Access Compare allows Microsoft Access users and developers to compare two Microsoft Access (.mdb) databases. This powerful utility inspects not only table and query definitions, but also forms, reports, VBA code behind forms and reports, and VBA modules. Both professional and standard versions summarize differences in a tree-view format. The professional version also provides the ability to drill down and view differences in VBA source code and in specific object properties.
Tables
Product
Field List
Lines added (From line 5 to 5)
s2: Field: Color
Tables
Site
Field: Description
Lines are different:
s1: Size=50
s2: Size=60
Reports
AllInventory
Control List
Line(s) added (From line 7 to 7)
s1: Control: Cost Label
Line(s) added (From line 16 to 16)
s1: Control: Cost
Reports
AllInventory
Control: Retail
Lines are different:
s1: Left=8820
s2: Left=7020
Lines are different:
s1: Width=1920
s2: Width=3720
Modules Utilities Source Lines added (From line 7 to 7) s2: MsgBox "Division by zero"
Modules
Utilities
Source
Option Compare Database
Option Explicit
Function SafeDivide(a As Currency, b As Currency) As Currency
If b = 0 Then
SafeDivide = 0
Lines added (From line 7 to 7)
s2: MsgBox "Division by zero"
Else
SafeDivide = a / b
End If
End Function
You can set Access Compare to display these differences in color so you can find
them easily.If you need to document the result of the last comparison, use Generate Report. It generates a text file, which you can either print or import into a word processor.
You can also use this function to generate a list of all the objects in the databases.
When you see the differences in the Database Explorer window, you may want to modify the database objects. You can accomplish this by right-clicking on the object you want to modify. A pop-up menu will appear, and you can select the database you want to open. Access Compare will open Microsoft Access for you with the selected object in design mode.
Comparison sets define the details of a particular comparison
to be performed on a repetitive basis.
The details of the last comparison you make is saved as a comparison set.
To delete a comparison set, press "Delete".
You can edit a select list for a comparison set by pressing
Edit Select List.
Interrupted Comparisons
If you see the following message:
The previous comparison was abnormally terminated. Do you want to edit the select list to prevent this next time ?This indicates that the last comparison was either interrupted by the user or stopped because of a run-time error. The program will allow you to edit a select list. The select list will show you which objects were loaded and which objects were not.
Select Lists are used to select the objects to be compared.
The select list window will contain a combined list of the objects in the two databases.
By default, every object is checked, which means they will be exhaustively compared.
When you uncheck a particular object, Access Compare will not examine the object
exhaustively. (Its modification date will still be inspected).
The select list will also reveal if the object was loaded properly during the last
comparison. Using this information you can uncheck objects that have caused Access Compare
to fail.
Important !
You have to open Options/Custom Compare Options and check
Use Select List to activate your select list. If you are using a comparison method
other than Custom Compare, the select list will not be active.
Use this option if you want to take a quick look at what has
changed without seeing the differences themselves.
This type of comparison will look at only the LastModified
date of the objects.
Use this option if you want to see the differences in full detail. With a large database this option can take quite a long time to run.
Normally, exhaustive only examines the properties of objects that have changed. This option can be useful if you want to view the properties of all objects including objects that have not changed. If you have a large number of forms and reports this option can take an extremely long time to run.
This allows you to exhaustively compare only certain types of objects. For example, if you check Tables and Queries, then only Tables and Queries will be exhaustively compared. The unchecked objects will still be "quick" compared for differences. See also Custom Compare Options
If you specify a full path here, the Browse buttons will open up in this directory.
Checking this option will activate the select list
If you check this, Access Compare will check exhaustively only those
objects that have changed. Access Compare uses the object's "Last Modified" date
to determine which objects have changed.
If you leave this unchecked, Access Compare will exhautively check all objects.
Checked:
Access Compare will load every property of every control so it will
be able to show if a control was changed.
Not checked:
Access Compare will load only the list of controls. It will not show
if a control was changed, but it will show if a control was added,
deleted or renamed.
If you are comparing only tables or queries, it is not necessary to
have Microsoft Access installed on your computer if this option is
checked. Checking this
option will also result in faster comparison.
If your databases are secured, and the two databases are in different
workgroups, you might need to turn off this option.
When Manual Open is active, automation will be
used even if this option is checked.
Access Compare normally skips tables with names starting with "MSys" and
other objects with names starting with ~.
If you have objects in your database with such names, or you think
you can get important information by checking these objects, you should
uncheck this option.
By default, Access Compare deletes the results of the previous comparison when Compare is pressed. If you want to prevent this, check this option.