runtime access97 on thumb drive? (1 Viewer)

jmurphy

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does anyone know if it's possible to "install" the runtime version of access 97 (we do have developer's edition, so can distribute the run-time version) to a thumb drive so that it would run without having to install it on each computer that one was going to use the thumb drive on - is there any add'l software that would make this possible/ - the application is for figure skating clubs - with distribution of up to 1000 copies - the idea is to distribute them to member clubs and various officers could use the application and exchange up-to-date data by passing on the thumb drive - this also would hpefully avoid all installation problems with pc's having various versions of access already installed, etc. - thanks for any suggestions- jim
 
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Pat Hartman

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The problem is with the way Windows programs are installed. There are registry entries and supporting .dll's that need to be handled also. You can probably get all the supporting .dll's to be loaded onto the thumb drive but I don't have any suggestions for how you would deal with the registry.
 

ghudson

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You can install an Access 97 runtime on a computer that already has another retail version of Access [2000/2002/2003] installed.

I predict a lot of problems trying to forward a USB drive version of the db around to 1000 users [even if you could get it to work].
 

jmurphy

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distributing it about on cd's is no picnic either and the installation on machines that may or may not have have other versions of access already installed or subsequently installed is no picnic - even when we were only distributing to 20 clubs - someone could spend full-time walking folks through installation problems (including folks installing access 97 on machines with 2003 already installed, etc.) - that's why i'm interested in trying to do it through a flash drive, and thereby hopefully avoiding the installation problems - is anyone familiar with the U3 platform, and would this make it possible for it to be loaded on the flash drive (or would MS have to modify access first to make it u3 compatible)? - jim
 

Pat Hartman

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I would suggest two separate installations.
1. For places that have some version of Access already installed. Any of them can run an A97 database.
2. For places that have NO version of Access installed. Only these people will need the runtime.

That separation will eliminate a lot of conflict problems.
 

jmurphy

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the problem with that is that different versions of access cause problems for the application - one aspect of the program is the preparation of reports that are forms created by others - what we did was convert the pdf forms to bmp images - shrink the size down to 8x10 (from 81/2 x 11) and set the images as wallpaper for the report (as "clip")- this worked fine in '97 and converted to 2000 okay - but in subsequent versions conversion results in totally losing the size of the wallpaper - changing from "clip" to another setting makes workable, but then all text boxes have to be moved about - so that option doesn't work (unless there's another solution to the graphic handling), but i spent a lot of time on it a few years ago and couldn't find solution and ms didn't address conversion problem - any other ideas? - thanks again - jim
 

WindSailor

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If you want the app to run strictly on the '97 runtime, I would assume all you would have to do is create the shortcut to your application with the '97 'runtime switch'. But I don't know where Access installs your version of the runtime.

----------Edit----------
I mean assign the correct .exe to run your app in your shortcut.
 
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