Creating Access Application for PC w/o Access software

[Karl H]

Hi,
I was hoping to make an application with Access that can be used by folks
who may not have Access. An mde file cannot be opened without MS Access
(maybe I'm wrong about that).

Is there a different method I should use?
Thank you,
Karl

 

[Dean]

No. You need to provide the Access Runtime files to these users.

 

[Karl H]

Hi Dean,
Thank you for the response. It looks like there's quite a bit for me to
review about run time files.
In a nutshell, is it possible, without tons of work, to modify my
application so others can use it if they don't have Access? If so, I'll roll
up my sleeves and see what needs to be done.
Thank you,
Karl

 

[Douglas J Steele]

There's no way for users without Access to use an Access application.

Your options include:

1) Rewriting your application in another technology that can be compiled to
an executable, such as VB, VC++, VB.Net, etc. Note that you can still use
the MDB file to store the data
2) Convert your application to a web app
3) Distribute your Access application together with the royalty-free runtime
version of Access. Note that this does not change your application in any
way, shape or form.

 

[Karl H]

Hi Douglas,
Thank you...the developer's kit sounds the easiest to do. Searching the
internet, I find one comment that says that costs about $495.00. Does that
sound right? Microsoft site doesn't seem to find it when I search for that.
Do you know where one finds the kit?
Thank you,
Karl

 

[aaron.kempf]

well now; in Access 2003-- you'd have to buy both Visual Studio (or
VB).net and office tools right?

this seems like a scam to me

 

[Douglas J Steele]

Microsoft doesn't sell previous versions of Developer's Edition.

If you're going to use the latest version of Access, you'll need to purchase
the following in order to create an Access 2003 runtime application:

- Microsoft Access 2003
- Visual Studio Tools for Office 2003 (which includes the Access 2003
Developer Extensions)

The ADE is the product that gives you the license to deploy the 2003 runtime
components and you have to have Access 2003 installed in order to install
the ADE.

If you're using MSDN, note that while VSTO is available in all subscription
levels of MSDN, the Access Developer Extensions are not included with all
versions. ADE is only available at Universal level.

The stand-alone VSTO box includes both VSTO and the ADE.

See http://msdn.microsoft.com/vstudio/office/officetools.aspx for more
details

If you want to stick with a level prior to Access 2003, one possibility is
to check out sites that specialize in old software products, such as
http://www.emsps.com/oldtools/ or http://recycledsoftware.com/

Another is to look at someplace like eBay to see whether anyone's trying to
see their old versions (Note, though, that products purchased this way
aren't always legal...)

You might check what Tony Toews has at
http://www.granite.ab.ca/access/developereditionfaq.htm for more
information.

 

[Karl H]

Hi Douglas,
Thanks again for your help. Is the Access Runtime a huge installation for
folks to receive, or does it go in pretty quick?
Karl

 

[Douglas J Steele]

Realistically, the runtime is the exact same msaccess.exe executable as the
regular version of Access, with literally hundreds of registration settings
that lock down what it can do. I'm not sure what the distribution size is
for the current version: I do know that a couple of versions ago, it was
around 100 Mb.

 

[aaron.kempf]

and again

the runtime; in all it's glory.. is available on the Office
Professional disc; i swear it's called ART

it's jsut that MS makes it illegal to use it directly right?

i just wish ms would cut the crap and put access in EVERY edition of
office.

leave frontpage and infopath and publisher and visio and all that other
crap for the pro version

-aaron
ADP Nationalist