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UI BuilderTM for Microsoft® AccessTM

    Frequently Asked Questions


General Questions

How does UI Builder work?

UI Builder is what you might call an application framework.  It provides the essential forms and built-in functions so you just need to worry about configuring UI Builder to display your forms.  UI Builder provides a main form area, with a side or top navigation bar, and a subform area where all your forms can be opened.  The advantage is that you don't need to build your own navigation model, and the navigation buttons are available to users at all time (as opposed to the switchboard provided with Access).


Which versions of Access are supported?

UI Builder is fully tested and compatible with Access 2000, 2003, and 2007, 2010 (32- and 64-bit), 2013 (32- and 64-bit), 2016 (32- and 64-bit).  We don't support Access 97, unfortunately.


Is UI Builder an add-in?

UI Builder is a powerful application framework that you can use as the foundation to create or enhance your Access database. You have full access to the source code, and UI Builder becomes a part of your application, as opposed to an add-in, which is generally separate.

 

Can UI Builder help me put my Access database on the web?

Microsoft Access 2010 does support publishing database forms on the web using Share Point Server 2010.  Unfortunately, Access 2010 does not provide advanced capabilities required to be able to use UI Builder on the web.  You can certainly deploy a UI Builder-based MS Access database within your local network to other users in your organization, including storing Access tables on a shared network folder, SQL Server, or MySQL Server.


Can I expand the number of menu and submenu buttons?

If you understand Visual Basic, it is possible to expand the number of menu buttons.  It requires changes in approximately 10-15 different places within the code, as well as changes to several tables.  We recommend considering the Enterprise Edition, where you can establish menus for different user roles.  This enables you to present menus and submenus based on what a given user's needs are.  There is also a feature that allows you to let a user toggle between roles, so that the same user could have access to as many different menus as necessary.  Alternatively, UI Builder also includes a Access Form Directory, where you can place an unlimited number of forms that you specify in a list format for your users to choose from.  OpenGate has also published a white paper that reviews ways to expand menu options to your users within Microsoft Access.


What kind of support can I expect if I buy UI Builder?

We stand by our products through ongoing investment, and excellent customer support. We offer email technical support to help you work through integrating your current Access project into UI Builder, or configuring advanced features to work just the way you need them. We can't fix your database design, and we only offer support related to how your application works with UI Builder. But there are many resource online, including UtterAccess.com, where you can find the expertise you need. We are based in North America, which means our responses to your inquiries may be slightly delayed if you are on another continent.  

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Does OpenGate offer consulting?

We do offer consulting, with more than 19 years experience with Microsoft Access.  Learn more here about our Microsoft Access Consulting services.


Will UI Builder create forms for me?

UI Builder does not automatically create your data entry forms and tables. Designer for Microsoft Access can help you automatically create your tables without understanding relational database design, and the built-in Access form wizards are able to help you design basic data entry forms. UI Builder then gives you flexible, configurable menu buttons so that you don’t need to recreate the wheel to offer attractive navigation and functionality to your users. 


Do I need to know Visual Basic to use UI Builder?

Definitely not, we designed UI Builder to be used by people that aren’t Visual Basic experts. UI Builder is easy enough for a new Access user to learn in minutes, and powerful enough to help even the most experienced Access gurus. 


Can I remove the "Powered by UI Builder" logo?

Yes, you may remove the logo as long as you are using UI Builder within your own organization. If you are looking to resell UI Builder, please refer to our redistribution pricing

 

What languages are supported by UI Builder?

The code, administrative screens, and all comments are in English.  However the menu buttons can be configured to display any language (including simplified Chinese).


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Licensing Questions

Do I need a license for each user?

You only need one license for unlimited use within your organization. That means as many databases as you need to create, as many copies you need to make, and as many users that you need to support. 

 

Can I use UI Builder in products I create for my customers?

Definitely. We have many professional developer clients that use UI Builder to reduce the time to deliver quality solutions for their customers. Please refer to our redistribution pricing for more information about licensing. 


