Where are the Runtime files installed?

[Windsailor]

Where are the Runtime files installed for A97 through A2003?

 

[Albert D.Kallal]

In generally, they default to the SAME location as the full version of
office. In fact, the installer detects if ms-access is ready installed, and
skips installing if this is the case.

Unfortunately, for a2003, if the user installed office to a non default
location, then all shortcuts generated by the wizard are wrong (for this
reason, I wrap the MSI install from the a2003 package wizard in a inno
install which does generate correct path names.

You can find the install path by looking at the registry

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE, 'SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Office\11.0\Access\InstallRoot\',
'path'

The above is for access 2003 (11)
2002 = 10
2000 = 9
a97 = 8

So, the install path is usually:

"C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\OFFICE11\MSACCESS.EXE"

for a2000 and early, it is

"C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\MSACCESS.EXE"

However, as mentioned, if the user has multiple versions, or has installed
to a non default directory, then the above will not be set in stone. You
have to use the registry key I mentioned above....

But, to answer your question..the runtime installs to the same location as
the full retail version.

 

[Windsailor]

Well,
When I installed the A2003 runtime on my machine ( I have Office 2003 with
the Access Developer Extensions, I wanted to find out where it installed to.
) it finished installing and was listed in my 'Add Remove Programs' list.
After a brief search, I wasn't able to figure where it was installed.

After I uninstalled it from my 'Add Remove Programs' list, and running A2003
for the first time after that, Access 2003 reconfigured (reinstalled) itself
and ran OK.

One reason for why I was asking is that I deploy packages with the runtime,
and knowing where the Access 2003 runtime was installed to using the default
setup; I could target the .exe in the shortcut for the application.

The other thing I was concerned about is if a client had for instance
Office12 installed or any other version of Access, I wanted to be sure that
the runtime was not installed in the same folder.
I have read items on other forums stating this should be done if more than
one version of Access exists on a computer.

There are also other people that install older versions of the runtime and
would like to run their applications from their version of the runtime and
not the latest version of Access installed on the clients machine. So this
question is actually geared toward a couple of people. There are
compatibility reasons for that.

Is there any way to direct the installation of the runtime to a custom folder?

Any suggestions?

 

[Albert D.Kallal]

Well,
When I installed the A2003 runtime on my machine ( I have Office 2003 with
the Access Developer Extensions, I wanted to find out where it installed
to.
) it finished installing and was listed in my 'Add Remove Programs' list.
After a brief search, I wasn't able to figure where it was installed.

As mentioned, since the installer found the full version..it skips the
install. However, you can STILL use the reg key I mentioned in the original
post to find out where it goes. The default as mentioned is

"C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\OFFICE11\MSACCESS.EXE"

One reason for why I was asking is that I deploy packages with the
runtime,
and knowing where the Access 2003 runtime was installed to using the
default
setup; I could target the .exe in the shortcut for the application.

Well, the path name is as above (as I mentioned). So, your shortcuts need to
point to the above.

And, further, the above path name is also used by the package wizard to
generate shortcuts.
In fact, the path name for shortcuts is hard coded to the above..and that is
why the p&d generates incorrect shortcuts

So, if you need to generate shortcuts, then use the reg key I mentioned (my
inno scripts use this key).

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE,
'SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Office\11.0\Access\InstallRoot\', 'path'

So, the p&d does install ms-access.exe to the same "non" default directory
as the version of office installed (*if* a non default dir was used), but
does NOT generate correct shortcuts when this happens. So, just use the
above key to gen your shortcuts.

I wanted to be sure that
the runtime was not installed in the same folder.
I have read items on other forums stating this should be done if more than
one version of Access exists on a computer.

Yes, for years this was a problem. Access 95, access 97, and access 2000 all
default to:

"C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\MSACCESS.EXE"

If you install one version + another to the same dir..you made a REAL mess.
So, prior to a2002, it was VERY important to choose a custom install and set
the directory.

Starting with a2002, they started separating this mess out, and as
mentioned, you now get:

"C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\OFFICE10\MSACCESS.EXE" (a2002)

"C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\OFFICE11\MSACCESS.EXE" (a2003)

So, each version of office now users its own dir. This means the a2003
runtime is far better in this regards.

Is there any way to direct the installation of the runtime to a custom
folder?

Well, not by using the package wizard (no..). You *mght* be able to use a
comand line switch (I think you can...but I don't know).

You can certainly download the orca tools and "edit" the resulting msi
script that the package wizard creates. However, it is somewhat convoluted
to modify that MSI file with ORCA (that MSI file is HUGE!!). You can also
assign your "own" file extensions by using ORCA also. In fact, I just been
too busy to sit down and do this. Doing this would give one a rather nice
and separate install..and one that likely would NOT bother/damage existing
ms-access versions.

