Control Screen Design

Introduction

Originally, computers were designed for serious business use and were extremely expensive. However, this changed in the 1980s with the introduction of personal computers, making them more accessible. At the time, one of the most readily available types of software was computer games.

The Early Days of Personal Computing.

Owning a personal computer in the early days was a dream for many, and in some ways, it still is! I got my first one too: a Spectra Video machine from Taiwan. It was more of a glorified keyboard than a full computer by today’s standards. It had a processor speed of just 1.xx MHz and 84KB of memory. The system was connected to a TV as its monitor and used a cassette recorder to store BASIC programs and data.

Even today, you can find toy-like replicas of these early machines in the electronics section of supermarkets.

At that time, IBM PCs—which had a 4.77 MHz processor and 640KB of RAM—were considered top of the line. They were also prohibitively expensive and included cassette recorders for storage. Later, with the introduction of XT (Extended Technology) and AT (Advanced Technology) models, we saw the emergence of 5.25" floppy drives and the revolutionary 10MB hard disks—huge storage at the time!

From Serious Business to Side Dishes of Fun

What’s fascinating is that the plaything concept hasn't changed over the years. Even as computers became serious business tools, a touch of entertainment always tagged along—sometimes as a side dish, sometimes as a necessity. From BASIC games on early home computers to built-in Solitaire on Windows, the idea of combining utility with enjoyment has endured. Today’s systems continue that tradition, offering powerful productivity tools alongside gaming, multimedia, and countless creative outlets.

Adding Appeal to Serious Applications.

MS Access is primarily built for serious data processing tasks, but that doesn't mean your applications need to be dull or uninspiring. By thoughtfully incorporating elements like animations, slide shows, or contextual tips, you can make your application both engaging and informative. The key is not to overdo it—just enough to keep the user interested and prevent monotony.

Think of it like the reception area of a five-star hotel: elegant, welcoming, and staffed with helpful personnel ready to assist. It subtly communicates the quality of service you can expect. Your Access application can do the same—user-friendly, visually appealing, and designed to leave a lasting positive impression.

Focusing on the Control Screen

Our primary focus here is to explore a sample Control Screen that brings together all the essential components of an application—such as data entry forms, reports, data processing functions, and more—into a centralized and easily accessible interface.

While we won't be diving into the complete design of this screen just yet, we’ll begin by examining one simple but important aspect. The rest of the elements and their design strategies will be discussed in upcoming sections.

The sample Control Screen

Click to Enlarge

Control Screen Layout and Purpose

The header section of the screen is visually enhanced with the company logo and the application title displayed in 3D Text, accompanied by the version number positioned just below it.

Beneath the header, the main control area is neatly organized into three primary categories:

1. Data Files

2. Reports

3. Data Upload Control

This application is specifically designed to monitor vehicle service expenses under service contracts maintained by the company. It also supports audit checks by providing structured and timely data.

The ‘Data Upload’ Command Button triggers procedures that import monthly vehicle service data from IBM AS400 mainframe systems into the application for further processing and reporting.

When the Data Files command button is active, its corresponding menu appears prominently in the center of the screen. On the right-hand side, you’ll find a vertical row of buttons representing different vehicle categories.

Clicking any of these category buttons dynamically updates the center window to display the relevant menu options for that category, seamlessly overlaying the previously displayed menu.

A common question that may arise is: Why are there separate data files and menus for different vehicle types? Why not store everything in a single table?

In reality, there is only one main data table, but the data is organized into categories to manage access rights effectively. This approach allows the system to provide different user groups access only to the data relevant to them, while restricting access to other groups.

The right-side command buttons, representing various vehicle categories, are dynamically enabled or disabled based on the user who logs in. The current user's name is displayed in a small text box just below the ‘Quit’ command button on the left side. According to that user's access rights, certain buttons are made available while others remain inactive.

When the ‘Reports’ command button on the left side is clicked, a similar set of menus and command buttons appears in the same central area of the screen—again governed by user-level security controls. In total, up to 15 different menus, including the one linked to the ‘Upload’ command button, can be displayed in this space.

We will explore how to organize and switch between these menus effectively under the Control Screen Menu Design topic.

At the bottom of the screen, there's a white strip displaying blue-colored, continuously scrolling text, resembling a news ticker. This serves as a dynamic reminder to the user, listing details of vehicles whose service contracts are due to expire this month.

Just below the ticker, the total number of such vehicles is displayed prominently, prompting the user to take timely action on renewals or follow-ups.

As you have already noticed, this Screen doesn't have any default control buttons on the top (Min, Max, Close) or the title bar.

The system opens with a Startup Screen (learn more about its design under Startup Screen Design) and then transitions to the Control Screen. This Control Screen appears to be seamlessly pasted into the application's background, maintaining a clean and uncluttered look until it is closed via the File → Close menu or by clicking the Quit command button on the screen.

The form has no border style, no resizing options, and presents a flat, paper-like appearance. This is achieved by applying the following Form Property settings:

Form Property Settings.

1. Default View = Single Form
2. Allow Datasheet View = No
3. Allow Edits = Yes
4. Allow Deletions = No
5. Allow Additions = No
6. Data Entry = No
7. Scroll Bars = Neither
8. Record Selectors = No
9. Navigation Buttons = No
10. Dividing Lines = No
11. Auto Resize = Yes
12. Auto Center = Yes
13. Pop Up = No
14. Modal = No
15. Border Style = None
16. Control Box = No
17. Min Max Buttons = None
18. Close Button = No
19. What's This Button = No

Write an Event Procedure on the On Load event:

Private Sub Form_Load()
    DoCmd.Restore
End Sub

When you open your control screen with the above property settings and with the On Load Event Procedure, it will look as if the screen is painted in the Application Background.

• Next: Control Screen Menu Design