Upgrading workstations from A2K2 MDE to A2003 MDB - questions

[Fred Boer]

Hello!

Well, it appears that the school's network is going to be upgraded, and that
all workstations will be getting a copy of MS Office Professional 2003! I
suspect snowballs are flying about in a place they've never been seen
before, and I have a nervous twitch from glancing in the sky waiting for
lightning to strike! <g>

Each workstation currently has an online catalogue to my school library
database, provided by a runtime copy of Access 2002 and an MDE of the front
end application. I am excited about the possibilites of this upgrade; but,
given that I have no experience with Access 2003, and will be moving from a
runtime to a full version of Access, I wonder:

What kinds of problems/situations/changes will I have to prepare for:

1. In changing from a runtime environment to a full version of Access on the
workstations?
2. In running an A2K2 application using Access 2003?
3. And one more specific question: I really like the shortcut menu "Filter
for:" feature, but it wasn't available in the runtime version of Access. Am
I correct in assuming that it is available if the full version of Access is
on the workstation? And, further, is it available if your application is an
MDE?

Thanks for any suggestions/comments/answers!
Fred Boer

P.S. New computers are supposedly coming, too! And updates to our adaptive
software! Nobody pinch me...
P.P.S. Of course, until I can actually fondle the new hardware and software
I won't *really* believe it's true! <g>

 

[Jeff Conrad]

Hi Fred, comments below....

(BTW, you're up kinda late aren't you?)

Well, it appears that the school's network is going to be upgraded, and that
all workstations will be getting a copy of MS Office Professional 2003! I
suspect snowballs are flying about in a place they've never been seen
before, and I have a nervous twitch from glancing in the sky waiting for
lightning to strike! <g>

Stay away from the windows Fred.

Each workstation currently has an online catalogue to my school library
database, provided by a runtime copy of Access 2002 and an MDE of the front
end application. I am excited about the possibilities of this upgrade; but,
given that I have no experience with Access 2003, and will be moving from a
runtime to a full version of Access, I wonder:
Ok.

What kinds of problems/situations/changes will I have to prepare for:

1. In changing from a runtime environment to a full version of Access on the
workstations?

Not much and in fact it will be much easier to work out problems.
Debugging, checking references, etc. should be much easier with a full Access
version on each PC.
You *may* want to uninstall the 2002 Access runtime on each PC before
upgrading to 2003 if your intent is to only be using the full version. This
will hopefully prevent any possible version conflicts.

2. In running an A2K2 application using Access 2003?

Your runtime 2002 application may coexist just fine with a full version of
2003, but I'll let the runtime experts handle that one.

The file format in 2003 is actually called 2002-2003 so you will most
likely not have to change anything. It would still be wise though to
covert to 2002-2003 format and then distribute 2003 MDE files to
your users. You could still continue to use Tony Toews' AutoUpdater.

Access 2003 sets a reference to the DAO object library by default unlike
2000 and 2002. So you may need to take this into account in your coding.

You will need to insure that all workstations are running Jet 4.0 SP8 and
update the Access 2003 to SP1 using Office Update.

The biggest change you will see is the new macro security "feature."
Study up on this by using these links (watch out for any line wrapping):

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;833219&Product=acc2003

http://www.microsoft.com/resources/documentation/office/2003/all/reskit/en-us/seca02.mspx

http://office.microsoft.com/assista...ID=CH010411421033&CTT=4&Origin=CH010411391033

http://office.microsoft.com/assista...ID=HA011225981033&CTT=4&Origin=CH010411391033

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?kbid=294698

http://www.fmsinc.com/free/tips.html#accesstip19

http://www.access.qbuilt.com/html/vba.html#SetMacroSecLvl

3. And one more specific question: I really like the shortcut menu "Filter
for:" feature, but it wasn't available in the runtime version of Access. Am
I correct in assuming that it is available if the full version of Access is
on the workstation?

Yep, pretty sure on that.

