UnTools_Readme.txt UnTools - Add-In for Microsoft Access USE AT YOUR OWN RISK COPYRIGHT NOTICE: (c) 1999-2003, Steven Tessler ALL RIGHTS RESERVED Comments: UnTools@email.com Updates: http://www.CleanDataSystems.com PURPOSE LICENSE VERSION NOTES INSTALLATION UNINSTALLATION UPDATING VERSIONS USAGE PURPOSE: The UnTools are 7 separate Tools in a Microsoft Access® Add-In that assist with exploring, cleaning up and normalizing data tables and data. They can be used alone or in various sequential combinations to do lots of work for you. Each UnTool is presented on its own tab and is like having a single-page Wizard. ** UnClear lets you view a summary of the contents of a field (frequency distribution) and optionally replace Nulls or empty string values with a new value of your own choosing. ** UnField creates a new table based on unique values in a field and optionally adds a primary key or a second copy of the selected field. It helps you make lookup and translation tables. ** UnPivot rotates a horizontal arrangement of related fields (a repeating group) from a flatfile table or query to a vertical structure in a new table; it rotates simple multi-field repeating groups, too. ** UnList takes a field containing delimited or fixed-width multi-valued (list) data and separates/rotates the items into a new table, optionally storing the original item position. It makes an itemized list of the original field contents. ** UnMatch compares unique values in two fields, showing matched and unmatched values and their record counts. It can also construct a 'Master List' of the values in the two fields. ** UnCode separates mixed alpha/numeric-characters within a single field (e.g., "<2.5") and places the results in two fields appended to the original table. ** UnDaTe converts Date and Time text strings stored in separate fields (e.g., "19990601" and "083000") into a single, true Datetime field appended to the original table. LICENSE: The full license should have accompanied your copy of UnTools as UnTools_License.txt. The license is also available from the About button in UnTools. Although UnTools is provided as freeware and you are under no obligation to the author, donations are gratefully accepted. Visit the UnTools website for more information (www.CleanDataSystems.com). VERSION NOTES: The instructions below work with all versions of Access, but each version uses its own compiled version of UnTools. **Access 97: Follow the instructions below to install UnTools.mda for Access 97. **Access 2000: If you are installing the Access 2000 version, 'UnTools2K.mda' should be substituted wherever it says 'UnTools.mda' below. **Access 2002 (XP): If you are installing the Access 2002 (XP) version, 'UnToolsXP.mda' should be substituted wherever it says 'UnTools.mda' below. **Access 2003: If you are installing the Access 2003 version, 'UnTools03.mda' should be substituted wherever it says 'UnTools.mda' below. Please make sure you downloaded the correct version of UnTools for your version of Access. INSTALLATION: 1. Copy UnTools.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 UnTools.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 "UnTools" is listed. If so, open UnTools and use UnClear to summarize a field in a table. If that works, then the UnTools are available any time you need them in Access. If it didn't work, make sure you installed the UnTools 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 UnTools in the list (should have checkmark) 5. Click 'Uninstall' 6. Close Access 7. Search your hard drive for the UnTools.mda file (name varies by version) and delete all copies. UPDATING VERSIONS: To update your version of UnTools, uninstall (uncheck) the current version from your Add-Ins list (see UNINSTALLATION), find your old copy of UnTools.mda on your harddrive and replace with the new copy, then reinstall UnTools 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 Tools' tab form should be fairly self explanatory. The main UnTools tab gives a brief description, and its Help button is for general help. Each Tools' form also has their own Help available from the button. And, 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 UnTools website. You must download that separately from the main application zip file. A demonstration database to practice with and learn about the functions of the Tools is also provided (UnToolsDemo), and should make it fairly easy to experiment with the Tools before using them on your own data. Each Tool has a similar start: Pick a table, then one or two fields, then do something with them. Experiment, explore and have fun. I hope the UnTools save you time in your work. And I look forward to some feedback! Steve Tessler UnTools@email.com http://www.UnTools.com or http://www.CleanDataSystems.com