There is also a open source installer from Microsoft (yes..you read that
right!!) that will apparently read msi files into a xml file..and create a
install for you. I not tired that either but this also has great potential
to allow us to build our own nice install scripts (I almost certain this is
the way to build a great runtime install --- no time for me to tackle
this..but I will...)..

As I mentioned, right now I use Inno to build my desktop shortcuts because
the a2003 does generate incorrect desktop shortcuts in the case that office
is installed to a non default directory.

For me..I just too short of time right now to deal with this..but I will
eventually...

If you are looking for some scripts give you independently installs, then
your only choice is

www.sagekey.com


--
Albert D. Kallal (Access MVP)
Edmonton, Alberta Canada
[email protected]
http://www.members.shaw.ca/AlbertKallal

 

[Windsailor]

As mentioned, since the installer found the full version..it skips the
install. However, you can STILL use the reg key I mentioned in the original
post to find out where it goes. The default as mentioned is

"C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\OFFICE11\MSACCESS.EXE"

Hi Albert,

Thank you for your time and your responses, you have been helpful.
But I think we are having some type of 'miscue' or 'misunderstanding' on one
point.

As I stated before I believe the installation for the A2003 runtime went
ahead and installed itself, even though I have the full version of A2003 and
A2003 Developer Extensions already installed on my machine.

The reason why I believe this is that I never got a prompt saying A2003 was
already installed (which should have terminated the install - it didn't), the
'Access 2003 Runtime' WAS listed in my 'Add Remove Programs' list by itself
with the proper nomenclature for that item, and after I uninstalled it and
ran my Full Version of Access 2003 for the first time after the uninstall of
the runtime, my A2003 full version had to re-install itself before it could
continue.

So I am having a hard time understanding that the install of the A2003
runtime never did take place. There were just too many instances or side
effects that would seem that a silent termination of the installation did
infact happen. Sorry.

I will pass on your suggestions about how to install the runtime to a custom
folder.

Thank you for your time.

 

[Windsailor]

I should of also stated that I used the Access 2003 Developers Packaging
Wizard to deploy the runtime.

I most assuredly will use another installer, a more professional one and
make similar suggestions to other people.

I think that is my main problem here, and also the problems of many other
developers that deploy Access's runtime. The Packager that comes with the
Developers Extensions seems to be very, very limited in its capabilities. Yes
it should have stopped the installation, it evidently didn't. Time to use a
new installer.

You have helped out quite a bit here.

Thanks again.

 

[Albert D.Kallal]

As I stated before I believe the installation for the A2003 runtime went
ahead and installed itself, even though I have the full version of A2003
and
A2003 Developer Extensions already installed on my machine.

The reason why I believe this is that I never got a prompt saying A2003
was
already installed (which should have terminated the install - it didn't)

The install will NOT give you a message...but will just through the motions
of installing.
So, if you already have the full version on the machine..there is not a
"complaint", but
simply the files are not installed.

'Access 2003 Runtime' WAS listed in my 'Add Remove Programs' list by
itself
with the proper nomenclature for that item, and after I uninstalled it and
ran my Full Version of Access 2003 for the first time after the uninstall
of
the runtime, my A2003 full version had to re-install itself before it
could
continue.

Yes, that makes sense....if I am saying that the runtime does not actually
install, then
when you un-installed it...it wreaked the full version.

So I am having a hard time understanding that the install of the A2003
runtime never did take place. There were just too many instances or side
effects that would seem that a silent termination of the installation did
infact happen. Sorry.

No, as I mentioned, you don't get a error message, but it is standard fair
that the runtime "checks" for the full version..and if the full version is
present, then only your
"additional" files that you packaged are installed...but the runtime will be
skipped.

To be fair, you really can't test any installs on a existing machine with
the full version of ms-access. You need a test mule with a "ghost" image
that you can then re-image the machine to a pristine state. Even better is
to use virtual-pc..as then you can test all day long..and after each
installed, you can "delete", or un-do the updates to the virtual
machine..and not mess up your development machine.

 

[Guest]

'Access 2003 Runtime' WAS listed in my 'Add Remove Programs' list

That is a single line in the registry. It is put there because the
Runtime Install creates registry entries (including a licence key),
and increments the count of applications which use the Office
executables and DLL's.

If it works correctly, it means that you can uninstall MS Office
and still use the Access Runtime, and still use the application
which installed the Access Runtime.

BTW, the A97 runtime installed under the Office Root folder if
there was one registered. If not, it installed under your Application
Root folder.

(david)

 

[Rick Brandt]

Where are the Runtime files installed for A97 through A2003?

In A97 they are installed in an Office folder that is a subfolder of the
application folder if Access does not already exist on the PC. If Access 97
already exists, then any additional runtime files will be installed in the
existing folder.

 

[vladislav]

In A97 they are installed in an Office folder that is a subfolder of the
application folder if Access does not already exist on the PC. If Access 97
already exists, then any additional runtime files will be installed in the
existing folder.