Microsoft's Access team shows the development status of two upcoming features: Monaco SQL editor and Modern Chart improvements, which according to the M365 roadmap will be launched in a few months. The videos are excerpts from their presentation at Access DevCon Vienna on 18 April 2024.
Software engineer Sachin Arunkumar shows the integration work of the Monaco framework as the new SQL editor in Access:
Tushar Shain and Courtney Owen show their improvement work on Modern Charts:
In my opinion, both are important topics. The Monaco Editor especially for advanced users and developers. The chart improvements serve a wider public. I keep hearing from developers that automating Excel or switching to Power BI etc. is enough, but many more Access users would much rather use powerful and easy-to-use built-in charts. For me, this is apparent from many discussions as well as the number of hits on videos dealing with fundamental chart topics.
Let's hope that the Access team can keep to its release plans for August/September 2024 and that the Access community receives two highly usable features for practical everyday work.
@George: this brings up the issue of ANSI 92 Compatibility.
This option, although it is in the Object Designer page of Access Options, applies to the current database. And now that the combo box issue when using this setting has been fixed, I'm tempted to try it out although not on an application in production. I'm not that brave.
I would expect that the Monaco Editor would cater for this setting to allow us to use ANSI 92 syntax.
The Monaco demo was impressive. I'm moist with anticipation. I have lots of questions but...
My first question would be: What happens to all that wonderfully formatted SQL if you open the query in the drag and drop view and save it. Even without modifying the actual SQL, I would imagine the formatting gets splodged, as it does in SSMS when you open a beautifully hand crafted view in the visual designer then save it.
Maybe a setting, for the query itself, to prevent changes except in the (Monaco) SQL view?
There's that theme song again... stuck in my head... LOL
Monaco SQL and Modern Charts enhancements are absolutely brilliant!!! Monaco can be a valuable tool for users/developers to develop proper SQL coding (rather than only using the GUI interface in Access now). It could also open employment opportunities for applications requiring both Access and SQL skills.
At some point, I think MS would be well-advised to use the identical versions of SQL in both Access AND SQL Server. Access would then be both a training tool for SQL Server work AND a seamless front end for Server applications. Perhaps it would encourage IT departments to just "get a grip", as we say here in Texas.
Modern Charts can finally (or soon) displace requirements to develop an Access DB and hand…