Scramble Name field in a Database

[perryc]

What's the easiest way to scramble the Name field in an Access Database? I want to use it to demo, but I don't want to display real names.

[June7]

There is no easy way to scramble. But you could easily reduce each name to maybe just an initial.

What do you mean by 'real' names - people in your organization? Names without personal identifying info - such as SSN, address, phone, email - mean nothing. So unless db has real data about people, why worry about names?

[Welshgasman]

Create two alphabetic strings, one normal, the other with the characters swapped.
Then substitute the swapped characters in a loop.

Moke123 & Micron have already created a utility to do that for you?
https://www.accessforums.net/showthr...t=randomize#19

Edit: Added Micron to credits for code.

[perryc]

Thank you both. I will try this tool

[Micron]

You can find lots of code examples on how to encrypt/decrypt fields, but that will only provide minimal masking. As for the utility mentioned (which I think was basically the same as the one I posted first) it will change data without the ability to revert it? Perhaps Moke's is able to revert to the original data so it is better than mine, which is why mine never gets linked?

[moke123]

You can find lots of code examples on how to encrypt/decrypt fields, but that will only provide minimal masking. As for the utility mentioned (which I think was basically the same as the one I posted first) it will change data without the ability to revert it? Perhaps Moke's is able to revert to the original data so it is better than mine, which is why mine never gets linked?

Admittedly I stole your code Micron. Personally I like to think of it as we collaborated on it.

Here's a link to the original thread. . . https://www.access-programmers.co.uk...ed-dbs.306745/

[CJ_London]

Over the years I have accumulated a range of sample data - people, companies, products, etc. there are a number of sites out there where you can specify what you want and get a csv download. There is also the Northwind database(s)

if you already have your app with real data, easy enough to take a copy of the table, then use an update query to replace the real names. I usually just match on the ok

[isladogs]

Like @C_J_London, I regularly use sample data which is often obtained from online sites
For example, one site that offers random data generation is Mockaroo - Random Data Generator and API Mocking Tool | JSON / CSV / SQL / Excel
As the link shows, a wide variety of output types are available

There is a record limit per download but you can run the data generation repeatedly to get large datasets

[perryc]

I have used the Randomizer Form and it works like a charm! Ty all!!