Total Access Analyzer Version X.9 : New Features for Microsoft Access
2007 and 2003
FMS is pleased to provide a major update to Total Access Analyzer for
Microsoft Access 2007 and 2003. Total Access Analyzer is the
world's most popular Access product.
The X.9 versions of Total Access Analyzer include many new features and
enhancements to help you create and maintain Microsoft Access databases
better than ever! These new versions are now available:
New Versions
Total Access Analyzer version X.9 is an upgrade from version X.8. These
are the new versions:
| Access 2007 |
12.9 |
12.0 |
| Access 2003 |
11.9 |
11.8 |
If you have the Access 2003 version prior to version 11.8,
click here
to see the features that were added in 11.8, which are also part of the
11.9 version.
Microsoft Access 2010 users should
upgrade to
the Access 2010 version.
New Features and Enhancements
Total Access Analyzer X.9 builds on its heritage of helping Access
enthusiasts create better Access solutions with a wide range of new
features. We've added many enhancements based on our experiences, the
recommendations of our customers, and in conjunction with our release of
the Access 2010 version.
Additional Errors Detected and Suggestions Offered
Over the years, as we encounter mistakes in our own work,
when possible, we add their detection to Total Access Analyzer. The new version includes
several new Best Practices:
Timer Interval and Timer Event Mismatch
Total Access Analyzer identifies timer event and timer
interval inconsistencies as errors:
- Forms with a timer interval (not 0) but no Form_Timer
event
- Forms with a Form_Timer event but timer interval
property set to zero
Queries Using Other Queries with Both having GroupBy
Clauses
A new performance tip identifies queries that may benefit
from fewer Group By levels. Queries with GROUP BY clauses
take longer to process. Queries with Group By clauses based
on other queries with Group By clauses may perform better if
the grouping were only done at the final level. This depends
on the question being asked and may not work if there's a
need for the unique group as part of an earlier query.
However, if that's not needed, performance differences may
be considerable.
Action Queries Opened by OpenQuery Command
We suggest using the Execute command to run action queries.
SQL Server list of reserved words updated for SQL Server
2012
The list of SQL Server reserved words is updated for SQL
Server 2012 along with the new list of anticipated future
reserved words.
Check for Truncated Number Fields
We suggest setting this option so users are not confused by truncated
numbers.
Displaying Results
Enhancements
Many enhancements were made to show more data and make it
easier to use:
ActiveX controls appear
as a New Category under General
This makes it easy to see the types of ActiveX controls
used in the database and where they are used. This does not
appear if there are no ActiveX controls in your database.
New Table-Fields folder under Tables
The new Table-Fields folder lists the
fields across all the tables. This makes it easy to filter
and sort field names and types across all your tables.
Explorer Tab Captions are Context Sensitive
The Explorer has many tabs which vary based on the
selected folder or object in the treeview. To make it
easier to know what’s available, the captions change to
better describe what's available. For tabs
that never have data to display, the captions are blank.
Enhanced Opening of Referenced Object in Design Mode
For modules, when viewing the Module XREF tab, pressing
the Design button now opens the referencing (parent) object.
Previously, it was opening the called object which can still
be opened from the other tabs, but the XREF opens the
calling side which makes it more convenient to see where
your code is used.
Report Enhancements
Preview Multiple Reports
Previously, only one report could be previewed or opened
in report view. Now, multiple reports can be opened
simultaneously so you can see more reports at once. The only
exception is when the same report is used with different
filters where only one instance of that report can be opened
at a time.
Color
Customization for Reports
Colors can be applied to sections of the report under
Report Options. Text and background colors can be
selected for the title, sub-title, headers, footer, and
group shading.
New Reports
Many new reports were added for a total of 380+ reports.
They include database level documentation:
- ActiveX Controls: Summary and Cross-References
- Import Export Specifications details
- Temporary Variables
- Workgroup Security Summary of Groups and Users
New Module Cross-Reference reports were added,
especially with the documentation of compiler conditions:
- Compiler Conditions, Summary
- Compiler Conditions, Sorted by Condition
- Compiler Conditions, Sorted by Module and Procedure
- Compiler Conditions, Sorted by Module and Line
- Variable List Condition, Sorted by Module and
Procedure
- Variable Constants Condition, Sorted by Module and
Procedure
- Debug and Stop Statements
Reports were also added for where DoCmd is used:
- DoCmd, Action Summary
- DoCmd, Action and Argument Summary
Many of the existing reports were modified to show where
conditionals are used.
