Northwind Downloads

Northwind Downloads

Microsoft provide some very nice downloadable databases which you can use to get an insight into how Microsoft Access functions. In particular, and I believe it was the first, or at least one of the first examples, “The Northwind Database” is a fine example of an invoicing system. However be careful, some of the versions have minor problems in them that render them not suitable for immediate use in a production environment. More information in my blog here:-

Northwind Problem and Solution

Setup the Northwind dB

Setup the Northwind dB

Video 1 (1:20)

Demonstrate how to find and load a Microsoft Access Demo Database, in particular the Northwind Sample. Show how to set up the Navigation Pane. How to set Compact on Close. How to set it up to use Tabbed Documents. How to Display a Particular Form when the database Loads up…

Video 1 (1:20)

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Northwind - Customer Products List

Northwind - Customer Products List

Video 2 (12:26)

In the YouTube I show how to create a query, how to control the results Returned by the query, how to create a form to display the results returned by the query. I show how to place that form on another form, often called the main form “frmMain”. I demonstrate how to link a combobox to the query so that you can control the records Returned. I demonstrate how to refresh the data shown in the subform window. I explain how the subform is not actually on your main form but contained within a subform/subreport control which I referred to as a subFrmWin (subform window). I recommend saving a text version of the query somewhere within your form so that if a user happens to damage, or lose the query, it’s quite an easy process for you to repair your database.

Find more Northwind Blogs in the Menu Below:-

Video 2 (12:26)

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What is "Northwind"

The Northwind Database

The Northwind Database is a sample database provided by Microsoft, based on a fictitious company called Northwind Traders. I think there are two versions of it. The earliest version had/has a problem with the “Order Form” in that you could accidentally switch an order from one customer to another. I demonstrate how to fix this problem in this blog here.

The Samples may not be Suitable for Production

I have noticed one or two problems in other Microsoft Access sample databases, so I would be careful before putting any of them into a production environment, make sure you test them thoroughly and have them checked over by someone who knows a bit about the foibles of Microsoft Access.

Mix & Match is Unnecessarily Difficult

The other thing that seems careless to me regarding the Microsoft samples is that one sample with a customer table and another sample would have a similar customer table but they were not exactly the same! There are slight differences, extra fields, things like that. This might seem a minor irritation however, it means that you cannot easily combine one sample with another. Let’s say you had a vehicle tracking database and you wanted to add the facility to invoice by linking/combining it with another sample, you are not able to mix and match components from the various samples, not easily anyway!

Below are the latest and greatest examples of the Northwind sample database. These have been developed, modified and improved by a dedicated group of Microsoft Access developers, brought right up to date with the best practices as of 2023. I would suggest that you only download The Legacy versions of the Northwind database for nostalgic purposes. I strongly recommend you use one of the newly updated versions which can be found here:-

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