Microsoft Access programming of a geo-database

Access database programming with MS Access & VBA

The "German Research Centre for Geosciences GFZ" (Potsdam) has commissioned eWorks to program a Microsoft Access database for recording geological samples.

The geo-database application was developed with Microsoft Access and an Excel export was programmed for data evaluation. The technologies used in this project were Microsoft Access 2007 for developing the data management, masks and reports and VBA for programming the individual functions. The Excel export was programmed using Microsoft Excel 2007 and VBA. The ability to easily install an Access database made a separate installation program superfluous.

The geodatabase displays its data in a list with a sort function that allows the Access data to be edited, duplicated and deleted. In addition to some general information, the data collection also includes information on petrography as well as physical, acoustic, elastic, fracture-mechanical and rheological properties. Characteristics such as rock type, age, origin, color, porosity and many more can be stored.

A particular technical challenge was the requirement to be able to upload an unlimited number of file attachments of any size in order to be able to add graphics to the samples. To solve this problem, VBA programming was used to develop an individual file management system that can manage any number of files of any size (without greatly increasing the size of the database or reducing its performance).

eWorks accompanied its client GFZ from the initial idea of the software through the Access programming and VBA development to the installation and provided technical support. After the handover, eWorks assisted with the database installation and commissioning and helped with operating problems and technical faults.

Used technologies

VBA
Microsoft Office

Related references

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