A2000 runtime on Office 97 1

[oharab]

Bear with me & I'll tell you a story…My turn to ask for help! There is a question at the end, but I thought it might be useful to give some background information.
I developed an application in Access 97 to be converted into a runtime to distribute. Unfortunately my helpful IT team managed to lose the Office 97 ODE so I couldn't distribute it. They did have the 2000 ODE so I could convert my db and use that to roll out my database.
To make things easier for myself I just used DAO and referenced everything explicitly (using DAO.Database etc.) with a view to changing it when I'm more confident using ADO.
To do the converting a full version of Office 97 was installed on my machine, but not the ODE. (I don't work in IT; therefore I cannot be considered a developer. 3 years of Access, VB & web development count for nothing if your face doesn't fit!)
When the time came to create the runtime & roll out the package to users I thought my job was done! How wrong was I!
Here's the scenario: Users all have Office 97 installed on their machines, but not Access. The runtime is created using 2000 ODE on a different computer over in IT. I am assured it runs fine on his PC, but have not seen it for myself.
When the package is installed on another users machine, everything seems to be fine until you run the file. It opens fine, but as soon as I start to do things in it, it all falls to pieces.
When I try & view a chart I get an error with unrecognised function …. And part of the SQL statement the chart is based one which uses IIF statements.
When I try to import a text file (using my own import routine that reads a line at a time) I get a blank msgbox appearing.
All this happens when running the mde file on the runtime package. When I run the mdb file, I don't even get the package started! The autoexec macro, which refreshes the linked tables and opens the 1st form, just falls over with a runtime error and chucks me out.
I have imported the code from Dev & Terry's reference wizard & set it so it runs when the database opens. According to that there are NO referenced files in the runtime version of the file. In mine there are 7!
I kind of assumed that the P&DW took care of all this references stuff. Is there a problem with the wizard or the person using it? If I need to make my own references, how do I set references from code if the code doesn't run in the 1st place?
Please help me with this; it's coming up to pay review time!

Many thanks in advance

Ben
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Ben O'Hara
Home: bpo@RobotParade.co.uk
Work: bo104@westyorkshire.pnn.police.uk
Web:

http://www.RobotParade.co.uk

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[Jucius]

This is a shot in the dark, but you might want to try installing the latest MS Jet Database service pack (#6 I think) that shows up on windowsupdate.com on the users' machines and see if it makes a difference.

 

[Francescina]

The problem you encounter is just "normal" and provocated by the bugs in the PDW that comes with the runtime/Developer Edition.
Serious developers replace the PDW either with Sagekey/WISE (about 900$) or the MDT-2000 (300$ and comes with the complete A2K runtime!).

Here is an excerpt of an Acces Online Encyclopedia (

http://www.unsoftwareag.com)

article:

The Package and Deployment Wizard

All ACCESS applications require a certain number of files. The minimum case scenario is one single MDB or MDE file, but in general applications are more complex: activated security systems require MDW files and startup shortcuts, language or training versions work with several backend files, special folder structures are necessary as well as fonts, icon files, shortcuts, ActiveX elements, wizards, CHM files, sound and graphic files...
The complete folder and file structure needs to be managed by a special installer program. MS delivers the so-called "Package and Deployment Wizard" aka PDW with the Developer Edition.
Unfortunately, the PDW is not very confortable to work with, its functions are limited and it is extremely inflexible.
Even its activation is tricky:
After the installation of the PDW on your hard disk you will not find it in ACCESS' list of add-ons! You first need to open the VB-Editor window and activate the PDW.
The reason is the fact that the PDW has not been designed for ACCESS 2000 but for Visual Basic 6! This explains why a part of the functions that do not work with the deployment of applications (no shortcuts or ICO-Files, often the keyboard-language changes automatically from non-english languages like Danish and Dutch to English and so on.

 

[Zeroanarchy]

The Package and Deployment Wizard, what a crock this is it deploys everything you dont need and notyhing you do need to places you can not get to.

Well this is what I discovered.

Solution well if you have VB6 and have a little bit of time create your own install program does not take much and if you are after a setup program with source I can give you a copy of mine as long as you change the relevant file info it works a treat.
The problem with running your own install program
people who have win9X tend not to update there system with microsoft updates so you have to build that into the app.Also you need to create your own delete program as well.

If you are interested let me know, it took a bit of time to design the install program and it works with every version of Windows and also installs the relevant updates necessary. The you can also get a smaller version of Runtime which is about 70k to make life a bit easier, I do not know if this helps at all but it is an option never the less.

Zero Anarchy

 

[oharab]

Francescina, I hope you are not implying I am not a serious developer, just because I don't have use Sagekey etc! My ranking within this group goes some way to refuting that I hope! The reality of the situation is I work for an organisation who don't take access very seriously & with an IT team who are distinctly anti-Access. (They'd much rather create Lotus notes databases than entertain the idea Access is any good!) It has taken me over 6 months to convince them Access is a viable option, now all this hard work is being wasted by this damn wizard! There is little chance of me getting any of the packages you mention, it looks like I am going to have to find a way round this!

Zero, I would love to have a look at the source for your installer. I have vb6 at home so could compile it there and run it here if need be. Could you send it to my work email.

Thanks for your thoughts guys, keep them coming!

B ----------------------------------
Ben O'Hara
Home: bpo@RobotParade.co.uk
Work: bo104@westyorkshire.pnn.police.uk
Web:

http://www.RobotParade.co.uk

----------------------------------

 

[Zeroanarchy]

oharab the code is on its way, hope it helps.

Zero Anarchy

 

[Zeroanarchy]

oharad how did you go with the code I sent you.

Zero Anarchy

 

[oharab]

Zero,
I didn't receive the code! I'm not able to check my home email as I'm in the middle of moving house (grrr :-( ), so I don't know if you sent it there, but I did get it working in the end.
It was all down to references. I am developping on a system with a full install of Office 2k. Users will have an install of Offive 97 & Access 2k runtime. I set my references to Word & Excel, forgetting they were 2k versions which users will not have.
The solution was to use late binding & live with the slight performance hit. The package now works better than I could have expected.

Thanks for your time, anyway. I will still have a look at your code with interest.

Cheers

Ben ----------------------------------------
Ben O'Hara
Home: bpo@SickOfSpam.RobotParade.co.uk
Work: bo104@SickOfSpam.westyorkshire.pnn.police.uk
(in case you've not worked it out get rid of Sick Of Spam to mail me!)
Web:

http://www.RobotParade.co.uk

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