Distributing an Access Database

[mondeoman]

I have tried this question in the Access Projects Forum but without a successful reply so I hope this might be a more appropriate forum. I want to be able to create an access database where I can allow users who may not have MS Access on their machines or may have different versions which could prove difficult for them to use if I was not around to help them with the necessary conversion. I am not in the position to pay hundreds of pounds for Microsoft's development environment nor would I have the skill to write the whole program without using MS Access which I am reasonably familiar with now. Can anyone give me an idea of how I might be able to achieve this objective? One thought I had was to put the .mdb database file in a VB 2005 Express edition project. Does anyone thig this would be a way round the problem?

 

[jontout]

If you're trying to have multiple users have WRITE Access (or READ) to the data within a database table but without them having MS Access on their workstation, you could create an ASP webpage (or Intranet) using Notepad?

 

[mondeoman]

Thank you for your input but I don't think this would achieve the aim. This is a database that the user will have write access - i.e. data input to the forms supplied with the database. The user will need to have access to the full gui of the db. In the old days Microsoft had the access development software which allowed you to create a distributable program. I don't know if they have a similar piece of software now but if they have we are probably talking several hundreds of pounds which is not feasible with a charity style project.

 

[MasterRacker]

All versions of Access have a free runtime version available, even Access 2007. You should be able to develop with a full copy of Access then distribute the mdb with a copy of the runtime.

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/...d9-9dc6-4b38-9fa6-2c745a175aed&displaylang=en

_____
Jeff
[small][purple]It's never too early to begin preparing for [/purple]International Talk Like a Pirate Day
"The software I buy sucks, The software I write sucks. It's time to give up and have a beer..." - Me[/small]

 

[mondeoman]

Thank you MasterRacker for your input. The problem with the runtime.exe file is that a user must first download this is the y don't have access on their machines. This could be problematic for some users. It strikes me that my best bet is to import the tables to Visual Basic 2005 Express Edition, try and develop the necessary forms, queries etc and then use something like inno a windows installer (

http://www.jrsoftware.org/isdl.php).

Anyway again thanks for your input and I will get back to the drawing board.

Beeky

 

[MasterRacker]

Look for a Windows installer that can include extra files. You might be able to download the runtime yourself and package it with your mdb.

That being said, if you can redevelop your application in VB 2005 you'll be better off in the long run.

_____
Jeff
[small][purple]It's never too early to begin preparing for [/purple]International Talk Like a Pirate Day
"The software I buy sucks, The software I write sucks. It's time to give up and have a beer..." - Me[/small]