Setting Default Properties for Controls in Access 2010

[Mark L]

Does anyone know how to set the default properties for controls that are being added to a form in Access 2010? I can do it in 2003 & 2007, but can't find it in 2010! As usual, Access 2010 help is worthless.

[HansV]

It's still the same as in previous versions:
- Open or create a form in design view.
- Click on a control in the Controls group of the Design tab of the ribbon, but don't insert it on the form yet.
- Activate the Property Sheet - it will say "Selection type: Default <controltype>".
- Set properties as desired.
Similar for a report.

[Mark L]

There used to be a way where you could select an existing control and then makes its properties the Defaults.

[HansV]

Do you perhaps mean the Form template and Report template options? You can set these to the name of an existing form/report.

S0070.png

[Mark L]

In Access 2003, you could select a control (in design mode) and then at Menu Bar at top of screen you would select Format|Set Control Defaults.

[HansV]

I can't remember that, but anyhow, I don't know about an equivalent in Access 2010, sorry! Let us know if you find something.

[Larad]

In Form design view, there is a Format Painter on the Clipboard panel of the Home ribbon. It's not quite as useful as setting the default format for a control, but it's still a time saver.

As in other MS Windows applications, 1) you select the control whose format you want to copy, 2) then click on the Format Painter, 3) then click on the control whose format you want to change.

Painting the format this way does not change the size of the control selected in step 3, which is a pest. But it's still better than stepping through the format properties.

There must be a way of setting the default properties of a control. If I can find it, I'll update this.

[HansV]

Welcome to Eileen's Lounge!

Yes, the Format Painter can be very handy indeed. Together with the Size/Space and Align dropdowns on the Arrange tab of the ribbon, it's a powerful tool to make the design of a form or report consistent.