And, further, is it available if your application is an MDE?

Pretty sure on that as well, but I cannot check at the moment;
I do not have 2003 in front of me on this computer.

P.S. New computers are supposedly coming, too! And updates to our adaptive
software! Nobody pinch me...
Nice!

P.P.S. Of course, until I can actually fondle the new hardware and software
I won't *really* believe it's true! <g>

Ahhh yes, nothing beats that "new software shrink-wrap smell."

 

[Jeff Conrad]

Hey Fred, one last thing.
I'm actually pretty sure I've ran your Online Library Application under Access 2003 before!
Worked just fine as I recall!

 

[Ken Snell [MVP]]

I can add a few more pieces of info to Jeff's great info....
(see inline...)

--

Ken Snell
<MS ACCESS MVP>

Hi Fred, comments below....

(BTW, you're up kinda late aren't you?)


Stay away from the windows Fred.



Not much and in fact it will be much easier to work out problems.
Debugging, checking references, etc. should be much easier with a full Access
version on each PC.
You *may* want to uninstall the 2002 Access runtime on each PC before
upgrading to 2003 if your intent is to only be using the full version. This
will hopefully prevent any possible version conflicts.

Unless it's absolutely necessary to keep the 2002 runtime, I'd remove it
from the PCs.

Your runtime 2002 application may coexist just fine with a full version of
2003, but I'll let the runtime experts handle that one.

If you must leave it on the computer, be sure that all targets / shortcuts
to your front ends specifically use the full address to the 2002 runtime
..exe file, and that they use the /Runtime switch for the .exe file.

The file format in 2003 is actually called 2002-2003 so you will most
likely not have to change anything. It would still be wise though to
covert to 2002-2003 format and then distribute 2003 MDE files to
your users. You could still continue to use Tony Toews' AutoUpdater.

ACCESS 2003 file format actually is 2000 format as the default. 2000, 2002,
and 2003 share the same file format.

Access 2003 sets a reference to the DAO object library by default unlike
2000 and 2002. So you may need to take this into account in your coding.

Isn't it great! Glad this is now the default setting.

You will need to insure that all workstations are running Jet 4.0 SP8 and
update the Access 2003 to SP1 using Office Update.

The biggest change you will see is the new macro security "feature."

This macro security feature is considered to be a major "pain" by the MVP
group. It can be disconcerting to your users when the "warning" boxes pop
up. You may want to consider setting the macro security level to low in
order to avoid (I know, it's not recommended by MS, but in controlled
environments it may be quite acceptable to do).

Study up on this by using these links (watch out for any line wrapping):

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;833219&Product=acc2003
http://www.microsoft.com/resources/documentation/office/2003/all/reskit/en-us/seca02.mspx
http://office.microsoft.com/assista...ID=CH010411421033&CTT=4&Origin=CH010411391033
http://office.microsoft.com/assista...ID=HA011225981033&CTT=4&Origin=CH010411391033

Yep, pretty sure on that.

Yes, the filter option is available in the full version of ACCESS. It is not
available in runtime versions. Also, right-click shortcut menus are
available in the full version; they're not available in runtime versions.

Pretty sure on that as well, but I cannot check at the moment;
I do not have 2003 in front of me on this computer.

Yes, they're available in .mde as well, so long as you're running the full
version of ACCESS.

 

[Fred Boer]

Hi Jeff:

(BTW, you're up kinda late aren't you?)

Yeah, my wife was away overnight, so I was being wild and crazy and stayed
up a half an hour later than normal to hang around with the low-lifes in the

You *may* want to uninstall the 2002 Access runtime on each PC before

Sorry I didn't make that clear; I certainly intend to remove the runtime
version of Access...

Ok, I'll convert to 2003; glad the default reference is DAO; update to SP1..
got it...

The biggest change you will see is the new macro security "feature."

Sigh.. I've been happily ignoring the macros security hassles.. but it looks
like I can't do that anymore. Thanks for the links!

