From Access database to real live Programme - ramping it upup

[ulteriormotif]

Hi folks

I have a challenge and a half on my hands, and I could really use your help.

I have been developing Access databases for several years, and we now have some rather nice products that the boss wants to start selling/franchising to other businesses in our group. NB: Some are self-contained access databases, other systems are hybrids where I throw data out to Excel spreadsheets to lay out some complex graphs and reports.

The boss wants:

* security from copying - ie, to be use a licencing code or whatever so that the products can't just be copied and distributed willy-nilly.
* expiring licences. Software will be sold as part of a franchise deal, so it has to expire at the end of the period, and be able to be renewed (with a new code presumably).
* Having to buy Access licences is also an issue for new users, though not a deal-breaker so far, it is a barrier we'd like to remove.

Really, it's about security. I also recognise that my hybrid systems, while they work just fine for me in-house, are fragile and not suitable for farming out to users who don't know what they're doing with them.

Realistically, I think we're talking about turning these databases into stand alone programmes.

Question: How? What with?

I know there is/was an Access Runtime Application Builder on the market - I actually held the box in my hot little hands a few years ago (drool).. but that's all I know. Is it still about? How complex is it? What does one need to know to use it? Could I reproduce my Excel reports with it? (I'm guessing cost could be a barrier here too).

What about building these as programmes? What platform would I use? Is this a Visual Basic type thing? (I'm not a programmer - if I'm completely out of left field, please say). I have got some time and a helluva lot of ability once pointed in the right direction... and a programming language has been on my slate to learn for a long time, so I'm not averse to that - but I'd like to know that I'm at least learning the right thing.

Would very much appreciate your ideas.

Thanks in advance.

 

[jrbarnett]

Hi,

This won't answer all of your questions, but will give you a few pointers:

1. The Access runtime is supplied with the Office Developer edition. However, not all Access applications will run under this (because it doesn't allow all facilities to run). This is freely distributable if you purchase an Offixe Developer license, but Excel certainly isn't covered - so your users will need a copy of Excel for the graphing.
Visual Basic can certainly be used to manipulate Access databases, and so could potentially get around the need for the Access runtime, but I am not very familiar with it and don't know how good its graphing capabilities are - which if they are would negate the need for Excel on the machine.
If you decide to stick with Access however, the MDE format will protect your source code from viewing/modification by the users.

2. You are wondering about how stable your applications are. The easiest thing to do here is to thoroughly test it - type words into text boxes for numbers, try and select non existent items from list boxes etc. Try putting Access but not Excel on a computer - does it fall over gracefully or crash when it can't connect to excel?
Also what happens if you have different versions? If you developed the lot in 97, does it cope if 2000 or XP are on the machine?

3. Documentation for the end users is essential. This can be a user guide in word/PDF format, on screen help files, tooltips etc.

John

 

[pweegar]

If you are worried about someone copying your code, what tou can do is, AFTER MAKING A BACKUP OF ALL YOUR CODE, TABLES, rtc. is to create an mde file. To do this, go to tools, database utilites. What it does, among other things, is cut out your code, gets rid of the standard menu's etc. Once done tho, you can't go back.

And in your Access apps, set up user groups with passwords for both users and on databases.tables. HGelps cut down on someone copying the app and getting use out of it.

Altho I'm not overly familiar with Access 2000 developer (and yes it exists and yes it has a distribution program), I really liked the Access97 developer. It was easy to use.

If you REALLY want to make things harder for ppl to distribute your app, after so many wrong log in attempts, simply drop tables!!!

As far as licensing goes, you might need to look into a licensing program that would work with Access.

 

[psemianonymous]

I keep up with the newsgroups, and there's a particularly fascinating thread on security from a few months back:

http://groups.google.com/groups?hl=...ess&hl=en&lr=&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&start=10&sa=N

I left it on the post of the guy who had a really innovative/sneaky security system. A lot of other good answers in that thread.

 

[ulteriormotif]

Just a quick note to say thank you all for your help and apologise for not having been back sooner. Printing replies to read over now, and will reply properly in a day or so.