AEU31: Advanced Techniques with Interactive Gantt Charts (Aleksander Wojtasz)

This is a follow-up to Aleksander' excellent presentation in July 2023. In this session, Aleksander explored more advanced techniques with interactive Gantt charts. The code has been rewritten and now uses a class module approach with the Scripting Dictionary being used to manage the size and position of objects placed on the screen

Download:
Example ACCDB databases and PDF of the presentation from: https://isladogs.co.uk/aeu-31

Times:
00:00:00 Welcome from Colin Riddington
00:01:18 Intro by Aleksander Wojtasz
00:03:03 DEMO 1 - Interactive Gantt chart - Hotel bookings example - scroll & zoom using mouse / object details shown on label e.g. client name / country etc. Double click label to edit details. Reschedule using drag and drop to new position e.g. room / date changes. Add/remove bookings using right click context menu. Adjust form size to fit screen
00:06:22 DEMO 2 - Production planning - details of each activity shown in popup. Each day split into 16 working hours in 2 shifts. Related activities linked with red lines. Progress indicators / Zoom / scroll.
00:08:08 Gantt charts created by Henry Gantt & popularised by Wallace Clark over 100 years ago. See https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?i....
00:10:34 Sample databases
00:11:20 How template is organised - example database 1 (Empty Pure - Gantt Chart Template.accdb) - contains all objects needed to build your own examples: 2 data tables (dates / holidays), Template form just contains ActiveX scrollbars and a background image. Code now in 13 class modules for easy reusability with the most important being clsDtTools_GanttChart
00:12:55 Relationships between major code objects - clsDtTools_GanttChart / clsDtTools_LayoutState / clsDtTools_Config / clsDtTools_Canvas. Three dictionaries used to hold data used in layout (Dates/Tasks/Activities)
00:14:46 Code behind template form - initialise Gantt chart object in Form_Load; assign image / scrollbars / context menu & setup chart. Form Close - set chart to nothing and remove right click menu. Also form_Resize & update code for x/y/z scrollbars. Add event handlers & form procedures for individual examples
00:17:14 Small helper objects - used to store small data units
00:18:04 Configuration parameters - clsDtTools_Config - see example database 2. Gantt_chart settings change demo.accdb.
00:21:30 Layout State Object
00:23:01 Object Interface - public methods and properties
00:24:25 Events generated by class module - when layout is changed / user did drag & drop etc
00:25:11 Canvas Object Interface (Refresher) - clsDtTools_Canvas
00:25:45 Load Tasks (Left Column Items)
00:26:26 Load Activities (Layout Items): code & demo
00:28:52 Load Activities (Layout Items) Part 2
00:29:35 Load small asset images-saved as attachments in local table or as shared resources in the image gallery
00:31:10 React to changes - Activity has changed event
00:32:53 Activity is dragged (or resized) event
00:33:38 Activity/Task Double Click Events
00:34:05 Right click menus - dependant on clicked area
00:36:43 Draw surrounding & progress rectangle
00:41:12 Place Asset Images
00:43:08 FreeDraw
00:45:12 Q1: Neil-can certain parameters be locked leaving others editable? A: Yes
00:46:45 Q2: Ben S - is there an undo facility for moving objects back again? A: Yes UndoChange parameteter in GanttChart_ActivityHasChanged sub
Multiple undo requires logging of each step - not currently included in code but possible to do
00:48:29 Q3: Neil - should any integer variables be changed to Long in readiness for large monitor support coming to Access? A: Easy to do if needed
00:49:37 Q4: Neil - code allows complete control over placement of activities. Are simpler processes available if less input is needed?
A: No - but code is simple to use
00:51:18 Q5: Ken - Why use a dictionary rather than recordsets? A: dictionary uses in-memory data so is fast / recordsets use tables
00:52:17 Q6: Ken - awesome piece of work but worried about some users have too much control - can this be limited where appropriate?
A: Yes - set user permissions
00:53:37 Q7: Marco - is there a maximum number of objects allowed on Gantt chart form? A: No - practical limits dependant on amount of text used in each object
00:54:42 Crystal - praised quality of presentation and the use of class objects. Colin agreed & confirmed the many very positive comments in the session chat
00:57:37 Access Pacific User Group: Thur 5 Sept - Adrian Bell - create ribbon using command bars
00:58:33 Next month: Alessandro Grimaldi - Drag and Drop - Behind the Scenes - see https://isladogs.co.uk/aeu-32
01:01:22 AUG Italia - starts Tue 8 Oct and chaired by Alessandro
01:02:10 New access features coming soon - Modern Chart Improvements and Monaco SQL Editor
01:03:24 Bug fix to major issues in 365 version 2408 - released Tues 10 Sept
01:04:05 Final comments. Thanks to our presenter and all those attending. Next meeting - Wed 2 Oct
01:04:21 End