FMS Power Pack for Access 95
Version 7.0
Copyright 1996, FMS, Inc.
=================================== 
FMS, Inc. 
8027 Leesburg Pike, Suite 410
Vienna, VA 22182
Phone: 703/356-4700
Fax: 703/448-3861
Internet: info@fmsinc.com
http://www.fmsinc.com
===================================


Introduction
===================================
Welcome to the FMS PowerPack for Access 95. This collection of useful add-ins should enhance 
your application development efforts in Access 7.0. The following add-ins are included in this 
version:

  Database Complexity Meter - an add-in to gauge the complexity of your database

  DAO Structure Dumper - an add-in that dumps the DAO structure of your database to a text 
file

  ISAM Stats Meter - an add-in to display various Jet Engine statistics in real time.

  References Lister - an add-in that uses an undocumented SYSCMD action to display the 
references embedded in a database.

Licensing and Copyright Information
===================================
You may use this software only in accordance with the following license agreement:

Ownership of the Software
The enclosed software program ("Software") and the accompanying written materials are owned 
by FMS, Inc. or its suppliers and are protected by United States copyright laws, by laws of other 
nations, and by international treaties. You must treat the Software like any other copyrighted 
material except that you may make one copy of the Software solely for backup or archival 
purpose, and you may transfer the Software to a permanent storage device.

Grant of License
FMS, Inc. grants you the right to use one copy of the Software on a single computer. You may 
load one copy into permanent memory of one computer or network server and may use that copy 
only on a single computer at a time.

Restrictions
You may not rent or lease the Software.

Although FMS, Inc. has tested this program and reviewed the documentation, FMS, Inc. makes no 
warranty or representation, either expressed or implied, with respect to this software, its quality, 
performance, merchantability, or fitness for a particular purpose. As a result, this software is 
licensed "AS-IS", and you are assuming the entire risk as to its quality and performance. IN NO 
EVENT WILL FMS, INC. BE LIABLE FOR DIRECT, INDIRECT, SPECIAL, INCIDENTAL, OR 
CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES RESULTING FROM THE USE, OR INABILITY TO USE THIS 
SOFTWARE OR ITS DOCUMENTATION. THE WARRANTY AND REMEDIES SET FORTH IN 
THIS LIMITED WARRANTY ARE EXCLUSIVE AND IN LIEU OF ALL OTHERS, ORAL OR 
WRITTEN, EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED. Some states do not allow the exclusion or limitation of 
implied warrantees or liability for incidental or consequential damages, so the above limitations or 
exclusions may not apply to you. This warranty gives you specific legal rights, you may also have 
other rights that vary from state to state.

You may not redistribute this software in any form, in whole or in part. If other Access users are 
interested in the FMS PowerPack for Access 95, they may download it from our website.

Availability of the FMS PowerPack for Access 95 as a free download from our website may be 
subject to change.

Visit Our Website!
===================================
FMS, Inc. is the world's leading developer of powerful add-ins for Microsoft Access 2.0 and 
Microsoft Access 95. Be sure to visit our website regularly to get the latest news and additions to 
our award-winning lineup of products.

http://www.fmsinc.com

Installation
===================================
Installation of the FMS PowerPack for Access 95 is straightforward and simple:

1.  Download the self-extracting compressed file named FMSPWR70.EXE from our website

- or -

Copy the file from the supplied diskette.

2.  Copy the file to a temporary directory. Extract the file by executing it. Type FMSPWR70.EXE 
and press [Enter] at the DOS command prompt.

3.  Start Access 7.0. Open any database.

4.  From the Tools|Add-Ins menu, select Add-In Manager

5.  Press the [Add New] button.

6.  Browse to the temporary directory where you extracted FMSPWR70.EXE. Select the file 
named FMSPWR70.MDA.

7.  Click [Close].

FMS PowerPack for Access 95 is now available from the Tools|Add-Ins menu from any open 
database. When you start it, the Main Menu form appears. Select the Add-In you want by pressing 
the corresponding button.

