How to create a "Please Wait" message in Access 2002 (290133)

SUMMARY

Sometimes you may want to display a status message to inform users that they must wait for an action to be completed. For example, you may want to display the text "Please Wait" while Microsoft Access is initializing a database, running a long query, and so on. This article uses the sample database Northwind.mdb to show you how to create a "Please Wait" status message.

MORE INFORMATION

To display a status message in Microsoft Access, follow these steps:

Create the following form that is not based on any table or query:

   Form: PleaseWait
   ---------------------
   Caption: TestForm
   ScrollBars: Neither
   Popup: Yes
   Modal: Yes
   RecordSelectors: No
   NavigationButtons: No

   Label
   --------------------
   Caption: Please Wait
   Font Size: 18

The label caption is the message that you want to display.

Create the following macro named Test1:

   Macro Name             Action
   ------------------------------------
   Test1                  OpenForm
                          RepaintObject
                          OpenQuery
                          Close

   Test1 Actions
   -----------------------------------
   OpenForm
   Form Name: PLEASEWAIT
   View: Form
   Data Mode: Read Only
   Window Mode: Normal

   RepaintObject
   Object Type: Form
   Object Name: PLEASEWAIT

   OpenQuery
   Query Name: Order Details Extended

   View: Datasheet

   Close
   Object Type: Form
   Object Name: PLEASEWAIT
   Save: No

NOTE: The argument for OpenQuery is just an example of what you may want to run. This can be anything. The main macro actions in Test1 are OpenForm, RepaintObject, and Close.

Run the macro. Note that the PleaseWait form opens. As soon as the query is finished processing, the form disappears and the query results appear.