Total Access Detective Product Guide
Thank you for your interest in Total Access Detective. FMS is pleased
to provide you with this Product Guide to assist in your evaluation of
this exciting member of the FMS family of integrated Microsoft Access
development products.
Contents
Additional documentation is included with the Total Access Detective product,
including a printed User's Guide and full online help file.
Total Access Detective is the world's leading product for Microsoft
Access for knowing exactly what changed between databases and objects.
Originally introduced in 1995 for Access 2.0, Total Access Detective is
in its sixth major release incorporating more features than ever with
support for Access 2007.
Total Access Detective is an object comparison wizard. Use it to
determine exactly what's different between two objects in one database
or identically named objects in two databases.
This is particularly useful when you need to compare two different versions
of your database, or databases in multi-developer environments. Every field,
control, property, macro line, line of module, code, etc. is compared and
differences are shown. There are even options to compare data in tables,
permission settings, relationships, and library references.
The Problem
As the most popular database program on the desktop, Microsoft
Access databases are used for interactive analysis and a wide variety
of sophisticated applications. Over time and as more people or
locations are involved, situations arise where it is imperative to
know exactly what's different between any two databases or any two
objects within a database.
This can include the need to understand what changed between
versions, what's different between user and developer copies, changes
made by multiple developers, or even the same developer's home/laptop
version vs. "official" version.
The large number of things that can change make it extremely
difficult to manually determine exactly what changed. Modifications
include adding and deleting objects, changing macro and module code,
modifying the layout and properties of forms and reports, updating
queries, and changing table structure and data.
By not knowing exactly what changed, it is very easy to overwrite
another user or developer's changes, undo bug fixes, lose data, or
cause enough damage to make an application crash.
The Total Access Detective Solution
Total Access Detective addresses these issues with a comprehensive,
automated tool to reveal all the differences between:
- Any two databases
- Any two objects in one
database
Designed specifically for Microsoft Access, Total Access Detective
works directly within Access. To compare two objects in one database,
simply open the database and launch Total Access Detective as an
Access add-in. To compare two databases, open the Total Access
Detective database and point to your two databases. A wizard interface
makes it easy to choose the objects and type of comparison to perform.
The results reveal every single difference between the selected
objects including properties, controls, code, settings, fields, and
even data. Results can be viewed or printed. Quickly and easily
understand what changed so you can resolve the differences.
Two time winner of the Access Advisor Reader's Choice Award
for "Best Debugging Tool and Testing Tool," Total Access Detective is
an important utility for every serious Access user or developer. By
knowing the differences, fixes can be quickly implemented, and costly
(and painful) overwrites of existing work can be avoided.
Here are what some leading Access experts and gurus have to say about
Total Access Detective:
"Total Access Detective is well worth every penny, it will quickly
pay for itself through savings in time and effort."
Tom Cryan, Denver Access User Group product review
"This awesome development tool lets you track differences between
database versions…I highly recommend Total Access Detective,
particularly if your work involves making changes over a period of
time."
Thomas Wagner, Access Advisor product review
"This add-in will save you many hours of difficulty when managing
any Access application with multiple developers"
Michael Gunderloy, Smart Access product review
Total Access Detective detects differences between any two objects in
one database or differences between two databases.
Two Object Comparison Overview
Compares any two objects in the same Access database. Simply open
your database with the objects to compare, and launch Total Access
Detective from the Add-ins menu.
- Compare any two tables, queries, forms, reports, macros,
modules, or command bars in an Access MDB or ACCDB database, or an
Access Data Project (ADP).
- In Access 2007, import/export specifications can be compared.
- Combine data from two tables into a new third table in your
database
- Perform a line-by-line comparison on any two blocks of text.
Two Database Comparison Overview
Compare two Microsoft Access databases. Open the Total Access
Detective database from the Windows Start menu, and select the two
databases to compare.
- Quick analysis is performed to determine objects that exist in
one database but not the other (ideal for flagging new or deleted
objects).
- A list of identically named objects in both databases is
presented to be selected for detailed analysis.
- Detailed analysis is performed on the selected objects, and the
results are presented in forms to view on screen or export into a
table in your database.
- A wide range of professionally formatted reports are available
for detail and summary information.
- Combine data from two tables into a new table into your
database.
- Options are available to compare database level information
(including security permissions, table relationships, library
references, import/export specifications, and database properties).
Object Differences Detected
Extremely detailed analysis is performed to compare a selected pair
of objects. The examination is based on the type of object compared:
Tables
- Structural differences, including new, renamed, or deleted
fields
- Table level properties including linked table settings,
description, etc.
