• Include a Table Driven Help System that is totally based on Access forms and a customizable table
• Provide an HTML Help System based on the use of an HTML document opened from within your application
• Create wizards easily with our uniquely designed wizard template
• Handle errors within an application with our useful Error Display Dialog. Not only is the error displayed, but what caused it, and the option to print a problem report automatically with all the critical information automatically printed. Errors can be stored in a table for historical backup and printing of problem reports.
• Use a Table Driven Demonstration System that allows you to create an interactive demo of your application with pop-up narrative screens, automated entries, and methods to secure your software. Also included are functions to limit the demo to certain number of days, or use a password. You can also setup an form to have potential customers enter their order and print an order form.
• All interfaces are easy to integrate into your applications
• Tables are used extensively to drive the interfaces to make customization easy and flexible

The EZ Support Interfaces contains the following components:

Access Table Driving Help System - Microsoft has provided a Windows 95/98 Help system for developers which is consistent and has the same look and feel with the Help system they have with their products like Word, Excel, etc.. This Help system, while robust, requires special knowledge and processing of a specific format for a Help topic file, map file, contents file, project file and a compiler to convert the source files to a Help file that can be utilized by the Help system and your application. For those applications that require a more simple technique, the EZ Help Interface may be better for you.

The Help Interface described herein uses an Access table and form objects to create a user help system with the following features:

• Only requires the developer be familiar with Access
• Help text can be changed by editing a memo field in a table
• Help can be provided for any control, Access object, menu item, or application function
• Help text can be utilized to print a user manual
• Help text can be displayed in a contents window
• Help text can be searched
• Illustrations can be included
• Related topics can be included
• The help system can be further customized by the developer
• Help contents is viewed as a hierarchical tree

Click on any of the thumbnail pictures to enlarge the images.

The Help Interface provides a pop-up help system, which is normally called by the F1 keystroke but could be called by a button on a form. When F1 is pressed by the user, help is displayed on a pop-up form for the selection. The selected help topic can have multiple pages and include references to images. The user can choose to view related topics, view the contents of all help, or search for help based on text entered.

                                         
Tree View of Help Contents                  Search for Help Topics

HTML Help System – This interface is similar to our Access table driven Help system except instead of using an Access Table to hold the help text and figures, the interface uses an external HTML file that can be created any number of ways. Indexing into the HTML file is done with bookmarks in the HTML file.

When F1 is pressed by the user, help is displayed using the default browser setup on the user’s computer. The user can then choose to view the contents of all help, or search for help based on text entered.

Wizard Template – The Wizard template contains all the general controls and layout so you can add your own unique controls. Navigation buttons are included with all the code to move through the wizard. The wizard is based on pages so you move from one page to the next or back. The product includes a sample wizard using the template to make it easier for you to create your own wizards.

Error Handler – The Error Display Dialog provides useful information when a problem occurs in your application. This dialog when called will display the normal Access error information and also provide for showing related information about possible causes for the error like currently opened objects, etc. The user has the option to record the problem which will store the error and related information in a problem history table.

The problem report dialog is used to record system information and a place for the user to enter pertinent information like whether the problem can be duplicated, the problem has occurred before, etc. The information on the form then can be printed on a problem report that can be forwarded to the appropriate party.

Demo System – If you want to create an interactive demonstration of your application, this system will provide an easy method to not only organize the demo, but also to control it, display narrative pop-up windows, open and close forms, simulate user actions, etc. Additionally, methods to lock your demo for a certain number of days, or limit the number of records that can be added to a table are provided. Examples on how to include an order form in your demo is shown with sample forms that you can customize. To see a working version of the demo system, download the demo for the EZ Access Developer’s Suite.

What Do You Need to Know to Use the EZ Application Manager?

To use the EZ Support Interfaces, you must know the basics of Microsoft Access. This includes knowing about Access objects and how they are used.

You do not need to know how to program in VBA (Access Basic) but you must know how to add a simple button to a form and enter one or two lines of VBA code to the OnClick event of the button.

We provide several sample definitions and a sample table to learn how to use the EZ Support Interfaces