June 2024

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