Note The "I hate Access" Thread 2

[davidn]

I've been reading the complaints and the comments and commentaries posted on this thread and attempted to respond with a question of my own. But I think I needed to do it as a new thread to solicit responses. So with apologies for unwitting duplications, here is my submission, again!

This has all been quite interesting. I only recently acquired Office 2K Professional (just to get Access 2000) I started with Access V.2, skipped Access95 and really becaume a serious programmer with V.8(97). I also had used the DTK for Access2.0 and the ODE which you buy to go with Office97. So, naturally, I wanted to get the ODE or whatever it would be called in 2000. Then someone told me it was packaged in Office2K professional. Only after purchase did I learn it ain't. When I went looking, Microsoft's website doesn't even offer Office2000 products(Hey! Buy our OfficeXP!) A phone call to MS tech support gained me the insight that I should try to find a copy of Office 2000 Premium (which they advised is the Developer's version) I finally tracked down a 3rd party supplier who had it on the shelf(Man! where did all those copes go?)But they called me to verify this was what I really wanted. I related the assurances of MS tech support and they said OK! we got a copy for you. So I bought it and installed it, but am only superficially getting into the works with it. And then I read in the "Hate Access" thread that I'm wrong! That there really is a "developer's edition" and, immediately, I'm concerned I won't be able to build run-time set-ups for application distribution with what I have in my possession. Can someone verify this for me. I paid about $750 for the Premium Edition. And I still have the original Office 2K Professional on the shelf. If I go to management and tell them I bought the wrong one again and still have to buy another, they may shoot me.

 

[lameid]

I believe Premium is Professional Plus Frontpage and Publisher and that developer is a different animal.

I recommend going to

http://www.wopr.com

and signing up for all of Woody's newsletters. There is an article about versions there. Cheaperoffice.com might have a description but Woody's Office Watch says to go there to find the best deal.

 

[MHadden]

I first began using access 97, and was going to get the developer kit for it, then the company upgraded to Office 2k, & I had to get office 2k developer. Anyway, what I learned when I was researching it in the beginning is that the developer (always has been) a seperate program, not bundled with one of the Office programs. I do remember the name of the program is ADT for Access Development Kit, you may want to check Microsoft's site. Sorry for the bad luck you've had, but I hope this helps a little.
Michael

 

[davidn]

Thanks to both lameid and mhadden for responding. Now, let me share with you what came to light yesterday aftenoon. I called the vendor who supplied my O2K Premium pkg and was informed that the developer's edition really is comprised of the premium pkg + another CD. They did not have the developer's edition, but did have the premium, alone. So they had gone to MS and ordered the developer CD to ship to me after the fact. Someone just forgot to tell me this and there was no backorder indication on my shippijng papers. But I'm to be patient, be sure I keep my license agreement close at hand, and all will be rectified in a matter of days.

 

[Francescina]

The whole complex in two words:

1.) the runtime files for ACCESS 2000 are exclusively found on the "Developer" CD of the so-called Microsoft Office Developer Edition 2000 (MOD-2000).
This MOD exists in different versions (Update and full).
The "full" version contains Office 2000 professional.

2.) As soon as M$ upgrades its product line they stop to distribute the "ancient" developer editions in order to force the professional developers to upgrade.
This was already a big problem with Access 97 and now the same happens with A2K.
You can always try to find a "second hand" version (at ebay or elsewhere) or you can buy the runtime with third-party installers such as the mdt2000 (see powerups link page on the Access Online encyclopedia website

http://www.unsoftwareag.com).

 

[Oppenhiemer]

I may have missed something here - but I can say that the developers tools do ship with Office 2k Premium. Unlike the Office 97 Developers toolkit (that was sold seperately) the 2k version is emedded in the new version of Access (sort of.)

You need to :
1. Go into the "Modules" design mode
2. Click on the "Add in" menu
3. Click the "Add in Manager"
4. You should see an entry reading "VBA Package and Deployment Wizard"

5. Highlight this entry and tick both the "Loaded/unloaded" and "Load at Startup"

And thats it! Oh .. you will also need to copy some files (not installed by default) over to your HD in order for the whole thing to work. Piece of cake eh ?

When I first recieved my version of the Premium Edition of Office - I too thought there had been some mistake as I could not locate the Development/re-distribution wizard.

In the end I had to phone MS technical support in order to find out how to access the developers features.

I have not read the &quot;I hate Access&quot; or whatever thread - but I think I probably do >:-<. Having spent around £450 on the latest version of the program (having already developed Database apps using 97 and associated tools) I have since been extreemly dissapointed with the results.

To avoid ranting any further I will just give one example of how the 2K version falls flat. The size of the distribution files for say a 1MB database file are around 160MB! Compare this with the 11MB it takes to do the exact same thing in 97 and you see the problem.

Anyway, happy trails..

 

[davidn]

Interesting news! But tell me, what files do you have to copy and where, \windows\system? or, in my case, \winNT\system? Does CD have a text file describing all this?

 

[natemclain]

I would have to say that I have a Filemaker Pro database that I use. And I have more data in it then I do with my Access 2K DB. And my Access DB is really HUGE compared to the Filemaker Pro. But then again.... I dont find any good forums like this for Filemaker Pro either.....:-(
So I keep working with Access.
I would also like to know what files have to be copied because I have Premium Edition as well and I didnt know this either.

TIA

natemclain

 

[Oppenhiemer]

Hi -

I purchased Office 2000 Premium and this came with the usual office disks and 2 others called &quot;Office Developer&quot;. On one of these is a directory called ODE Tools and the you need to copy this directory into your Office directory in order to access the runtime files.

I must just say that if you did not receive the Office Developer disks when you purchased Office Premium - then it can only be due to some shifting policy on Microsofts part (perhaps they sold it seperately when you bought your copy.)

But as fas as I am aware - Office Premium ships with the developers tools - and this is how I received mine. Hope this helps.

Opp.

 

[Oppenhiemer]

Hi again -

Just re-read your post dnorred - and that is indeed strange that the Developer CD did not come bundled with Office Premium ? That sounds very strange indeed - have you considered talking to MS about this ?

Opp.

P.S I purchased my version about a year ago.

 

[davidn]

O.K. Here's the gist of what I've been told, emphasis on told. None of this is official MS word(no pun intended)

Office Premium is supposed to be the full slate of office, period, with the addition of photo editor, front page, outlook. and something called small business tools.

The &quot;developer's edition is a separate package, supposedly consisting of all the above + the ODE or whatever they call it now. My vendor advised me they were unable to find the developer's edition so they shipped me the basic &quot;premium,&quot; and ordered the ODE from MS. They said they can do that, unlike, I suppose, us end users.

Note that responder, &quot;francescina,&quot; says that there's two versions, an upgrade and a &quot;full&quot; version, the full being office professional. She says the upgrade consists of the developer stuff alone. So there you go. Incidentally, I think I'll try ebay. Someone advised that you can pick up second-hand copies of all this cheaply. We'll see!

Anyway thanks to all for the advice and comments. I've enjoyed this, even if I haven't resolved the problem yet.

 

[gyma]

This thread was informative, entertaining and came at a time that suited my quest for Access2K + developers tools.... THANKs_

and DNorred.... if you have a spare copy of Office 2K Premium , I could use one ..

Thanks again_

gyma (jama)

 

[gyma]

This thread was informative, entertaining and came at a time that suited my quest for Access2K + developers tools.... THANKs

and DNorred.... if you have a spare copy of Office 2K Premium , I could use one ..

Thanks again

gyma (jama)