Deploying Access as a stand alone app.

D

Daniel

Good afternoon,

Can the subject be done? Is there a way to deploy a database front-end and
back-end developed using MS Access as a stand alone app. So that it can be
used on machines that do not necessarily have MS Access installed on it? Is
this a simple or complexe thing to achieve?

Thank you,

Daniel
 
J

Jeff Boyce

Daniel

The "Developers'" software you can acquire will give you the tools (and the
licenses) to create a deployable Access application. Folks you deploy it to
won't need MS Access, because one of the components deployed is a
(partially-crippled) version of Access.

Now, to answer "simple or complex...?"...

The software is a bit pricey if you only wish to deploy one copy (or 2 or
5).

Making sure your application is fully compiled and has robust error handling
is "bigger than a breadbox".

The "packaging" of the deployable solution could be either simple or
complex, depending on your background. If you play chess and assemble
electronics in your spare time, I'd say "simple". If checkers and a
Dagwood sandwich are more your speed, I'd have to say "complex". Your
call...

Regards

Jeff Boyce
Microsoft Office/Access MVP
 
T

Tony Toews

Daniel said:
Can the subject be done? Is there a way to deploy a database front-end and
back-end developed using MS Access as a stand alone app. So that it can be
used on machines that do not necessarily have MS Access installed on it? Is
this a simple or complexe thing to achieve?

To add to Jeff's posting it's not that difficult but there can be
problems if there is already MS Office Pro or MS Access installed on
the system.

Microsoft Access (Office) Developer Edition FAQ
http://www.granite.ab.ca/access/developereditionfaq.htm

Tony
--
Tony Toews, Microsoft Access MVP
Please respond only in the newsgroups so that others can
read the entire thread of messages.
Microsoft Access Links, Hints, Tips & Accounting Systems at
http://www.granite.ab.ca/accsmstr.htm
 
D

Daniel

I purchased MS Pro thinking it was the top.... and had all the components
for access dev. Can one buy just the update/upgrade? I was also looking
into Visual Studio does it permit deploying access as a stand alone? This
dev. ed. is a well kept secret.. the 3 stores I went to have never even heard
of it, how does one acquire a copy?

Thank you,

Daniel
 
D

Daniel

Tony,

I must apologize for sending out a question before reviewing the url you
included in your orginal response...it pretty much covered everything!

Hey there's a concept, reading the response fully before asking another
question?!

Thanks once again,

Daniel
 
T

Tony Toews

Daniel said:
I must apologize for sending out a question before reviewing the url you
included in your orginal response...it pretty much covered everything!

Hey there's a concept, reading the response fully before asking another
question?!

Thanks once again,

You're quite welcome.

Tony
--
Tony Toews, Microsoft Access MVP
Please respond only in the newsgroups so that others can
read the entire thread of messages.
Microsoft Access Links, Hints, Tips & Accounting Systems at
http://www.granite.ab.ca/accsmstr.htm
 
A

Arkansas Lady

Tony, If you use the Developer Edition to install a database on to another
machine,
would it be possible for that machine to change your forms, code, etc. if
the machine has Acess on it. I guess my question is that if you deplore it
with the Developer Edition, can it be hacked into.
 
A

Albert D. Kallal

Arkansas Lady said:
Tony, If you use the Developer Edition to install a database on to
another
machine,
would it be possible for that machine to change your forms, code, etc. if
the machine has Acess on it. I guess my question is that if you deplore
it
with the Developer Edition, can it be hacked into.

Well, on that particular machine, no, the user can't change the forms.
However, you are confusing the issue of the runtime. The runtime is simply a
ms-access install. You install the runtime and then any mdb, or mde file you
place on that computer will function.

So, if you deploy a mdb, then users on that machine can't change it, but if
you place the mdb on a machine with the full version of ms-access, then
users can change the forms at will. So, the runtime HAS NOTHING to do with
securing your appcation. the runtime DOES NOT MODIFY or chance your
application. It is still a mdb (or prefer mde) file that you simply copy and
place on the target machine. So, runtime is simply a ms-access-cess
instance, and is a separate issue then that of the mdb, or mde that you
place on that target computer to run.


You can quite well lock up your application. It is assumed that you are a
seasoned developer, and by the time you get around to using the runtime,
then you likely A VERY LONG TIME ago locked up your appcation, and hid the
user interface.

You most certainly can, and should hide all of the ms-access interface. The
options to complete hide and keep people out of the ms-access interface can
easily be done using the tools->start-up options. Using those options allows
you to complete hide the ms-access interface (tool bars, database window
etc). Also, using these options means you do not have to bother setting up
security.

Try downloading and running the 3rd example at my following web site that
shows a hidden ms-access interface, and NO CODE is required to do
this....but just some settings in the start-up.

Check out:

http://www.members.shaw.ca/AlbertKallal/msaccess/DownLoad.htm

After you try the application, you can exit, and then re-load the
application, but hold down the shift key to by-pass the start-up options. If
want, you can even disable the shift key by pass. I have a sample mdb file
that will let you "set" the shift key bypass on any application you want.
You can get this at:

http://www.members.shaw.ca/AlbertKallal/msaccess/msaccess.html

So, right before you deploy (to uses with the full version, or the runtime
version), you will create a mde, disable the shift key by-pass, and
possibility consider setting up security (but, you don't really need the
security part).

You SHOULD START NOW becoming familiar with a split database, and
distributing a mde as a generally practice. If you do this, then when it
comes around to deploying your application to your users, you wall have long
ago locked up the interface, and not allow users to see the ms-access part.
All of this locking up, and hiding of the ms-access interface can (and
should) occur LONG before you sue the runtime. In other words, the runtime
simply allows you to run on your machine, the art and process of hiding the
interface, and keeping uses out of the design parts IS NOT related to the
runtime, and I hide, and lock out my users, many of which have the full
version of ms-access.

Using a mde DOES not make sense until you split your database. If your not
spitting your database, you are still some steps away from using the runtime
and preferably distributing a mde to your users. You can read about
splitting here:


http://www.members.shaw.ca/AlbertKallal/Articles/split/index.htm
 
T

Tony Toews

Arkansas Lady said:
Tony, If you use the Developer Edition to install a database on to another
machine,
would it be possible for that machine to change your forms, code, etc.

No. However if the user takes the MDB home or to another system they
could. You should also consider distributing MDEs to the users.
IF the machine has Acess on it. I guess my question is that if you deplore it
with the Developer Edition, can it be hacked into.

If the machine already has Access on it then why would you want to
deploy the runtime?

Tony
--
Tony Toews, Microsoft Access MVP
Please respond only in the newsgroups so that others can
read the entire thread of messages.
Microsoft Access Links, Hints, Tips & Accounting Systems at
http://www.granite.ab.ca/accsmstr.htm
 
A

Arkansas Lady

I may or may not know if they have Access installed. If they do have Access
installed, I know that I can make it into an mde and protect my forms,
modules and macros but I would like to avoid having the data exported or
imported into another database. I do know of one company that purchased an
Access database that would not allow you to attach the tables.

The Access Developer Extensions are a part of Visual Studio Tools correct.

Thank you for you assistance.
 
R

Rick Brandt

Arkansas said:
I may or may not know if they have Access installed. If they do have
Access installed, I know that I can make it into an mde and protect
my forms, modules and macros but I would like to avoid having the
data exported or imported into another database. I do know of one
company that purchased an Access database that would not allow you to
attach the tables.

To prevent access to your tables by other means than your app you need to use
Access User Level Security. Use of the runtime has nothing to do with that
issue. Even ULS can be broken by anyone who know how to use Google and is
willing to spend a few bucks.
 

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