Set Options from Visual Basic

You can use the SetOption and GetOption methods to set and return option values in the Access Options dialog box from code. To view the Access Options dialog box, click the Microsoft Office Button Button image and then click Access Options.

The value that you pass to the SetOption method as the setting argument depends on which type of option you are setting. The following table establishes some guidelines for setting options.

If the option is Then the setting argument is
A text box A string
A check box A Boolean value — True (–1) or False (0)
An option button in an option group, or an option in a combo box or a list box An integer corresponding to the option's position in the option group or list (starting with zero [0])

The following tables list the names of all options that can be set or returned from code and the tabs on which they can be found in the Access Options dialog box, followed by the corresponding string argument that you must pass to the SetOption or GetOption method.

Creating databases section

Option Text String Argument
New database sort order New Database Sort Order
Default database folder Default Database Directory
Default file format Default File Format

Current Database Tab

Application Options section

Option Text String Argument
Compact on Close Auto Compact
Remove personal information from file properties on save Remove Personal Information
Use Windows-themed Controls on Forms Themed Form Controls
Enable Layout View for this database DesignWithData
Check for truncated number fields CheckTruncatedNumFields
Picture Property Storage Format Picture Property Storage Format

Name AutoCorrect Options section

Option Text String Argument
Track name AutoCorrect info Track Name AutoCorrect Info
Perform name AutoCorrect Perform Name AutoCorrect
Log name AutoCorrect changes Log Name AutoCorrect Changes

Filter Lookup options for <Database Name> Database section

Option Text String Argument
Show list of values in, Local indexed fields Show Values in Indexed
Show list of values in, Local nonindexed fields Show Values in Non-Indexed
Show list of values in, ODBC fields Show Values in Remote
Show list of values in, Records in local snapshot Show Values in Snapshot
Show list of values in, Records at server Show Values in Server
Don't display lists where more than this number of records read Show Values Limit

Datasheet Tab

Default colors section

Option Text String Argument
Font color Default Font Color
Background color Default Background Color
Alternate background color _64
Gridlines color Default Gridlines Color

Gridlines and cell effects section

Option Text String Argument
Default gridlines showing, Horizontal Default Gridlines Horizontal
Default gridlines showing, Vertical Default Gridlines Vertical
Default cell effect Default Cell Effect
Default column width Default Column Width

Default font section

Option Text String Argument
Font Default Font Name
Size Default Font Size
Weight Default Font Weight
Underline Default Font Underline
Italic Default Font Italic

Object Designers Tab

Table design section

Option Text String Argument
Default text field size Default Text Field Size
Default number field size Default Number Field Size
Default field type Default Field Type
AutoIndex on Import/Create AutoIndex on Import/Create
Show Property Update Option Buttons Show Property Update Options Buttons

Query design section

Option Text String Argument
Show table names Show Table Names
Output all fields Output All Fields
Enable AutoJoin Enable AutoJoin
SQL Server Compatible Syntax (ANSI 92), This database ANSI Query Mode
SQL Server Compatible Syntax (ANSI 92), Default for new databases ANSI Query Mode Default
Query design font, Font Query Design Font Name
Query design font, Size Query Design Font Size

Forms/Reports section

Option Text String Argument
Selection behavior Selection Behavior
Form template Form Template
Report template Report Template
Always use event procedures Always Use Event Procedures

Error checking section

Option Text String Argument
Enable error checking Enable Error Checking
Error indicator color Error Checking Indicator Color
Check for unassociated label and control Unassociated Label and Control Error Checking
Check for new unassociated labels New Unassociated Labels Error Checking
Check for keyboard shortcut errors Keyboard Shortcut Errors Error Checking
Check for invalid control properties Invalid Control Properties Error Checking
Check for common report errors Common Report Errors Error Checking

Proofing Tab

When correcting spelling in Microsoft Office programs section

Option Text String Argument
Ignore words in UPPERCASE Spelling ignore words in UPPERCASE
Ignore words that contain numbers Spelling ignore words with number
Ignore Internet and file addresses Spelling ignore Internet and file addresses
Suggest from main dictionary only Spelling suggest from main dictionary only
Dictionary Language Spelling dictionary language

Advanced Tab

Editing section

Option Text String Argument
Move after enter Move After Enter
Behavior entering field Behavior Entering Field
Arrow key behavior Arrow Key Behavior
Cursor stops at first/last field Cursor Stops at First/Last Field
Default find/replace behavior Default Find/Replace Behavior
Confirm, Record changes Confirm Record Changes
Confirm, Document deletions Confirm Document Deletions
Confirm, Action queries Confirm Action Queries
Default direction Default Direction
General alignment General Alignment
Cursor movement Cursor Movement
Datasheet IME control Datasheet Ime Control
Use Hijri Calendar Use Hijri Calendar

Display section

Option Text String Argument
Show this number of Recent Documents Size of MRU File List
Status bar Show Status Bar
Show animations Show Animations
Show Smart Tags on Datasheets Show Smart Tags on Datasheets
Show Smart Tags on Forms and Reports Show Smart Tags on Forms and Reports
Show in Macro Design, Names column Show Macro Names Column
Show in Macro Design, Conditions column Show Conditions Column

Printing section

Option Text String Argument
Left margin Left Margin
Right margin Right Margin
Top margin Top Margin
Bottom margin Bottom Margin

General section

Option Text String Argument
Provide feedback with sound Provide Feedback with Sound
Use four-year digit year formatting, This database Four-Digit Year Formatting
Use four-year digit year formatting, All databases Four-Digit Year Formatting All Databases

Advanced section

Option Text String Argument
Open last used database when Access starts Open Last Used Database When Access Starts
Default open mode Default Open Mode for Databases
Default record locking Default Record Locking
Open databases by using record-level locking Use Row Level Locking
OLE/DDE timeout (sec) OLE/DDE Timeout (sec)
Refresh interval (sec) Refresh Interval (sec)
Number of update retries Number of Update Retries
ODBC refresh interval (sec) ODBC Refresh Interval (sec)
Update retry interval (msec) Update Retry Interval (msec)
DDE operations, Ignore DDE requests Ignore DDE Requests
DDE operations, Enable DDE refresh Enable DDE Refresh
Command-line arguments Command-Line Arguments
Bb256546.vs_note(en-us,office.12).gif  Notes
  • If your database may run on a version of Microsoft Access for a language other than the one in which you created it, then you must supply the arguments for the GetOption and SetOption methods in English.
  • Some options are available only within a Microsoft Access database or Access project (.adp).
  • If you are developing a database application, add-in, library database, or referenced database, make sure that the Error Trapping option is set to 2 (Break On Unhandled Errors) when you have finished debugging your code.