Deployment package for Access (1 Viewer)

JohnPapa

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In the past I used Sagekey, but they do no longer offer the product.

I have a Front-end .accde, a back-end .accdb and a runtime (in this case for Access 2013). My installation is independent of any Access running on the pc, since it uses the runtime.

I have looked into SSE Setup, but their manual is cumbersome at best. It was Winston Churchill who said before a speech he was going to give "It is too long because I did not have time to prepare for it." I have sent SSE an email, but received no reply. I found interesting the email acknowledgement that "You may not receive a reply". Not very reassuring from a company that sells a product.

Is anyone aware of a deployment package that you take a FE, a BE and the runtime and create a .exe in a user friendly manner?

John
 

theDBguy

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Hi John. I'm surprised that you didn't have a good experience trying out SSE Setup. The developer actually created a help page and video to help Access Developers use that product. Have you seen it? Just curious...

 

JohnPapa

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Yes I have seen it. It is 20 minutes. It should not take 20 minutes to create a .exe.

I got lost in the second screen where it says if you have a FE and BE look at the Help.
 

JohnPapa

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If someone is selling a product and they do not reply, it is not good business.
 

JohnPapa

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I was not referring to you of course. Your help is much appreciated and thanks again.
 

theDBguy

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I was not referring to you of course. Your help is much appreciated and thanks again.
Okay, I don't know of any other installer/packager I can recommend you, but I'm sure others will have plenty of suggestions.

What I can try to do for you is, if you still want to continue to try using SSE Setup, maybe I can find a better tutorial for you. And if I don't find any, maybe I can help walk you through the process.

(Full Disclosure: I would try to find you a good link first, because I haven't used SSE Setup in a while, so I'm a little rusty with it right now.)
 

JohnPapa

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I just tried it again and it is complaining that it cannot find Setup links.
 

JohnPapa

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As a software developer, I tell my clients that if they cannot use my software without a manual, it is my fault. To read SSE's manual would take a very long time. What is wrong with creating a video "How to create a .exe using a FE, a BE and a runtime in 60 seconds". Maybe a bit too optimistic.
 

CJ_London

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I use Inno Script Studio, you can include any additional files you like but I do not include the runtime version since it could cause conflict if the user already has a different version installed (either runtime or the full version). It also makes the resultant .exe extremely large. Instead I provide a link to where they can download from MS if required.
 

isladogs

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I use SamLogic Visual Studio Professional. There is a cheaper Standard version as well.
It is a commercial product but far cheaper than SageKey.
See https://www.samlogic.net/visual-installer/visual-installer.htm

In my opinion, the Pro version is better than SSE because it includes a scripting tool which significantly enhances what you can do with the product.
It is very easy to use and in my experience the developers respond well to suggestions for improved features.
Note that I have no connection with SamLogic other than as a customer.

I have also used Inno and it works well but is purely script based.
 

chrislong2

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Hi John,

I am Chris Long, the developer of SSE Setup. I apologize that I did not reply to your emails - I've had some suspicious emails to me pretending to be SSE Setup related, and yours got lumped in that group - I apologize.

With that said, I take issue with how you have categorized SSE Setup above. While it is true that SSE Setup has a very complete help file for those needing it or wanting it, most users of SSE Setup sticking to the core things don't hardly need the help file much if at all and its manual/help file is context-sensitive meaning that only the help you need on a specific subject is shown when you click the help button on a page of the project editor. The help file was never intended for anyone to sit and try to read through from start to finish. That would give anyone (myself included) a headache!

For Access developers, they ARE advised to read ONE page in the help file called the Access Deployment Guide that walks you step by step through creating your install. When you start a new Access project in SSE Setup, it prompts you to open this guide. If you read and follow this guide, you should have a fully working Access install in a pretty short amount of time For those that are more visual and want to actually see it in action, I even created that 20 minute video referenced above where I fully walk through the process. The actual process only takes a few minutes at best - it is a 20 minute video so that I have time to more fully explain and show things. SSE Setup can legitimiately be criticized for being a number of things, but not being easy-to-use to me (and pretty much most anyone I've ever heard from) is definitely not one of them. Any criticisms are usually for being TOO easy-to-use that it might not easily allow for some more complex things that can only be accomplished by scripting (a la what isladogs mentions above).

By the way, the question you asked me in your emails to me is answered in point 2 of that mentioned Access Deployment Guide.

One thing that your posting here has brought out and I will plan to change is that I will add a note to the Access specific page on the website to specifically mention the Access Deployment Guide. It is mentioned in the video and when you start a new project in SSE Setup that it detects is an Access project, it will prompt to open the guide, however, it's possible somebody could start using SSE Setup and just playing around with it without selecting an Access db and never see that prompt and thus not realize the guide exists.

Wishing you all the best,
Chris
 

theDBguy

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Hi Chris. Welcome to AWF!
 

chrislong2

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One more thing I probably should mention here since the issue of "support" has come up. It is true that I have never guaranteed support for SSE Setup. While historically I have been known to provide excellent support for SSE Setup and often gone over-and-above, it is also true that I have always reserved the right not to respond. As time has gone on, particularly because SSE Setup DOES have that complete help file and now tutorial videos, and also because SSE Setup is partly free and when not, isn't typically some big money maker (the installer field is VERY crowded...), I less and less have responded to emails where I know the answer has already been provided in help etc. Most recently, in addition to the other email problem I mentioned in my post above, I also have recently moved and been pretty busy, so I've been more into "triage" mode and some things have fallen through the cracks. If you are wanting a product that has guaranteed support, SSE Setup is not it. But on the flipside, SSE Setup typically doesn't really need much support.
 

JohnPapa

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Hi Chris,

Many thanks for the information which you have provided, which I will read once I get some free time...

We are looking to buy a deployment package for our product (www.VisualDentist.com). Even though we have a cloud-based .NET software package as well (VisualDentist.dentist) many of our dentist clients prefer the desktop version created with Access.

I have used Access since Access 2, when it was not part of Office and have written a book on Access as well.

I am sure with your assistance we will get things rolling and when successful I promise I will create a video on how to create a .exe using a FE, BE, Runtime and logo, hopefully a short one.

Many thanks again,
John
 

JohnPapa

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Hi Chris, I tried creating a package using SSE, but was unsuccessful.

I have a Frontend (.accde), a Backend (.accdb), an icon file (.ico) and the Access 2013 Runtime.

Can I use SSE to create ONE installation package that will install the above, irrespective of whether Access is installed on the pc. It is preferable that Access is not installed on the pc. The backend can be installed in the same folder as the frontend and the icon on the desktop.

The video assumes that Access is installed and there is no clear indication what to do with a pc that only has the Runtime.

During the installation and after I entered the FE .accde, you mention in the video that at this point, the user has a working package and call the user to click on TEST. I did, and an error appeared as indicated in the attachment.

Thanks,
John
 

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Pat Hartman

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Another installer that might work for you is Visual Installer by Sam Logic. I haven't used it in a few years but it was easy easy enough for my purpose at the time.
 

isladogs

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I mentioned the SamLogic installer back in post #11. I agree that its definitely worth a look and a free evaluation version is available.
 

Pat Hartman

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Sorry, I missed that reference. Good to hear that you liked it also.
 

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