Graf-FX includes a basic scheduling product that allows you to run most Microsoft Access tasks at a time when few people are utilising your network or maybe just to preprocess your most used grafs and queries before you start your days work. This product works with any Access macro and so can be used for any Microsoft Access task and is not restricted to Graf-FX functions. This product can be used for preprocessing of Consolidation Queries as described in chapter 12.

To start the Scheduler, select and then the button marked overnight express or

select button on the Graf-FX toolbar. The name of the scheduler form is z_Express.

Click on the in the combo selection field marked Select and choose the batch identifier

"z Demo Batch Jobs" as follows

This will bring up the following schedule details in the batch one tasks.

This now tells you that a Batch Job called "Z DemoBatch Jobs" will run at 6 PM on the 1^st April. If you click on the launch now button, the time will change to 30 seconds from the current time and the jobs will run when that time arrives.

Wait for 30 seconds and the batch one area will change to the following

This trial schedule ran a Access macro and opened a 3D Demo Graf. Check the Menu Option Window and you will see that the 3D graf demo is now open. When the express scheduler completes running a batch, it brings the Express form back into focus.

To close any graphs/forms/reports opened in this batch job, click on the button.

Click On this button in the Express Form, to add any new macros, forms, queries or tables to the objects library.

  Now click on the express builder button to start making your own batch job.

This opens up the express builder form that looks like the following. This is the batch job that you just ran. The macro "_MyMacro" is the macro that runs when graf-fx starts up. You may want to modify this to your own setup.

Now choose the button next to the words Express Builder. This will open up a new batch job. Fill in the batch job form to look like this. This job will print a graf to your default printer at 12 PM Today.

Now close the Express Builder Form and setup batch job No 1 to Run your new batch as follows

Your batch job will now run at the set time. You may want to setup a second batch job to run in the second box which has now appeared below. Upto 6 batch jobs can be setup at once.

We recommend using Microsoft Access Macros for any complicated multi task jobs. These can be extended to call Visual Basic code through the RunCode action.

When running Access 2 databases in Windows 3, the Access database must be in focus for the jobs to run overnight. For NT or Windows 95 upwards, the Express window only has to be open.

The jobs will continue to run everyday at the same time as long as this graf-fx application is left open and at least one batch job is selected as follows