Using The Database Complexity Meter
===================================
Open the database you want to analyze. From the Tools|Add-Ins menu, select FMS PowerPack 
7.0. When the Main Menu appears, select [Database Complexity Meter] . After a few moments, 
the main form appears. To begin analysis, press the [Start Analysis] button. The add-in then starts 
counting objects in your database. The following objects are counted:

  Tables and table fields
  Indexes and index fields         
  Relations and relation field
  Queries and query fields
  Forms and form controls
  Reports and report controls
  Macros and macro lines
  Modules and module lines

Note: depending on the size of your database, this step may take some time. Remember that the 
add-in is opening and counting each object in your database.

Once the count is complete, the final form appears. The add-in shows you the number of each 
object type in your database, along with a total object count. It also shows what is known as the 
"Overall Complexity Rating" which is obtained by multiplying object counts by weighting factors. 
This figure is the complexity rating of your database.

The complexity ratings of several other databases that ship with Access 7.0 are also shown for 
comparison purposes.

To close the add-in, press [Close] from this page.
Comments
This add-in does two things:

 1. Establishes a standard reference for comparing the complexity of various databases
 2. Provides a quick way to count the number of objects in your database.

Many times people discuss the "complexity" of their Access databases. But without a reference 
point, comparisons can't really be made. This add-in attempts to help you compare databases 
using a semi-arbitrary rating algorithm. While not perfect, it is a baseline number. 

Weighting Factors
Mark Twain once said, "There are lies, damn lies, and statistics". This certainly holds true in this 
add-in. We have come up with what we consider to be a simple and consistent weighting table. No 
doubt, many of you have your own ideas on complexity. This add-in uses the following weightings:

Table = 5
Table Field = 0.5
Index = 1
Index Field = 0.5
Relation = 2.5
Relation Field = 0.5
Query = 7.5
QueryField = 0.5
Form = 10
Form Control = 2
Report = 7.5
Report Control = 1
Macro = 5
Macro Line = 1
Module = 7.5
Module Line = 1

For example, each table adds 5 "points" to the overall complexity of the database. Each Table 
Field adds half a "point", and so on.

Using The DAO Structure Dumper
===================================
Open the database you want to analyze. From the File|Add-Ins menu, select FMS PowerPack 7.0. 
When the Main Menu appears, select [DAO Structure Dumper] . After a few moments, the main 
form appears.

This utility reads the entire DAO structure of the database and writes the results out to a text file. 
Contents include:

* Tables
* Fields
* Relations
* Indexes
* QueryDefs
* Containers
* Documents
* Properties

Set the options you want and press the [Start Dump] button. When the analysis is complete, press 
the [Open with Write/Word] button to view the results.

Press the [Close] button to close the add-in.

Using the ISAM Stats Meter
===================================
Open the database you want to analyze. From the Tools|Add-Ins menu, select FMS PowerPack 
7.0. From the FMS PowerPack 7.0 Main Menu, press the [ISAM Stats Meter] button. After a few 
moments, the add-ins form appears. 

This utility allows you to monitor several statistics that relate to how Microsoft Jet manages data. 
The add-in allows you to monitor six items:

 * Disk Reads - the number of times the disk has been read
 * Disk Writes - the number of writes to the disk
 * Cache Reads - the number of times the cache has been read
 * Read-Ahead Cache Reads - the number of times the read-ahead cache has been read
 * Locks Placed - the number of locks that have been placed
 * Locks Released - the number of locks that have been removed

Press the [Set] button to change how often the add-in refreshes the values.
Press the [Reset] button to reset the values back to 0.
Press the [Close] button to close the add-in.

Using the Reference Lister 
===================================
Open the database whose references you want to display. From the Tools|Add-Ins menu, select 
FMS PowerPack 7.0. From the FMS PowerPack 7.0 Main Menu, press the [Ref Lister] button. 
After a moment the Reference Lister form appears. Press the [Find Refs] button. After a few 
moments, the form updates with a list of references in the database. 

This add-in is interesting in that it allows you to programmatically list the references in database
something that Microsoft says is not possible with Access 95.

Special thanks to Ken Getz of MCW Technologies for uncovering the undocumented SysCmd 
settings.

Contacting FMS
===================================
Please feel free to contact us about the FMS PowerPack or any of our other products:

FMS, Inc. 
8027 Leesburg Pike, Suite 410
Vienna, VA 22182
Phone: 703/356-4700
Fax: 703/448-3861
Internet: info@fmsinc.com 
http://www.fmsinc.com