Thanks a lot Jeff!

Fred

 

[Fred Boer]

Dear Ken:

Unless it's absolutely necessary to keep the 2002 runtime, I'd remove it
from the PCs.

Will do!

If you must leave it on the computer, be sure that all targets / shortcuts
to your front ends specifically use the full address to the 2002 runtime
.exe file, and that they use the /Runtime switch for the .exe file.

Now that I think about it some of the older computers won't be replaced, so
runtime and full version will coexist. I'll file this bit of info away...

ACCESS 2003 file format actually is 2000 format as the default. 2000,
2002,
and 2003 share the same file format.
Hooray!

This macro security feature is considered to be a major "pain" by the MVP
group. It can be disconcerting to your users when the "warning" boxes pop
up. You may want to consider setting the macro security level to low in
order to avoid (I know, it's not recommended by MS, but in controlled
environments it may be quite acceptable to do).

I'll have to learn about this, but since my users are blind/low vision,
unexpected popups and warnings are really quite *loathsome*, so I'll
probably set it to low.. After I upgrade I might fire off an email to

Yes, the filter option is available in the full version of ACCESS. It is
not
available in runtime versions. Also, right-click shortcut menus are
available in the full version; they're not available in runtime versions.

Yes, they're available in .mde as well, so long as you're running the full
version of ACCESS.

That's great! I love the flexibility of tabbing to the desired field, one
right click, enter the criteria and boom!

I appreciate the comments, Ken!

Fred

 

[Jeff Conrad]

Hi Fred,

Yeah, my wife was away overnight, so I was being wild and crazy and stayed
up a half an hour later than normal to hang around with the low-lifes in the
Access newsgroups! <g>

Hey now!

Sorry I didn't make that clear; I certainly intend to remove the runtime
version of Access...

Sounds good and will probably save you a bunch of hassle.

Ok, I'll convert to 2003; glad the default reference is DAO; update to SP1..got it...
Excellent.

Sigh.. I've been happily ignoring the macros security hassles.. but it looks
like I can't do that anymore. Thanks for the links!

To be honest Fred, you are probably just fine setting the macro security level to low.
You have a controlled environment so any security risk is pretty small.

Speaking of security, now that each PC will have a full version of Access 2003 it
is probably a good thing that you are studying Access User Level Security right now.
Keep working through this topic because it will help prevent the *outside* chance that
someone might screw things up. Yes, I know, probably not in your circumstances, but
you never know. The Runtime actually severed as a nice buffer for you from people
messing things up, but that buffer will now be removed.

 

[Fred Boer]

Hey Ken and Jeff:

What about activation? Is that part of Access2003? I've had some issues with
that with Windows XP...

Thanks!

 

[Ken Snell [MVP]]

I have not tried ACCESS 2003 on my PC yet, so I can't speak with direct
knowledge, but I believe that it is needed for A2003.

 

[Jeff Conrad]

Yes Fred and Ken you will have to activate Access 2003 once installed.
Otherwise you will get prompted for the next 30 days every time you open the program.
It will only take a minute or two over the Internet.

Fred, I hope your IT people realize that Access 2003 will only run on a PC with
Windows 2000 SP3 or SP4, or Windows XP.

 

[Fred Boer]

Dear Jeff:

Thanks, and OH NO! I don't know what the OS platform is going to be! Thanks
for the heads up! First question on the list for Monday!

Fred

 

[Jeff Conrad]

Yep, that goes for all of Office 2003, not just Access 2003.
Good question to ask Fred!

 

[ÌãÇá ÇäÓ]

Yes Fred and Ken you will have to activate Access 2003 once installed.
Otherwise you will get prompted for the next 30 days every time you open the program.
It will only take a minute or two over the Internet.

Fred, I hope your IT people realize that Access 2003 will only run on a PC with
Windows 2000 SP3 or SP4, or Windows XP.

 

[Wolfgang.Aigner]

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