MS Access database documentation and design specifications are generated by HFG.

The Help File General (HFG) is an MS Access database that reads the contents of other MS Access databases and produces full documentation and design specifications, and when required, constructs a fully operating general context sensitive Windows Help File system.

HFG requires your tables but no data content within them.

Even without the generation of a Help File system, although this is an excellent training tool, HFG's initial analysis provides a wealth of knowledge all in one convenient package. A Client Copy of HFG for the database owner to discover what their database entails.

HFG can be instructed to do a first pass to collect all of the details from the subject database. This will give an overview of the current state of all things that matter. The Client Copy of HFG can then be used to discover any anomalies that might exist. This is very handy for older databases that have not been in use for some time and you need to find out what it was designed for. HFG details these results in a precise and concise format.

One of HFG's advantages is that it can quickly draw attention to errors in the naming convention initially used to construct the database. HFG can work with or without a naming convention but it is advisable to use one. HFG cannot initiate a Help File system if there are any errors or inconsistencies in the naming of Forms, Reports or Controls. If you are new to the concept of a naming convention I suggest that you read the following:

The Leszynski/Reddick Guidelines for Access 1.x, 2.x" by Stan Leszynski and Greg Reddick, rev. May 25 1994.

Take particular note of how the names of all Forms, Reports and Controls have the first letter of each individual word Capitaized. This is important. HFG requires a precise naming convention because it writes all details required by the database, in order for the Help File system to work, directly into the subject database. HFG is not for public release because of the inconsistencies that exist in the afore mentioned naming convention, there needs to be much human intervention to get the required details exactly right, so that the Help File system works immediately.

The Form and Report Control Naming Anomaly modules contained within HFG, present the existing anomalies detailing the Control Name, Control Type and the names of the Forms or Reports where they are to be found so that they are easily rectified. HFG can greatly assist in correcting naming anomalies. If for instance, you decide to use the recommended naming convention, with the three letter prefix, then HFG can add these for you, just indicate the preferred prefixes that you require and these will be added to HFG's prefix list. All Buttons and Controls that do the same thing must have the same name i.e.; Buttons to Exit or Close a Form must be named the same, either Exit or Close, even if they have Exit or Close on the button display. HFG can also do this for you.

You could also choose to correct the naming anomalies presented, from within the HFG Client Copy, then these corrections can be transferred to your database, but you must take into account the fact that the controls may be referred to in Queries and/or in your VBA code under the current name. This will need to be addressed.

If you do not have the first letter of each individual word in a name capitalized, then you can insert spaces between each word with the HFG Client Copy and HFG will take care of the capitalization for you as it writes the details back into your database.

You will receive support and advice all the way through the procedure, ensuring that the end result is as you would like it to be.

The Client Copy of HFG can either be a single database, with the subject database data in the onboard tables, or it can be a database that can register a number of subject databases through loading linked tables from multiple HFG Generated back ends, both versions will contain a Data Dictionary of the subject database as well as Form and Report Specifications, all of which can be viewed on screen or printed fully formatted. This is handy for older Access databases as many were designed without specifications, or the specs have been lost over time.

 

Also provided by HFG:-

• Form detailing each Table and a list of Queries where that table is referenced.
• Form detailing each Query and the Source Table for each field as well as a complete listing of the SQL statement for each Query.
• Reports detailing the Form and Report Record Source.
• A complete listing of Forms showing Form Names, Help Context ID's, if generated, Date Created, Record Source and Captions, if they exist.
• Form and Report Control Names matching the Controls with the Forms on which they appear, Control Type, Control Source and the Control Caption, which is used as the Context Sensitive Help File reference. If a Control Caption does not exist then HFG can use the Name of the Control as the Caption. Ergo, again; proper naming convention is paramount in this case, especially using Capital letters for the first letter of each individual word in the name of a Form, Report and Control. i.e. cmdCloseFormButton, cboFindNextOccurrence. When HFG uses these control names as the Control Caption for your help file it ignores the prefix, inserts spaces and comes up with Close Form Button and Find Next Occurrence. For cmdHFGMenu the result would be HFG Menu.
• Form and Report Labels are listed as well showing the Form or report Name, the Label Name and the Label Caption.
• Duplicated Control Names are also presented. This is done to give an easy check on the HFG Generated Help Context ID in particular. There are many Controls that are duplicated during database construction, particularly Print Buttons, Cancel, Close, Exit Buttons and many other Controls. HFG collects all Controls with the same name and equalizes the Help Context ID. This is another reason why it is so important to have a precise naming convention, so that you only have one Help File reference to any Control, This keeps the Help File smaller and more efficient.
• And of course comprehensive details of the Help Context ID's generated and added to the Subject Database and a complete set of Windows WinHelp 4.0 Context Sensitive Help Files and instructions and advice on how to proceed further, depending on what HFG finds in the Subject Database.

Under certain conditions, HFG can even discover a forgotten password to a database that can no longer be opened.

Now it must be said that the HFG generated Help File system (as stated at the outset) is general in nature. That is; due to the fact that neither HFG, or any of us at Oalaego, have any idea of what someone else's database does, or more importantly, what the controls, buttons, text boxes, lists, combo boxes and the like do, especially if there are naming anomalies (check out the naming anomalies below) therefore; as we cannot anticipate the purpose of said controls we leave that up to you; with assistance of course.