Must I file a complaint to compel discovery in anticipation of litigation when requests to view pertinent, unprivileged information, have been ignored?

Your request was in writing? What did it say exactly?

Must I file a complaint to compel discovery in anticipation of litigation when requests to view pertinent, unprivileged information, have been ignored?

A Motion to Compel would be filed only if there is a lawsuit filed. You cannot compel anyone to do anything - only the court can Order documents to be produced if they are not produced after a Motion for Discovery of Documents has been filed and the other party did not produce the documents.