Macro Dictionary Report
For regular and embedded macros, the macro action is
moved to the top of the line and bolded, followed by each of
its argument labels and values, similar to the way it
appears in the macro editor. IF..ELSE..END IF blocks are
indented.
There are two macro dictionary reports now. One has a
page break between every macro, and the other doesn’t.
Partial Module Cross-Referencing
Previously, all modules needed to be selected for Module
XREF to be performed. The new version lets you choose a
subset of modules for faster processing. The code analysis
may be incomplete if important modules are not included. If some modules are
not selected, a warning message appears, but you can now proceed
at your own risk.
VBA Module Parser Supports Compiler Conditionals
The VBA module parser now supports compiler conditionals
as defined in #IF...#ELSE…#END IF statements. This is
particularly common when using the VBA7 constant to manage
32 versus 64 bit code:
#If VBA7 Then
< 64 bit specific code >
#Else
< 32 bit specific code >
#End If
Duplicate definitions of constants, variables, declare
statements, user defined types, enum, procedures, and other
constructs are properly documented and handled for the code
analysis.
Conditionals are displayed in many of the module XREF
documentation views and reports. A new Compiler Conditions
item is added.
IF..ELSE..END IF Documentation and Indentations
Macro lines are documented including IF..ELSE..END IF
structures. The
Macro Dictionary Report now shows your macro lines with
syntax indentation.
"Macro Compiler" to Validate Macro Commands
Macro actions with missing arguments are errors that will
crash when the macro line is executed. Total Access Analyzer flags
these errors so you can catch them before deployment. Missing
arguments for RunMenuCommand items are also identified.
Enhanced Embedded Macro Documentation
All your Embedded Macros can now be seen in one place.
Scattered across form and report properties and control
events, it is difficult to see all the automation code
in a database. The Embedded Macros folder consolidates this
under Macros:
Expanding the folder displays all the forms and reports
and their controls with embedded macro events:
By selecting an item, the corresponding macro code is
displayed.
Temporary variables were introduced in Access 2007. They
let you create variables in macros and modules that can be
referenced by other objects such as queries using the
TempVars![VariableName] syntax. This is easy to do but
challenging to manage. New features help you know where they
are defined, where they are used, and problems that exist.
TempVars Folder added to the General
Folder
A new TempVars item provides the list of
temporary variables and where there are used across your
entire database:
Temporary Variable Reports
Four new temporary variable reports are available under
Database and Module XREF to see the list of temporary
variables that are defined and where they are referenced.
Detect Undefined and Unused Temporary
Variables
- Temporary variable cross-referencing is performed to
detect errors where TempVars are referenced but never
created.
- A new suggestion flags unused TempVars. Temporary
variables that are created but never
referenced.
More information on
Microsoft
Access Temporary Variable (TempVars) Cross Reference
General Enhancements
The look and feel of the add-in supports
Office themes and other appearances
expected in a modern Access application.
Maximized forms and tabbed document support are used where appropriate to
display as much data as possible.
Microsoft Access can be Minimized During Documentation
While Total Access Analyzer is performing database
documentation, it can now be minimized.
New Manual and Context Sensitive Help
Updated manual and
help file with detailed documentation of how the program
works and how to best use it.
Installation for Machine or User while Respecting User Access Control Rights
Total Access Analyzer respects your Windows login rights. By
default, it is installed in your user folder, it updates registry
settings in your user section and anticipates the issues around user
access control and trusted folders.
The setup program has an option to install it for the
entire machine. This makes it easy for administrators to
install it on a machine and allow other users with lower
rights to use it.
Total Access Analyzer X.9 supports Windows 7
in addition to Windows XP and Vista. If your
version of Access supports the operating system,
Total Access Analyzer X.9 does too. That also
includes all Access database formats your
version supports.
For a quick overview of Total Access Analyzer,
Take the Tour.
Pricing and Access Versions
Due to the different features in each Access version, Total Access
Analyzer has a separate versions corresponding to each version of Microsoft
Access.
Additional Resources
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