Version 1.70               Approx 0.9 MB               First Published 24 May 2018               Last Updated 4 Apr 2023

This example app demonstrates how you can use Access to create popup messages in the system tray notifications area.

This can be ideal if you want to alert users to issues such as:
a)   Product support or licence about to expire
b)   A new version available on the program website

The idea for this project came from a thread in July 2017 by murray83 at Access World Forums:
      Popup messages when new record added

The example application allows you to test different system tray alert messages



The screenshots below show examples of popup messages displayed in the system tray notifications area

NOTE:
All screenshots were done in an older version of Windows 10 from 2017.
Popup messages look different in both earlier and later Windows versions



To use this code with your own applications:

1.   Add the VBA reference 'Microsoft Internet Controls'

2.   Import the table tblLocalVariables and adapt as appropriate
      Alternatively, adapt the code to use similar data in another table of your own

3.   Import all 5 modules

4.   Modules modFunctions & modInternetDownload are used for the version check

      The main version check code is contained in the procedure: CheckLatestWebVersion in modFunctions
      This ‘reads’ the contents of a specified web page to a temporary text file and searches it for a specified string from which the web version number is extracted

      The web version is then compared with the local version number. You will need to ADAPT the code as necessary to suit your own database and website

5.   The form also contains a non ActiveX calendar form frmDatePicker which works in both 32-bit and 64-bit Access. The code for this is in modDatePicker

      NOTE: This form is the Better Date Picker example app also available separately here

6.   The balloon tooltips code is contained in a standard module modBalloonTooltip and a class module BalloonTooltip.
      Copy BOTH modules to your project to use this idea

      Each message needs a single line of code e.g.

ShowBalloonTooltip "INFO - New version available", GetProgramName() & " version " & intWebVer & " is available for download from the " & GetCompanyName() & " website", btWarning

      An extra form frmBalloonTooltip is provided so you can test the functionality for yourself:

      For further information, download the PDF help file below



ADDITIONAL INFO:

1.   The balloon tooltip code works in both 32-bit and 64-bit Access

2.   For the alert to work, make sure you switch on notifications from Access in Windows settings



3.   Recent versions of Windows 10 include the Quiet Hours feature.
      When this is enabled (normally in evening & overnight), no notifications appear.
      Switch it off (or in daytime) & they return!



4.   The balloon tooltips code is not mine but I don't know the original author.
      If anyone recognises it as their own work, please let me know & I will add your details to the code



Version History

      v1.60    24 May 2018:   Original release.
      v1.70       4 Apr 2023:   Updated links to current website: https://isladogs.co.uk



Downloads:

      Click to download:

      Example app:       System Tray Alerts    (zipped)

      PDF help file:       Create System Tray Alerts in Access     PDF (zipped)


      NOTE:     System tray alerts are one of the features used to get users' attention in my example app: An Attention Seeking Database



Feedback

      Please use the contact form below to let me know whether you found this article interesting/useful or if you have any questions/comments.

      Do let me know if you find any bugs in the application.

      Please also consider making a donation towards the costs of maintaining this website. Thank you



Colin Riddington                       Mendip Data Systems                       Last Updated 4 Apr 2023

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