Set defaults for labels attached to new controls

You can use this procedure to change the default control style for the current form or report. This procedure does not apply to data access pages.

1. Open a form or a report in Design view.
2. Click the tool in the toolbox that you want to set defaults for. For example, if you want to specify whether labels are automatically attached to text boxes, click the Text Box tool .
3. Click Properties on the Form Design or Report Design toolbar to display the property sheet for the tool.
4. Microsoft Access changes the title bar of the property sheet to indicate that you're setting default properties for that type of control.
5. Do one or more of the following:

   Specify whether new controls automatically have labels

   • In the AutoLabel property box, click Yes or No.

   Specify whether the text in a new label ends with a colon

   • In the AddColon property box, click Yes or No.

   Change the default placement of new labels

   1. In the LabelX property box (horizontal axis), type a positive or negative number that specifies the starting point of the label text relative to the upper-left corner of the control that the label is attached to. A negative number places the label to the left of the control. A positive number places the label to the right of the control.
   2. In the LabelY property box (vertical axis), type a number. A negative number places the label above the control. A positive number places the label below the control.

   For information about how the LabelX and LabelY properties interact with the LabelAlign property, click the LabelX or LabelY box and press F1.

Tip

To use a unit of measure that is different from the setting specified by the regional settings in Microsoft Windows Control Panel, specify that type of measurement after the number (for example, 1.5 in or 2 cm).