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Home » MS Access » Microsoft Access Dependencies: What Is The Object Dependencies Pane?

Microsoft Access Dependencies: What Is The Object Dependencies Pane?

Microsoft Access Dependencies: What Is The Object Dependencies Pane?


Microsoft Access

You may have been using Microsoft Access for some
time now but there are always new techniques and tools to
know including Access dependencies. This utility
gives you a view of related Access objects including
tables, queries, forms and reports.
What if you decided to delete say a query? How would that impact the rest of your database? Using this tool, you at least get an idea to which other objects are somehow related before taking any action.

Take a look at a recent article I published on how to use this tool and what to look out for…

Microsoft Access Dependencies: Why Use The Built In Object Dependency Tool And What To Look Out For

An Access database is a collection of different objects stored together and in some cases related to each other to emulate logical workflows that end users simply take for granted.

How many times as a database developer or administrator have you been given an Access database and carry out an audit to understand the structure of it? There are several tools to help analyse this information but one in particular is Microsoft Access dependencies or correctly named Object Dependencies pane.

The key use that I use this tool for is to make sure that if for example I want to remove a query that I believe is now redundant and is simply taking up unwanted space, I can use the object dependencies pane view to check for a chosen object and verify where this object is being used.

The steps:

  1. In the navigation pane select the object you want to track (but you don’t need to open it).
  2. Look in the object dependencies pane (which is switched via the Database Tools tab and click the ‘Refresh’ hyperlink.
  3. Now you have one of two views to look into; ‘Objects that depend on me’ and ‘Objects that I depend on’. Switch between the two view and see the structure for the selected object.
  4. Click on another object and refresh again to view it’s structural relationship.

In order to use this tool you must first enable the AutoCorrect feature where you are prompted when clicking the Access dependencies icon.

What this utility doesn’t really cover or things to avoid are listed below:

  1. If you can view an object in design view (database is not opened in read only mode).
  2. No macro or module objects are included in this utility and therefore cannot be tracked.
  3. Other objects are of course available but certain queries are still excluded and include the Action queries, SQL specific query view and sub queries.
  4. Any Look up fields in tables and sub datasheet views are not included too.

Therefore, this tool could be approved but at least you know the level of Access dependencies and it still has value as without it you may have to keep dipping into the archive to restore a previous session.

Another Tip for you! There is another useful tool that I include when auditing an Access database system and that’s the Database Documenter utility which gives a detailed report of the database structure.

I invite you to keep up to date with my articles and eBooks which covers a lot of details and can be found at http://AccessDatabaseTutorial.com.

From Ben Beitler – “Your Access Database Expert”

Article Source: http://ezinearticles.com/expert/Ben_S_Beitler/840635

Microsoft Access Dependencies:  Final thoughts

There are other tools that serious Access users should know about other than Access dependencies and can be easily found either via the back-stage (Access 2010) or from the Database Tools/Utilities tab.

In order to master the main objects of Microsoft Access, you will require some tuition or perhaps investing in some useful online guides like my eBook bundle. Take a browse!

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One Response so far.

  1. Actually used this tool today for a client of mine. He was amazaed that such tools existed!