Compare Database Utility

[AndyNZ88]

Does anybody know if there is a utility availiable which would enable me to
compare the structure and report the differences of 2 Access 97 database
files.

Thanks in advance

Andrew Selby

 

[Jeff Conrad]

Not cheap, but this will give you a wealth of information:

http://www.fmsinc.com/Products/analyzer/index.html

 

[AndyNZ88]

Thanks Jeff

That price has now prompted me to get off my backside and write something
myself!

kind regards

Andrew Selby

 

[Jeff Conrad]

Hi Andy,

Yep, it's pretty spendy.
Have you looked at the built-in Access Documentor?
Tools | Analyze | Documentor

I have a couple of add-ins that will list table fields
and database objects. Probably not exactly what
you were looking for though.

 

[Arvin Meyer]

Not cheap, but this will give you a wealth of information:

http://www.fmsinc.com/Products/analyzer/index.html

Considering the time it would take to write a similar utility, I'd say it's
pretty cheap.

I do something a bit different than most. When I'm checking form versions or
report versions, I prefer to remember visual changes as well as code and
property changes. It is easier to do that if I document the database with
the SaveAsText method:

http://www.datastrat.com/Code/DocDatabase.txt

If I save both objects using that code, I can compare them line by line and
character by character very easily using ExamDiff:

http://www.prestosoft.com/ps.asp?page=edp_examdiff

Differences are highlighted and very easily compared.
--
Arvin Meyer, MCP, MVP
Microsoft Access
Free Access downloads:
http://www.datastrat.com
http://www.mvps.org/access

 

[Jeff Conrad]

Thanks for the extra information and link Arvin.
Looks very promising.

 

[George Nicholson]

http://www.softwareaddins.com

The company has 2 products relevant to your question: CompareWiz and
CompareDataWiz.

I've used CompareWiz and it delivered pretty much as promised: comparing the
structure & objects of 2 dbs & documenting differences. The 97 version is
around U$D 69

I have not used CompareDataWiz. It focuses on differences in data.

 

[AndyNZ88]

Thanks George,

I tried out the demo and it looks great so have ordered a copy. Much better
value at USD$69 for a single seat and USD$50 for upgrades than the FMS
equivalent (Detective) at $199 for each Access version.

Thanks everyone for your feedback.

regards

Andrew Selby

 

[Tony Toews]

Does anybody know if there is a utility availiable which would enable me to
compare the structure and report the differences of 2 Access 97 database
files.

Also see the following page for a list of utilities to compare Access
databases
http://www.granite.ab.ca/access/thirdparty.htm

Tony
--
Tony Toews, Microsoft Access MVP
Please respond only in the newsgroups so that others can
read the entire thread of messages.
Microsoft Access Links, Hints, Tips & Accounting Systems at
http://www.granite.ab.ca/accsmstr.htm

 

[Tony Toews]

I do something a bit different than most. When I'm checking form versions or
report versions, I prefer to remember visual changes as well as code and
property changes. It is easier to do that if I document the database with
the SaveAsText method:

http://www.datastrat.com/Code/DocDatabase.txt

If I save both objects using that code, I can compare them line by line and
character by character very easily using ExamDiff:

http://www.prestosoft.com/ps.asp?page=edp_examdiff

Differences are highlighted and very easily compared.

That's a very interesting alternative. Mind if I quote your approach
on my website?

Thanks, Tony
--
Tony Toews, Microsoft Access MVP
Please respond only in the newsgroups so that others can
read the entire thread of messages.
Microsoft Access Links, Hints, Tips & Accounting Systems at
http://www.granite.ab.ca/accsmstr.htm

 

[George Nicholson]

Keep in mind that FMS Access Detective appears to be the equivalent of
CompareWiz and CompareDataWiz combined.

If you needed all that functionality then I think your answer might be
different.

(and Detective has a $119 upgrade-between-versions price. Still pricey, but
not *as* pricey.)

 

[Naresh Nichani MVP]

Hi:

Check this out.

http://www.microsoft.com/india/msdn/articles/DatabaseUtility.aspx

Regards,

Naresh Nichani
Microsoft Access MVP

 

[Arvin Meyer]

That's a very interesting alternative. Mind if I quote your approach
on my website?

Go for it. Before you recommend it though, you might want to try it. It
isn't exactly for a novice as you really need to understand VB forms to take
advantage of its power.
--
Arvin Meyer, MCP, MVP
Microsoft Access
Free Access Downloads
http://www.datastrat.com
http://www.mvps.org/access