Runtime Access

[Guest_imported]

Hi,

I am trying to distribute an app using the ode tools.
When my app is distributed to a pc without office installed, I get errors because the word and outlook librarys ('olb's) aren't registered. how do I register these using code (I tried shell regserver...) but this didn't work 'cause it only works for dll's. Any ideas ?

 

[RickSpr]

The object libraries should have been registered automatically when Word and Outlook were installed on the target computers. I'm assuming they are installed; if they're not, is your application designed to work in a degraded mode? If so, maybe you can test for Word and Outlook already installed when you install your application, and add them to the References collection if they exist.

BTW, if you're just trying to copy the object libraries as part of your distribution, that's a no-no. They're not redistributable. You need licensed copies of Word and Outlook on the target computers. Rick Sprague

 

[TomIII]

Hey Rick...

Are you sure about the redistribution of the *.olb files? I'd think if Bill is using the Package and Deployment Wizard with Office Developer Edition (a pricey little piece of software), then that license extends to his distribution of the MS support files as well as the compiled runtime.

Reason I ask, I'm distributing an Access2000 runtime and require msword9.olb and msacc9.olb for some of the referenced files...as well as comdlg32.ocx, come to think of it. I'm packaging them with the distribution set and indicating $System as the installation path. Works great on a non-Office machine, as it should. The whole point of the Access (and Office ODE) runtime application is that it can be installed on a machine without those apps installed.

If there is something you know about this that I don't, I certainly need to be aware prior to broad distribution.

Best Regards,

Tom

 

[RickSpr]

Actually, I was speaking off the cuff. I was too lazy to actually check the docs.

But I still think I'm right. The object libraries comprise virtually all of the functionality of Word and Outlook. They're a bit too robust to be classified as "Access support files." All that's missing is the user interface code. If you were allowed to redistribute them, you could write a complete custom office suite package based on an Access application--one that generates form letters with the Word library, accounting functions with the Excel library, and does email and scheduling with the Outlook library--and Microsoft would lose an Office customer! Does that seem like standard MS marketing to you?

But you're right, I should have tried to look this up rather than guess about it. If you check it out, please post your findings back here. Thanks. Rick Sprague

 

[TomIII]

Rick...

Thanks for the insights.

My head is hurting from pouring through the licensing agreement with ODE. I'd rather look at code <g>. I'm going to turn it over to the legal-eagles to figure out.

I believe, from what I've read, that I'm on safe footing with the msacc9.olb. The others are a little fuzzy, though. It looks like it may depend on how much functionality you are actually providing in the interface. In my case, it is just using VBA to publish a couple of reports in .rtf/Word format. That may be within Microsoft's parameters. Regarding &quot;Does that seem like standard MS marketing to you?&quot;: You've definitely got a valid point.

Bill...sorry for hijacking your thread.

Thanks again...

Tom

 

[RickSpr]

I didn't mean to imply that I thought msacc9.olb was not redistributable. That's basically the Access runtime, after all! Without it, there would be no application to distribute.

Thanks for passing along your research, Tom. I hope your understanding so far proves to be correct. It'd be nice to know that MS would be reasonable enough to let you distribute the libraries, provided you're not essentially competing with them. Rick Sprague

 

[Guest_imported]

Doh, Did I forget to say that I am compiling the db. The references.addfromfile gives an error saying that its not a vba project.

Any ideas ?

Bill

 

[RickSpr]

As Tom indicated above, if you're using the Package and Deployment Wizard, you should be able to include the .olb files in the package and I think they'll auto-install. If you don't have the PDW, I wouldn't know how to register them.

You might want to start a new thread and ask again. This thread is a couple of days old and has too many replies to attract attention from anyone new. Rick Sprague

 

[TomIII]

Rick...

Don't know if you are still monitoring this thread, but came across a bit of a more definitive explanation. (Stumbled across it, actually, while looking for something else.)

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;Q249843

Regards