How to Open an Access Report in Print Preview with VBA
Question details
The user needs to open an MS Access report in Print Preview mode so that the Detail_Format event runs, which is necessary for populating unbound text boxes during report formatting.
- Product
- Microsoft Access
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- Triggering formatting events for unbound text boxes during Access report generation.
- Observed behavior
- When opened in Normal view from the object list, the Detail_Format event does not run. The report must be explicitly opened in Print Preview, but the view cannot be changed from the report's own Open or Load events.
Ensure you have your Access database open in Design View. Note that a report's view mode cannot be changed from its own Open or Load events once it has started opening.
Use VBA DoCmd.OpenReport from a Form
The best practice for deployed databases is to open reports using a command button on a form with VBA, specifying the Print Preview mode.
In a deployed database, users generally should not access the Navigation Pane directly. Instead, you should control how reports open by using a VBA command behind a form button.
Right-click your navigation or main form in the Navigation Pane and select Design View.
Drag a Command Button from the Design ribbon onto your form.
Select the button, open the Property Sheet, navigate to the Event tab, and click the ellipsis (...) next to the On Click event. Choose Code Builder.
In the VBA editor, type the following code: DoCmd.OpenReport "YourReportName", acViewPreview
Save your VBA module, return to Form View, and click the button to open your report in Print Preview with the Detail_Format event fully enabled.
Set Default View or Use Right-Click in Development
If you are still developing the database and testing the report directly from the Navigation Pane, you can force it into Print Preview.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Why isn't the Detail_Format event running in my Access report?
The Detail_Format event only triggers when a report is opened in Print Preview mode or when it is physically printed. It will not run in the standard Report View (Normal view).
Can I change the report view using VBA inside the report's On Open event?
No. Once a report begins to open, its view mode is already locked. You cannot use the Open or Load events within the report itself to switch to Print Preview; it must be called correctly from the outside (like from a form).
How do I hide the Navigation Pane from users in a deployed Access database?
Go to File > Options > Current Database, and uncheck 'Display Navigation Pane'. This encourages users to navigate using your custom forms and VBA command buttons instead of opening objects directly.