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Demo Questions

Why can't I open the demo forms in design mode?

The evaluation copy is locked down to protect OpenGate intellectual property.  We did allow prospective customers to download UI Builder with access to the forms and modules in design mode at one time, but found too many instances of piracy.  If you want full access to the source code and objects, we recommend purchasing the product.  You have 30-days to evaluate the software with a full money back guarantee if the product does not meet your needs. 

 

Why is the demo in MDE format?  You support Access 2007, right?

UI Builder definitely supports Access 2007.  We deliver the evaluation database in MDE format so that it can be used by people with Access 2000 and higher.



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Upgrade Questions

Can I upgrade to Business or Enterprise Edition if I've bought the Starter Edition?

We've built UI Builder to do just that. The upgrade feature allows you to easily upgrade to the next edition when you are ready. 


How will I be notified when updates are available?

OpenGate emails customers when updates are available. 



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Multi-User Questions

How many users will UI Builder support?

UI Builder does not limit the number of users for your applications. The limitations will largely come from Microsoft Access, which can encounter performance problems with 5-10 simultaneous users, depending on whether they are accessing the same records at the same time, and whether your file server and network are fast enough. If you need to deploy your database to more than 5 users, you may want to look at deploying your database on MySQL or Microsoft SQL Server, and then use Microsoft Access and UI Builder as the front-end user interface. UI Builder (Business and Enterprise) are tested against MySQL and Microsoft SQL Servers. Refer to the UI Builder tip "How to deploy user-level menus using a single back-end database" and "Deploying UI Builder with MySQL or SQL Server" for more information.


Do users need to have Microsoft Access installed to use UI Builder?

Users will need to have the free Microsoft Access runtime installed at a minimum. If you plan to allow users to make design changes to the forms and tables, then they will need to have a full license for Microsoft Access.


How tight is the UI Builder security?

UI Builder provides a solid foundation to secure your Microsoft Access projects, control user access and activity, and monitor their actions in your database. It is important to note that Microsoft Access is generally not considered to be a recommended solution for applications that require an extremely high level of data security. With appropriate measures, can ensure an adequate level of security that will prevent all but the most experienced and determined individuals from compromising your data.  

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Installation Questions

Will I need to run a setup program?

No setup program is required for UI Builder. The UI Builder database file that you download after purchasing the software is all that is required. 


Are any ActiveX controls required?

No ActiveX controls are used, which can help avoid error messages that users often encounter when a database uses ActiveX, but the user does not have the control library on their machine.  



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Developer Questions

Can I compile my UI Builder database into an MDE/ACCDE format?

Yes, absolutely. We verify each version can be compiled into an MDE/ACCDE file. In fact, that is how we deliver our evaluation versions. 

 

What APIs are available with UI Builder?

UI Builder includes many useful functions that can be called by your own code. These include: Mail Merge, Event Logging, table functions (count, lookup, max, min, average, sum) that are more robust than the DCount/DSum/DLookup/etc functions delivered with Access, create Outlook tasks, change UI Builder subforms, and other very commonly used VB functions.  

 

Can I customize UI Builder objects?

Definitely. You get full access to the forms and modules to change things as you see fit. Note that once you make changes to the objects as delivered, OpenGate Software will continue to assist you should you encounter issues, but may not be able to resolve every issue raised since the changes themselves are not supported. Additionally, you may need to incorporate your modifications into future versions of UI Builder if you choose to update your database to the latest version of UI Builder when it is available. 

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Can I upsize my database to MySQL or SQL Server?

Absolutely. UI Builder (Business and Enterprise) are tested against MySQL and Microsoft SQL Servers.  

 

Is UI Builder compatible with other OpenGate products?

Yes, UI Builder is compatible with all other OpenGate products. We use the same foundational VB libraries for all our projects. If you purchase multiple products, you can incorporate them all into a single master database. You will simply need to import a single copy of VB modules that have the same name. 

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