Database Creations

The CD includes both sample applications and product demos from Database Creations (www.databasecreations.com). You can use the sample applications as is or upgrade to the full version or a related version, but each sample performs a basic chore without restrictions. For example, Check Writer 2000 lets you manage one or more checking accounts with Access 2000. The product demos simply show how you can use a product. For example, the Yes! I Can Run My Business demo illustrates a full-featured accounting package for a sample toy company. You can see the features of the package, but you cannot create a new company from the demo.

Check Writer 2000

Check Writer 2000 is a fully functional application that includes Check Register and Check Reconciliation modules. You can pay your bills, print checks, and balance your checkbook. This application won the Microsoft Network Access Product of the Year award and is part of the full accounting system called Yes! I Can Run My Business, which won the 1998 Readers Choice award from Microsoft Access Advisor magazine. A complete user guide is also included in the directory.

Check Writer 2000 normally costs $179.95. If you mention this book, you can buy it for only $99.95. To order, call Database Creations at (860) 644-5891, fax them at [phone], or e-mail them [e-mail].

You can install Check Writer 2000 and the documentation by running \Access 2000 Examples - Database Creations\Free Access Software\Check Writer (Award Winning)\Check Writer 2000.exe.

EZ File Manager Sampler

The EZ File Manager is one of eight products in the new EZ Access Developer Suite. The complete File Utilities tool, which helps you compile, compact, repair, and backup attached data databases, is included, along with the entire documentation set from the EZ Access File Manager. Install the sampler and then copy the form and module to your own application to add file management capabilities to your application.

You can install the EZ File Manager Sampler and documentation by running \Access 2000 Examples - Database Creations\Free Access Software\EZ File Manager Sampler\EZ File Manager.exe.

EZ Search Manager Sampler

The EZ Search Manager is another product in the EZ Access Developer Suite. The complete SmartSearch tool is included, along with the entire documentation set from the EZ Access Search Manager. Install the sampler and then copy the forms to your own application to add a flexible search interface to your application.

You can install the EZ Search Manager Sampler and documentation by running \Access 2000 Examples - Database Creations\Free Access Software\EZ Search Manager Sampler\EZ Search Manager.exe.

Business Forms Library Sampler

The Access Business Forms Library Sampler contains some of the Business Forms Library collection of 35 forms and reports. The library contains tables, forms, reports, and macros for each of the forms and reports. You can integrate them into your own applications to save hundreds of hours of work. Microsoft included an early version of forms in the Microsoft Access Welcome Kit with Access 2.0. These have been updated for Access 2000, and they come with a complete user guide.

You can install the Business Forms Library Sampler and documentation by running \Access 2000 Examples - Database Creations\Free Access Software\Business Forms Library Sampler\BusFrm2000.exe.

Cool Combo Box Techniques

This is a demonstration database of 25 of the coolest combo and list box techniques. Full documentation is included in the CD directory. The demo is from a highly acclaimed paper given by Cary Prague at the Microsoft Access conferences.

You can install the Cool Combo Box Techniques samples and the paper by running \Access 2000 Examples - Database Creations\Free Access Software\Cool Combo Box Techniques\coolcombo.exe.

Picture Builder Button Sampler

You can use these button faces on Access 2000 toolbars or on switchboard forms or menus. Simply copy the files to your hard disk or use the bitmaps as is. The files named ACTxx.BMP are 32-by-32-pixel bitmaps for Access 2000 command buttons. The files named ACTxx.B24 are 24-by-23-pixel bitmaps for Access 2000 toolbars and any Microsoft Office_compatible application.

You can install the Picture Builder Button Sampler by running \Access 2000 Examples - Database Creations\Free Access Software\Picture Builder Button Sampler\Picture Builder Sampler.exe.

Yes! I Can Run My Business Demo

The Yes! I Can Run My Business demo package is fully customizable and includes all source code. It offers all typical accounting functions, including sales, customers, A/R, purchases, suppliers, A/P, inventory, banking, general ledger, and fixed assets, and it features multicompany accounting for businesses of any size. It costs less than $1,000 for a LAN version. A developer version is available with royalty-free distribution rights for around $2,000. The full product includes over 1500 pages of documentation.

You can copy Yes! I Can Run My Business Brochure.pdf in the directory referenced below to your hard drive to review the online brochure using Adobe Acrobat (which is included on the CD). The entire Yes! I Can Run My Business product retails for $599.95 for the end-user version and $2,295 for the developer version. Mention the code "BOOKCD," and you can get the developer version for just $2,095.95. You can also view additional samples at www.databasecreations.com.

You can install the Yes! I Can Run My Business demo by running \Access 2000 Examples - Database Creations\Demos\Yes! I Can Accounting\Yes4demo.exe.

PC-Payroll Demo

PC-Payroll from Pensoft is a standalone payroll package for small businesses written in Visual Basic. It interfaces with Yes! I Can Run My Business to provide complete employee, hour, tax, deduction, and benefit processing.

Run \Access 2000 Examples - Database Creations\Demos\PC-Payroll\PC Payroll Professional Demo.exe to install the PC-Payroll demo.

EZ Access Developer Suite Demo

The EZ Access Developer Suite consists of eight separate products. Each can be easily integrated into your Access application to provide new functions in a fraction of the time that it would take you to create them yourself. Think of them as a library of over 100 predesigned, preprogrammed interfaces.

The embedded reviewer's guides in the demo give a complete overview of each product. The entire EZ Access Developer Suite retails for $799.95; the individual products are $199.95. Mention the code "BOOKCD" and get the entire suite for just $699.95. You can also view additional samples at www.databasecreations.com.

The eight EZ Access Suite pieces are:

• EZ Report Manager
• EZ Support Manager
• EZ Search Manager
• EZ Security Manager
• EZ File Manager
• EZ Extensions
• EZ Application Manager
• EZ Controls

Run \Access 2000 Examples - Database Creations\Demos\EZ Access Suite\EZ Access Suite Demo.exe to install the EZ Access Developer Suite demo.

Access Product Catalogs

The CD also includes the latest catalogs from Database Creations (the full 1998 catalog, the 1999 supplement for Access and Office, and a Microsoft Visual FoxPro catalog). You can view them using the included Adobe Acrobat viewer. Mention the book code BOOKCD and receive an additional 5 percent off any software product in the catalogs. You can also view product updates and new products at www.databasecreations.com or call for new printed catalogs and product descriptions at [phone]. E-mail also works well. Mail [e-mail].

The files to run after you install Adobe Acrobat include:

• \Access 2000 Examples - Database Creations\Access Product Catalogs\1998 48 Page Access 97 Product Catalog.pdf
• \Access 2000 Examples - Database Creations\Access Product Catalogs\1999 20 Page Access 2000 Product Catalog.pdf
• \Access 2000 Examples - Database Creations\Access Product Catalogs\Visual FoxPro Product Catalog.pdf

Adobe Acrobat Reader

This free reader from Adobe lets you view and print files stored in the Abobe Acrobat .pdf file format. You can use virtually any product to create an output file by simply printing it, and then you can let anyone else view the output file without any special software except Adobe Acrobat.

In the future, instead of receiving a big catalog in the mail, you might get a .pdf file of the catalog by e-mail. The Access Product Catalogs directory of the CD includes several catalogs with .pdf filename extensions. To view them, you must first install the Adobe Acrobat reader. To install the Adobe Acrobat reader, run the file \Visio\Utilities\AcrobatReader.exe. Double-click on the installation file and follow the instructions. This file contains just the reader. To create your own .pdf files, you must purchase the full Acrobat program from Adobe.