- Changes to field properties, including data type and size,
description, validation rules, default values, input masks, etc.
- Index names, fields, and properties
- New, modified, or deleted records (for un-keyed tables, the
first differing record is listed)
- Combine data from two tables into a new table
For more information, visit:
Queries
- Modified SQL strings, query type, parameters, and other
properties
- Query fields and field properties
For more information, visit
Finding Query Differences
Forms
- Form level properties, including record source,
filters, rights, views
- New, modified, and deleted controls
- Properties of identically named controls and
sections
- Embedded macros
- Module code behind the forms
For more information, visit:
Finding Form
Differences including Code Behind Forms
Reports
- Report level properties, including record
source, filters, caption
- Sections and groupings
- New, modified, and deleted controls
- Properties of identically named controls,
sections, and groupings
- Embedded macros
- Module code behind the reports
For more information, visit:
Finding
Report Differences including their Modules
Data Access Pages
- HTML and data source (not available in
Access 2007)
Macros
- Sub-macros (named macros) in one macro
but not the other
- Line-by-line comparison of command lines
including arguments, conditions, and
comments
- Identically named sub-macros:
Macro
comparison is performed using an intelligent
comparison algorithm that detects added or
deleted blocks of lines, so it doesn't just
flag every subsequent line after it
encounters the first difference.
For more information, visit:
Finding
Macro Differences
Modules
- Procedures in one module but not the
other
- Optionally ignore indentations
and/or case
- Line-by-line comparison for
identically named procedures:
Module
comparison is performed using an
intelligent comparison algorithm that
detects added or deleted blocks of
lines. Only the block of code that
differs is flagged to make it easy to
see what changed.
For more information, visit:
Finding VBA Module and Procedure Differences
Command Bars
- Controls on one command bar but
not the other
- Differences in actions between
identically named controls
Common Uses for Total Access Detective
Here are some common situations
where Total Access Detective is particularly useful:
- Multiple developer
environments where merging
changes to the same database can
overwrite someone's work.
- Deployed applications, where
you need to know what an
end-user "enhanced" in his/her
database. This can include new
queries and reports, and changes
to data and lookup tables.
- End-users and power-users
who want to know what changed
between the current database and
an older (backup) database.
- Modifications made to a
database on your laptop (or a
copy at home) that need to be
applied to the "master" copy in
the office.
- Documentation of all the
changes between versions of a
database.
- Documentation of all the
changes in a database over a
period of time ("this is the
work I did over the past week").
- Examining all differences
between a pair of objects (for
example, to determine if reports
or macros that are basically the
same and could be merged into
one).
- Text comparison to verify
identical code or blocks of
text. This is especially useful
for comparing code across
different databases, database
versions, or other VB/VBA hosts.
Supporting Different Versions of Microsoft Access
Due to the different features and properties in each version of
Access, Total Access Detective offers a different version for each
version of Access. Each version supports every database format
supported by the Access version.
So Total Access Detective 2007 supports Access 2007 databases
including the new ACCDB database format and the MDB formats including
Access 2000, and Access 2002-2003.
If you have an earlier version of Total Access Detective, see the
list of enhancements:
A discounted upgrade price is available for existing owners.
From MS Access, open the database with the objects you want to
compare, then launch Total Access Detective from the Database Tools,
Add-ins menu. The Comparison Wizard appears:
Select the Two Objects to Compare in Your Database
Specify the object type to compare from the drop down list:
Select the two object names, and press the [Run] button to perform
the comparison.
Object Comparison Results
The results of the object comparison are shown in a tabular format
that can be printed, previewed, or exported to a table in your database.
This form shows the results of comparing two objects. See the
differences at the Form level, and controls that exist in one form,
but not the other:
Example of Form Comparison Differences
Data Differences
When comparing tables, you can find differences in table data as
well. This can be based on identical field names or field order:
Example of Data Differences Between the Records in Your Tables
This form lists every record that is different between the two
tables including new or deleted records. For modified records, the
fields that differ and their values are shown.
Field Differences
For modified records, a separate list of each field's values is
provided:
For Modified Records, see the Field by Field Differences
Combine Two Tables into a New One
Total Access Detective even allows you to combine the data from the
tables that you compared into a new table with a variety of options:
Options for Merging Data from Two Tables
Macro and Module Differences
For module and macro comparisons, all code differences are shown. For
macros, any procedures that exist in one database but not the other are
also shown:
Example of Differences Between Two Modules in the Same Database
To compare two databases, open the Total Access Detective database
from the Windows Start menu:
Main Screen for Comparing Microsoft Access Databases
Database Preparation Step
Due to limitations within Access, to compare two ADPs or these
objects in an MDB/ACCDB (command bars, library references, and
import/export specifications), a preparation step is necessary before
comparing databases. To prepare a database, open the database and
select Total Access Detective Prepare from the Add-ins menu.
Database Comparison Main Menu
From the Database Comparison Main Menu screen, select the
[Generate] button and choose the databases to compare:
Specify the Access Databases to Compare
Press [Next] and Total Access Detective retrieves a list of
identically named objects. Select one or all the objects for detailed
comparison:
Selecting Among the Identically Named Objects
You can also retrieve a list of objects that exist in one database
but not the other under the [Unmatched Objects] button. These are the
objects that were added, deleted, or renamed.
After selecting the objects for comparison, press [Next] to specify
the comparison options:
A final confirmation screen appears. Press [Finish] to generate the
analysis. When it's done, you can view the results under the [View,
Filter & Print] button from the main screen:
The results are organized into these categories:
- Object Differences
Property, field, and control
differences for all the selected objects
- Data Differences
Differences in table data
- Macro Differences
Differences with macros and
sub-macro lines
- Module Differences
Differences between modules and
procedure code
- Unmatched Objects
Objects in one database, but not
the other (new, deleted, or renamed objects).
- Errors
Objects that could not be opened or analyzed
(e.g. locked or corrupt).
- Print
A variety of reports that can be previewed,
printed, or exported:
Select Among Summary and Detailed Reports
Here are examples of all the
Access comparison reports
Text Comparison
Total Access Detective also includes a Text Comparison feature to
find differences between any two blocks of text.
Compare any Two Blocks of Text as VBA/VB6 Module Code
This is similar to comparing two modules in a database, but this
feature does not require the text to be in a module. This is
particularly helpful if you are comparing two modules that may have name
space conflicts if they were stored in the same database, code that
doesn't compile, archived modules on disk, code from Visual Basic 6,
etc.
You can compare the text as standard words, or choose to treat it
as VBA/VB6 code which tells Total Access Detective to parse and
compare the text by procedure name.
For more information, visit
VBA Text Comparison
Product Packaging
Total Access Detective is available by electronic software
download. A physical option is also available with CD, on-line help,
and a professionally printed user manual.
Technical Support
FMS has a dedicated, professional technical support staff available
via phone and email.
System Requirements
Total Access Detective has the following system requirements:
- Microsoft Access version corresponding to your version of Total
Access Detective
- Any operating system and hardware that supports Access
- 10 MB free disk space for installation (additional space is
needed to store the results)
Versions and Pricing
Due to the unique features of each version of Microsoft Access, a
different version of Total Access Detective is available for each Access
version. Total Access Detective supports all database formats supported
by its version of Access (e.g. the Access 2007 version supports all
database formats from Access 2000 to 2007 including MDB, ACCDB, and
ADPs).
Total Access Detective is also part of the Total Access Developer
Suite and Total Access Ultimate Suite.
Availability
FMS products are available directly from FMS or most corporate
resellers. FMS also has international dealers in many countries.
Microsoft Access databases are used and enhanced everyday.
Ultimately, almost all users and developers need to know what changed
between copies or two points in time.
Total Access Detective is the only Access database comparison
program on the market today. It has won every industry award for its
category since its original release for Access 2.0 in 1995. It's truly
a godsend when you really need to know what changed between objects or
databases. Each Access object has so many properties and design
options that it's virtually impossible to manually view and compare
all differences between them.
By trying to reconcile changes without an automated tool, you risk
losing the time-consuming changes that users or developers have made.
With an easy-to-use, interactive interface, Total Access Detective
increases the productivity of Access users, and eliminates the
headaches associated with reconciling and understanding changes. We
think you'll agree it's a must-have tool for every serious Access user
and developer.
Founded in 1986, FMS is a privately-held, Virginia based firm and the
world's leading developer of tools for the Microsoft Access community.
With tens of thousands of customers in over 100 countries, FMS customers
include 90 of the Fortune 100, all US government departments, plus many
other organizations and individual developers.
Known for their quality and power, FMS products are winners of
numerous industry awards including every "Best Access Add-in" award
since 1994. All FMS products are developed by internal staff and
undergo a rigorous quality assurance and beta testing process. Our
people include world-recognized experts in the Microsoft Access,
Visual Basic, and VBA fields, and Microsoft MVP recipients, Microsoft
Certified Professionals, book authors, and speakers at industry
conferences throughout the US and Europe.
For more information, visit
About FMS.
Total Access Detective is a trademark of FMS
Inc. All other trademarks are trademarks of their respective owners.
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