Application Deployment Question

[BobbyBob]

I have developed an application using Access 2k running on Windows XP that I
would like to make available to users by downloading from a web site.

After reading about “Inno†in an earlier post, I am intending to use it to
install the application.

1)Would my application work with all the versions of Access that users may
have on their machines?

1a) If it would not work with versions earlier than 2k, what could I do
for these users?

2)Would my application work with Access2007 runtime for users that do not
have a version of Access already installed?

2a) If yes, would it be best to install the runtime from the same
installation, or just install the application and make the runtime available
on the web site for users that need it.

2b) If yes, what would happen if a user without a version of Access
installed the application and runtime, then later installed a full version of
Access?

2c) If yes, where would be the best place to install the application
front-end (mde), the back-end (mdb) and the runtime?

2d) Do I need to worry about which Windows operating system users have on
their machines?

Any other tips, comments or pitfalls to watch out for would be greatly
appreciated.

 

[Alex Dybenko]

Hi,
best approach - is to deliver mdb for exact access version customer has. Or,
at least lower than he has. So mdb, built on Access 2000 will work on all
later Access versions. But still - you have to test first.
Access runtime will work also.
I would suggest looking into Sagekey.com, their setup solves most of
problems

--
Best regards,
___________
Alex Dybenko (MVP)
http://accessblog.net
http://www.PointLtd.com

 

[Mark Andrews]

I usually use a directory off the root. Just because Vista has problems
with c:\Program Files.

If you use sagekey you probably need to always use a certain version of the
runtime.
If it finds the real access product it will not install the runtime.

I only have experience with using the Access2007 runtime with an Access2007
application and sagekey:
http://www.rptsoftware.com/help/microsoft_access_thirdparty/sagekey.asp

One route would be to convert your app to access2007 and do a typical
sagekey access2007 runtime install.
or you could get a copy of the access 2K runtime and use sagekey's older
product.
Access2007 users would then be using access2k runtime and your databases.

You can download a copy of my donation software if you want to see a sagekey
install in action.

I think you need to stick with one version of the runtime and your
application.

Sagekey is the only route to go that will not switch the default version of
Access and cause all those "installing and configuring messages to appear
everytime you switch versions of access (on computers with multiple versions
of access/access runtime). However sagekey is not perfect either, for
example on my access2K machine is takes about 15 seconds extra when opening
my access2007 runtime application. They basically just manipulate the
registry to hide all those crazy configuring/installing messages.

HTH,
Mark Andrews
RPT Software
http://www.rptsoftware.com
http://www.donationmanagementsoftware.com