Managing transactions with Access

FrankNight, 23 May 2007

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This is an Add-in for Microsoft Access that allows writing and execution of SQL statements
with transaction control
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Download source files - 46.1 KB

ImmSQL.zip

Introduction

This project is an Access 2003 add-in written in VBA. It allows users to write and to execute
subsequent DML SQL statements with transaction control. This tool is useful when you want
to modify data using SQL queries that affect multiple records in multiple tables.
At the end, after a careful check, you can commit the entire transaction. Modifications in
Microsoft Access records are committed by moving across fields or rows and, very often,
rollback is impossible. This add-in avoids this behavior. The users can also have a preview of
the affected changes over multiple tables before committing the work.

Background
Often, modification queries do not produce intended results. In this case, if the user doesn't
have a backup copy of the database, you could have serious problems trying to recreate the
initial state. I have crreated an MDA Access add-in which permits the writing of SQL
statements (SELECT, INSERT, UPDATE, DELETE) and their execution within a transaction, which
can be committed or discarded.

Using the code

This Addin is self-registering. To use it, you simply have to:
1. copy the .mda file in the Microsoft ACCESS directory where msaccess.exe is located
2. open Microsoft Access 2003 or above
3. go to Tools->Add-ins->Add-in Manager
4. browse for the .mda file
5. click OK
You can view the loaded add-in "ImmediateSQL" under the Tools->Add-ins menu. You can
browse and change the source code using the internal VBA Macro Editor. At the top of the
main window, as shown in the above figure, there is a label indicating the transaction state. At
the top-right, there is a button that shows the last 15 statements executed. You can recall them
by clicking on them.
You can write DML statements (SELECT, INSERT, UPDATE, DELETE) and execute them by
clicking on the "Execute" button or by pressing F5. The transaction begins at the first
execution. To see the transaction in action, you have to modify your table with a massive
update query and execute a "select *" statement to view record changes. Then you can
compare with the original table opened from the tables panel in the database window.
The changes are invisible in the original table or to other users until you have committed the
transaction after using the DB. It works with all kind of tables, including connected ODBC,
and the transaction also works across multiple databases.

Points of interest
The view management is very simple. It is interesting code that executes statements:

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Private Sub ExecuteStatement()

If IsNull(Me.txtStmt.Value) Or Trim(Me.txtStmt.Value) = "" Then
MsgBox "No statement to execute", vbExclamation
Exit Sub
End If
If Not isInTransaction Then
Conn.BeginTrans
isInTransaction = True
End If
Dim cmd As ADODB.Command
Set cmd = New ADODB.Command
Set cmd.ActiveConnection = c
cmd.CommandText = Me.txtStmt.Value
On Error GoTo Errore
Dim r As ADODB.Recordset
Set r = cmd.Execute(recno)
On Error GoTo 0
If r.State <> adStateClosed Then
r.Close
r.LockType = adLockOptimistic
r.CursorLocation = adUseClient
r.Open
OpenTempTable r
Else
MsgBox "processed rows:" & recno
End If
InsertIntoStatements Me.txtStmt.Value
UpdateDisplay
Exit Sub
Errore:
MsgBox "Error:" & Err.Number & vbCrLf & Err.Description, vbCritical
UpdateDisplay
End Sub

The connection is set when the window is loaded. Then the statement is executed with an
ADODB.Command. The Transaction is managed through ADODB.Connection. If the statement
returns a recordset, then the results are displayed by calling the OpenTempTable subroutine.
The statement executed is registered into an internal table "_Statements" by calling the
InsertIntoStatements subroutine.
The OpenTempTable subroutine is interesting because it uses some internal Access functions
to create a temp form. The sub adds as many textboxes as fields in the recordset and then
binds them to the transacted recordset. At the end, the records are shown as a datasheet to
seem like a true Access table:
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Private Sub OpenTempTable(r As ADODB.Recordset)

Dim frm As Form
Dim frmname As String

frmname = "_tmpForm"
'Make a copy of form2 which is used as a template
On Error Resume Next
DoCmd.Close acForm, frmname
DoCmd.DeleteObject acForm, frmname
On Error GoTo 0
DoCmd.CopyObject , "_tmpForm", acForm, "Form2"
'Open the _tmpForm in design mode to allow editing
DoCmd.OpenForm frmname, acDesign, , , , acHidden
'Add a bound text box for each fields
For Each f In r.Fields
With CreateControl(frmname, acTextBox)
' set control properties
.Name = f.Name
.Properties("ControlSource") = f.Name
End With
Next
DoCmd.OpenForm frmname, acFormDS
Set Forms(frmname).Recordset = r
Forms(frmname).Refresh
DoCmd.Save acForm, frmname
End Sub
InsertIntoStatements subroutine shows how to access add-in hidden tables through
CodeProject.AccessConnection rather than CurrentProject.Connection or
CurrentProject.AccessConnection. Firstly, the subroutine checks if the statement is

different from the last statement executed. If it is different, you have to insert the statement in
an internal table. Then, if there are more than 15 statements, you have to delete the older one:
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Private Sub InsertIntoStatements(stmt As String)

Dim r As ADODB.Recordset
Set r = New ADODB.Recordset
'Check that the statement has not already inserted
r.Open "SELECT count(1) AS cntr FROM _Statements WHERE date = _
(SELECT MAX(DATE) FROM _Statements) AND STATEMENT = """ & stmt _
& """", CodeProject.AccessConnection
If r!cntr > 0 Then
Exit Sub
End If
r.Close
'Insert into statements
Dim cmd As ADODB.Command
Set cmd = New ADODB.Command
cmd.CommandText = "INSERT INTO _Statements VALUES _
(Now(), """ & _stmt & """ )"
cmd.ActiveConnection = CodeProject.AccessConnection
cmd.Execute

'if there are more than 15 statements

r.Open "SELECT count(1) AS cntr FROM _Statements", _
CodeProject.AccessConnection
If r!cntr > 15 Then
'delete the oldest
cmd.CommandText = "DELETE FROM _Statements WHERE date = _
(SELECT MIN(date) FROM _Statements)"
cmd.ActiveConnection = CodeProject.AccessConnection
cmd.Execute
End If
'refresh the statements list
Me.List9.Requery
End Sub

I think this tool could be evolved in order to create and automate Database scripts to upgrade,
clean or move data.

History

12 April, 2007 - Original version posted

23 May, 2007 - First article update

License
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About the Author

FrankNight
CEO Gekoproject.com
Italy
No Biography provided