Frequently Asked Questions for Total Access Detective

Total Access Detective is a Microsoft Access add-in, and is Access version specific. For example, Total Access Detective 2016 only runs in Microsoft Access 2016 (32 or 64 bit versions) and supports the ACCDB and MDB database formats Access 2016 opens.

Total Access Detective works with databases in any format that is supported by the specific version of Access. For example, the Access 2016 version supports ACCDBs from Access 2016 to 2007 and MDBs from Access 2000 to 2016. It does not support ADPs.

Similarly, Total Access Detective 2003 works with any database format Access 2003 supports including Access 2000-2003 formats, provided that the database is opened in MS Access 2003. It does not support ACCDB files since Access 2003 can't open them.

The following versions of Total Access Detective are available:

• Total Access Detective 2016 for Microsoft Access 2016
• Total Access Detective 2013 for Microsoft Access 2013
• Total Access Detective 2010 for Microsoft Access 2010 (64-bit version requires SP1 or later)
• Total Access Detective 2007 for Microsoft Access 2007 (SP2 or later)
• Total Access Detective 2003 for Microsoft Access 2003
• Total Access Detective 2002 for Microsoft Access 2002
• Total Access Detective 2000 for Microsoft Access 2000
• Total Access Detective 97 for Microsoft Access 97

Check the Product Compatibility Chart for version information for all of our products.

You should have the latest Service Pack of your Access/Office version installed. For information on the history of Access versions, visit our Microsoft Access Version Releases, Service Packs, Hotfixes, and Updates History page.

No. Although there is not a trial version for Total Access Detective, you can take the online tour to find out more about this product. All FMS products come with a 30-day money back guarantee, so you can buy with confidence!

Total Access Detective does not require Administrator rights if installed for current user.

Total Access Detective requires Administrator rights if installed for local machine so any user who logs into the PC can use it.

Yes. In addition to finding differences between the designs and structures of tables, there is an option to detect differences between data in two tables. The results are displayed in a list of new and modified records. For modified records, the fields which differ and their values are documented. The list can be printed or exported to your database where you can use it to link to your tables to retrieve the records.

Note that if you are comparing data between two databases, the comparison is performed between the tables stored in those two databases and not for linked tables. If you want to compare data in the linked database, point to that database directly.

For more info, visit: Compare Records (data) Between Microsoft Access Tables and Queries

Yes. Access Data Projects connect directly to a SQL Server database and let you use Access objects (forms, reports, macros, modules, and command bars) against the tables, views, stored procedures, etc. defined in the SQL Server database.

Total Access Detective lets you compare the Microsoft Access objects contained in your ADPs for differences. It cannot compare the SQL Server objects between two ADPs because it's not connected to your SQL Server databases to "see" them.

To compare SQL Server tables and their data from an ADP, run the Total Access Detective add-in when you have your ADP open. That will let you select the tables to compare.

If you need to compare data between two SQL Server databases, create an Access ACCDB or MDB file, then link to the two tables. Run the Total Access Detective add-in to compare them.

Note that support for ADPs was discontinued after Access 2010.

Yes. After documenting the data differences, there is an option to combine the data from the two tables. You can specify which table's new and modified records are kept. The new table is created in your database.

For more info, visit Combine Data from Two Microsoft Access Tables into a New Table

Total Access Detective can compare secured databases if:

1. Both databases use the same workgroup security file (*.MDW).
2. The user group has open/run permissions for the database (not necessary for specific objects, just needed at the database level).

If you launch the database comparison from the Windows shortcut for Total Access Detective, then open a secure database, you may get this error message:

Error -2147467259, "You do not have the necessary permissions to use the object"

This error indicates that you are trying to compare two databases that use Workgroup security and you haven't provided your credentials. Total Access Detective cannot bypass the security system of Access if you don't have the right to see those objects.

To compare two secured databases, follow these steps:

1. Launch Access with your Workgroup Security file (or open your secured database using the Workgroup Security file, then close it without exiting Access).
2. Open the Total Access Detective database for comparing databases. This is located in the folder where Total Access Detective is installed:
   • For Access 2007 or later, it's TADetect.ACCDB
   • For Access 2003 or earlier, it's TADetect.MDB
   • To compare ADPs, open TADetect.ADP
3. The main form appears and you select the databases to compare as you normally would.

You can also create a Windows shortcut that launches Access with your workgroup security information and opens the Total Acess Detective file.

This occurs if Total Access Detective is not properly installed and/or the registry setting for Microsoft Access add-ins was modified. Possible causes for this are:

• The installed version of Total Access Detective doesn't match your version of Access. Total Access Detective is Access version specific and only appears as an add-in for its version. Contact FMS for an upgrade to the correct version.
• The setup program for Total Access Detective was not run, or the Access Add-in Manager was invoked to install it. Don't do that! If you try this, an error message referring to a missing UsysRegInfo table may appear.

Total Access Detective is installed by using its setup EXE file:

1. Run the setup EXE file.
2. Follow the prompts of the setup routine and enter your serial number when prompted.
3. After clicking finish to terminate the setup process, open your copy of Microsoft Access.
4. Open the database you want to document.
5. Select Total Access Detective from the add-ins menu. Total Access Detective launches itself and displays its main screen.

Registered users of Total Access Detective are automatically notified of product updates. From time to time, the FMS development team may release updates of our products. For the latest versions of Total Access Detective, visit the Update Page.

This VBA error may occur when you launch Total Access Detective. Unfortunately, due to Access flagging a VBA error, our code cannot run to properly trap and handle the problem.

This is most likely due to your version of Access not having the latest service pack installed. In general, we try to create versions of our products that work with all Microsoft Access releases for a version. Unfortunately, that's not always possible since Microsoft sometimes breaks compatibility with their updates, and some of the updates fix problems to allow our programs (and yours) to work properly.

If you have these Microsoft Access versions, be sure you have at least these service packs installed:

• Microsoft Access 2010, 64-bit version: SP1
  (not an issue for the 32-bit version)
• Microsoft Access 2007: SP2 (Microsoft Office 2007 versions)
• Microsoft Access 2003: SP3

If you don't have these versions, your Windows Update feature can download and install them for you.

If you have the latest versions installed, and still encounter this problem, our program may be corrupt and you should uninstall and reinstall it. Make sure the files in the Total Access Detective folder are all deleted before reinstalling.

This error occurs when you attempt to run the Documentation Wizard by double clicking the "Update.exe" directly instead of running it from the Windows Programs Menu shortcut.

This is because the update.exe file requires parameters to run and return the correct information. In order to determine if there is an update available for this product, please run the update wizard program from the Windows Programs menu or Windows Metro menu.