Tying up lots of loose ends: dealing with unpublished crystal structures

Direct deposition of crystal structures into the Cambridge Structural Database as CSD Communications is a simple and effective means of bringing otherwise unpublished structural results into the public domain. This article of personal reflection describes the motivation and process of an extensive programme to achieve this aim for the unpublished results of a lifetime crystallographic career, with a summary of progress so far, illustrated by particular examples. It may serve as an encouragement and an illustrative model for others to do the same.