Member Avatar for chuckc

Don't know if this is right place for my question, but

Does anyone know if it is possible to have multiple forms visible at the same time while developing an application with Access in "Form View" mode? If so, how does one tell Access to do this?

This applies to both Access 2007 and Access 2010.

Thank you,
Chuckc

  • 2 Contributors
  • 2 Replies
  • 225 Views
  • 1 Day Discussion Span
  • Latest Post Latest Post by chuckc

Dani AI

Generated

Short answer: yes — Access 2007/2010 can show multiple Form View windows at once. pointed you to the database option that switches the UI from tabbed documents to overlapping windows, which is the change that makes independent form windows possible.

A few practical details that were not mentioned above: the window mode is a per-database setting, so change it in the front-end you are developing. The setting only affects how forms and reports open (it does not turn subforms into separate windows — subforms stay embedded in their parent). Also remember that some startup routines or a specially configured startup form can make the UI behave differently, so check for any AutoExec macros or startup code if behavior seems unchanged.

Two common reasons you might still see only one visible form are form properties and how you open forms. A form with Modal = Yes or PopUp = Yes will sit on top and block interaction with other forms. Similarly, opening a form as a dialog makes it modal. If you need non‑modal windows from VBA, use the normal window mode when opening forms. Example:

DoCmd.OpenForm "MyForm", WindowMode:=acWindowNormal

For development workflow: use overlapping windows while designing so you can view, position and copy controls between forms; switch back to tabbed documents if you prefer a single-tab user experience for deployment. If changes to the window mode do not appear to take effect, confirm you edited the Current Database options in that specific file and then close and reopen the database (or restart Access). If the front-end is compiled or controlled by startup code, those can also override expected behavior.

Recommended Answers

All 2 Replies

Member Avatar for timothybard

Click on the Office Button (in Access 2007) or File (in Access 2010) and then Options.

On the options screen, click on Current Database on the left menu.

Under Document Window Options, click on Overlapping Windows.

Click OK and then reopen your database. Forms will now appear in the traditional form layout.

Member Avatar for chuckc

Hi timothybard, Thank you very much for the help.
Best regards, chuckc

Be a part of the DaniWeb community

We're a friendly, industry-focused community of developers, IT pros, digital marketers, and technology enthusiasts meeting, networking, learning, and sharing knowledge.