Benefits of report snapshots and Snapshot ViewerA report snapshot is a file (.snp extension) that contains a high-fidelity copy of each page of a Microsoft Access report and that preserves the two-dimensional layout, graphics, and other embedded objects of the report.
Snapshot Viewer is a program that you can use to view, print, and mail a snapshot, such as a report snapshot. Snapshot Viewer version 9.0 consists of a stand-alone executable program, a Snapshot Viewer control (snapview.ocx), a Help file, and other related files. By default, Snapshot Viewer is automatically installed by Access the first time you create a report snapshot. You can also install Snapshot Viewer from the Setup program, or from a software download page located on the Microsoft Office Developer's Web site.
You can use the Snapshot Viewer control to view a snapshot from Microsoft Internet Explorer version 3.0 or later or from any application that supports ActiveX controls, such as Access or Microsoft Visual Basic for Applications.
You use Access to create a report snapshot. However, you can view, print, store, publish, distribute, and archive a report snapshot without having an Access license by using a combination of Snapshot Viewer and other programs such as Microsoft Windows Explorer, an e-mail program, or a Web browser, such as Microsoft Internet Explorer.
Benefits of report snapshots and Snapshot Viewer
If you print and distribute reports to users inside or outside your organization, using report snapshots can save considerable time and money. Instead of photocopying and mailing printed Access reports, you can electronically distribute and publish them using either e-mail or a Web browser. Your users can easily and quickly view the reports online and print only the report pages they need. This is especially useful when your reports contain color and images, such as charts and pictures.
Using report snapshots on the World Wide Web
There are two ways you can publish a report snapshot to the World Wide Web:
If you are using Internet Explorer version 3.0 or later as your Web browser, when you click the link, Internet Explorer does an in-place activation of the report snapshot and Snapshot Viewer in the Internet Explorer window. Snapshot Viewer must be installed on the same computer as the browser. Therefore, it's a good idea to provide an additional link on the Web page to the software download page for Snapshot Viewer. Users who do not have Snapshot Viewer installed on their computers can then download and install Snapshot Viewer to view the report.
You can embed the Snapshot Viewer control by using the Microsoft ActiveX Control Pad application, which adds an HTML Object tag, and set the control parameters by using the Control Pad Object Editor.
You can use this method only with Internet Explorer 3.0 or later. In this case, if Snapshot Viewer is not installed on the same computer as the browser, Internet Explorer automatically downloads the Snapshot Viewer ActiveX control (but not the entire Snapshot Viewer program).
Sending report snapshots in e-mail
You can send a report snapshot in e-mail by using Snapshot Viewer or Access. You can also embed a report snapshot as an icon or as a file in an e-mail message by using an e-mail program that supports ActiveX controls, such as Microsoft Outlook or Microsoft Exchange. When you send report snapshots in e-mail, it's a good idea to include a link to the software download page for Snapshot Viewer.
Automatically creating and distributing report snapshots
A typical business application creates and distributes reports not only on request, but also on a schedule according to regular business cycles, such as weekly stock quotes, monthly sales reports, or quarterly financial statements.
From Access, you can programmatically create and distribute report snapshots in several ways. For example: