DataDict_Readme.txt DataDict - Add-In for Microsoft Access USE AT YOUR OWN RISK COPYRIGHT NOTICE: (c) 1998-2003, Steven Tessler ALL RIGHTS RESERVED Comments: DataDict@email.com Updates: http://www.CleanDataSystems.com QUICK INSTRUCTIONS PURPOSE LICENSE DISCLAIMER VERSION NOTES INSTALLATION UNINSTALLATION UPDATING VERSIONS USAGE QUICK INSTRUCTIONS: 1. Give your database a name. Go to menu item Tools/Startup. Enter the name in the Application Title field. This name will be used in the DataDict reports, and is also displayed as the title of the application button on your taskbar. 2. Click the Refresh button; a message will tell you DataDict is working, and another will tell you when it's done. Be patient, please. 3. Click the buttons to see the Data Dictionary and Loading reports on your database. Use the 'Browser' form to see individual tables and their fields. PURPOSE: DataDict is a tool to help with documenting a database. It produces reasonable Data Dictionary (Table/Field) and Loading Order reports, and has a 'browser' form that lets you examine the Table/Field information. Its main purpose is to allow you to quickly summarize the contents of your database, and also to make sure that each table and field is fully described and has the property settings you want. It is also very useful for evaluating a database that is given to you without any accompanying documentation. DataDict is a work in progress. You can help make it better by telling me what you like and don't like, and suggesting additional capabilities. LICENSE: The comments here are not a substitute for the full License agreement. The complete License agreement can be viewed from the 'About' button of DataDict, and accompanied the program as a text file in the original distribution archive. Your installation or use of the DataDict constitutes your acceptance of the terms of the License. You assume all risks associated with the use or misuse of DataDict on your system, files, and data. DataDict is provided to you as freeware. DataDict and its documentation are copyrighted. You are not charged for your copy, can't charge anyone else for a copy, and no registration of any kind is required. Feel free to share DataDict with others, but only in the original archive (zip) format. If you want to thank me: (1) send me an email; (2) visit the website to make a donation; or (3) think of me when you do your next good deed. DISCLAIMER: * CAUTION: Always WORK ON A *NEW* COPY of your data, NOT YOUR *ONLY* COPY of your data. You should ALWAYS BACKUP YOUR DATA REGULARLY. * DataDict is not warranted to be free of bugs. In fact, there is no warranty of any kind. Unlike the incredible diversity of invertebrates in nature, any 'bugs' in DataDict are not to be admired. I've tested and used DataDict extensively, but can't anticipate all of the situations you may encounter with your own data, software and hardware. Please send me an email to report any problems. VERSION NOTES: The instructions below work with all versions of Access, but each version uses its own compiled version of DataDict. **Access 97: Follow the instructions below to install DataDict.mda for Access 97. **Access 2000: If you are installing the Access 2000 version, 'DataDict2K.mda' should be substituted wherever it says 'DataDict.mda' below. **Access 2002 (XP): If you are installing the Access 2002 (XP) version, 'DataDictXP.mda' should be substituted wherever it says 'DataDict.mda' below. **Access 2003: If you are installing the Access 2003 version, 'DataDict03.mda' should be substituted wherever it says 'DataDict.mda' below. Please make sure you downloaded the correct version of DataDict for your version of Access. INSTALLATION: 1. Copy DataDict.mda to the directory of your choice. Access will copy it from there to where it needs it (which differs from machine to machine, especially for systems with multiple profiles). 2. Open any database in Access. 3. From the Tools menu, select Add-Ins. 4. Select the Add-In Manager. 5. Click 'Add New' 6. Navigate to the location where you copied DataDict.mda, and select it. 7. It should now appear 'checked' in the Add-Ins list That should do it! To see if it worked, Click on the Tools menu, select Add-Ins and see if "DataDict" is listed. If so, open DataDict and generate a data dictionary. If that works, then DataDict is available any time you need it in Access. If it didn't work, make sure you installed the DataDict compiled for your version of Access (97, 2000, XP, or 2003). UNINSTALLATION: 1. Open any database in Access. 2. From the Tools menu, select Add-Ins. 3. Select the Add-In Manager. 4. Select DataDict in the list (should have checkmark) 5. Click 'Uninstall' 6. Close Access 7. Search your hard drive for the DataDict.mda file (name varies by version) and delete all copies. UPDATING VERSIONS: To update your version of DataDict, uninstall (uncheck) the current version from your Add-Ins list (see UNINSTALLATION), find your old copy of DataDict.mda on your harddrive and replace with the new copy, then reinstall DataDict in the Add-In Manager (see INSTALLATION). Note that you can also just find the copy Access is using and copy over it with the new version. Access itself must be closed while you do this. Any problems, just uninstall/install as described immediately above. USAGE: Each button on the main form of DataDict should be fairly self explanatory. The checkbox above the Refresh button controls whether linked tables are included in the dictionary generation (takes longer). Use the Help button is for general help. There are lots of tool tips that appear when you hold your mouse over a control. NOTE: For your convenience, the full text of the built-in Help is available in a pdf file at the DataDict website. You must download that separately from the main application zip file. Experiment, explore and have fun. I hope DataDict saves you time in your work. And I look forward to some feedback! Steve Tessler DataDict@email.com http://www.CleanDataSystems.com