Toshiba Using MS Access 7.0 Application Bulleti

Computer Telephony Integration

Application Bulletin

AB50-0014
June 1, 1998

Using MS Access 7.0 with StrataLink

This document describes pop-up screen information using Microsoft® Access® 7.0 and
StrataLink. Northwind, which comes with Access, is the example database that is used in this
bulletin. Northwind demonstrates the methods for writing necessary code for linking
StrataLink to Access.

The example code in this bulletin assumes that Access is running with the Northwind
database, StrataLink (minimized), and the Customer’s Form open.

Operation

StrataLink sends a Dynamic Data Exchange (DDE) command to Access when an outside call
is received. Access processes the DDE event as a Structure Query Language (SQL) string,
parsing the UPDATE and SET keywords.

Access upda tes the “Dummy” table first, the n makes a call to the SetCallerI nfo function,
passing the parameter contained in quotes. In the example, StrataLink sends the “&P” token
into the “Dummy” table as the Calling Phone number.

4170122

Before storing this parameter as a global value, it must be programmed to match the parameter
in the table. The number must be stripped of all unwanted c haracters by calling the StrStrip
function. Then the value is reprogrammed to match the info rmation found in the Customer
Form.

Popping the form from within the form’s timer event pr events a time out from StrataLink.
Popping from the SetCallerInfo function takes too much time because the SetCallerInfo
searches the database.

However, if your database is fairly small, it might be more efficient to pop the form directly
from the SetCallerInfo function. This eliminates keeping the Customer Form open and
minimized to check the global DataValid flag twice a second.

When the Customer Form finds the DataValid flag as true, it searches the records for a
matching “Phone” field. Once a record is found, it is validated as a match and the form is
opened. After opening the form, a final step changes the process to focus on another field to
prevent changing the Phone field. You avoid this situation altogether in your application, if
you can make the searched field unchangeable.

You can add and change parameter to pass from the phone system to Access using the DDE
link. Place t he additional parameters in th e SetCallerInfo function in the StrataLink action
statement.

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AB50-0014

Important! Due to the way Access parses t he DDE events, t her e can be no commas in side the

parameter list. A known separator needs to be defined for this function such as

‘^’ character (Shift + 6). Additional parameters could be communicated as
follows: …SetCallerInf o( “%P^%N”). This could be use d to send both Call er ID
Number and Name.

Access Option Settings

To prevent the “no records have been modified” warning message from occurring in Access
for Wind ows® 95, ve rsion 7.0, turn of f the confir mation mess ages fo r acti on quer ies. Viewing
the code that is entered (see “DDE Modules Code”), set Access to Full Module View.

➤ To set Access for full viewing

1. Select Tools, then Options from the Main menu.

2. Click the Edit/Find Tab.

3. In the Confirm grouping, clear the “Action Queries” check box.

4. Click Apply to save the settings.

5. Click the Module tab.

Using MS Access 7.0 with StrataLink

6. In the Code View grouping, place a check in the Full Module View option.

7. Click OK.

Modifications to Your Access Database

d Confidenti al

Several modifications to the target database are required to get working screen pops in
StrataLink. The Northwind database is used as an example; however, a similar approach can
be used for any Access database.

Due to the power of the Access language, almost any type of screen pop can be programmed
once the basic interface between StrataLink and Access has been created. Follow the steps
below to modify your database.

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Dummy Table

An SQL statement performs the communication between StrataLink and Access using a
dummy table. The DDE interface to Access is somewhat limited because there is not a
straightforward way to pass parameters to a subroutine contained in the Access VBA code.
Instead we use the SQL statement because it is provided in the DDE interface.

The only way to use the SQL statement is to access a table in some manner. This is where the
dummy table comes into action. We use the SQL statement to access the dummy table in a
non-intrusive way. As a side effect of the table access, the SQL statement invokes the
subroutine we need to get the screen pop started.

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Strata DK I&M June 1998