Access 2007 Upgrade Requirements

[jkfeagle]

I've got Access 2000 and was wondering what I needed to upgrade to Access 2007. By this I mean, front page of manual, ID code, etc. And is it something I have to present at purchase or something that Microsoft validates online. Does anyone know?

 

[boblarson]

I don't think they require any "proof" upon purchase but it checks your system to see if you have a valid "Genuine Microsoft" previous version on your machine when you install.

 

[Oldsoftboss]

Is it still too early to upgrade to A2007 yet?
I installed the beta version last year, and none of the A2000 db's I created would work (cmdbuttons, code etc). With the ribbon thingy, I wonder if you can still create custom menus etc and lock it down like you can A2000, 2002, 2003, not giving the end user any access to the Db window and the like.

Dave

 

[boblarson]

Is it still too early to upgrade to A2007 yet?
I installed the beta version last year, and none of the A2000 db's I created would work (cmdbuttons, code etc). With the ribbon thingy, I wonder if you can still create custom menus etc and lock it down like you can A2000, 2002, 2003, not giving the end user any access to the Db window and the like.

Dave

Everything I've tried in it works fine. I know you can create custom ribbons, but I haven't tried any of that yet. As far as locking down, you can sort of do it by changing the extension from accdb to accdr but if people know you can just change it back it doesn't do much good. User level security is only available if you skip the new accdb formats and go with the 2000-2003 format.

 

[AccessJunkie]

Hi Dave,

You can still lock your database down in 2007 probably just as much as you can with previous versions. As Bob pointed out, if you're using ULS, you'll need to keep the file format as MDB to use those functions.

You can create your own custom Ribbons to display just what you want to for your users. There will be a little training needed of course in that area. Remember you still have the option to use all your custom menu bars and toolbars from your existing application if you want.

--------------------
Jeff Conrad - Access Junkie - MVP Alumni
SDET - XAS Services - Microsoft Corporation

Co-author - Microsoft Office Access 2007 Inside Out
Presenter - Microsoft Access 2007 Essentials
http://www.accessmvp.com/JConrad/accessjunkie.html
Access 2007 Info: http://www.AccessJunkie.com

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[jkfeagle]

Thanks for the upgrade info.

Two more questions:

1) Is the upgrade buggy enough that I should wait for some of the patches to be applied at the product leve?

2) What are these 'ribbons' you guys are referring to?

 

[boblarson]

1) Is the upgrade buggy enough that I should wait for some of the patches to be applied at the product leve?

I don't know for sure as I don't use it enough yet to be aware of all of the issues.

2) What are these 'ribbons' you guys are referring to?

The ribbon is what they call the new tool bar that is on the program in place of the toolbars that you are used to seeing. Office 2007 uses them. By default there are no menus, but I believe you can turn one on if you want.

 

[RoyVidar]

1 - Check out Allen Brownes article http://allenbrowne.com/Access2007.html - near the bottom there's a "Should I buy Access 2007" section.

2 - If you want to learn about those dreadful things MS have replaced menus and toolbars with, that steals about seven toolbars height of screen real estate, here's one MS link http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/products/HA101679411033.aspx, then perhaps also check out Gunter Avenius site http://www.accessribbon.de/en/?Access_-_Ribbons if you're interested in manipulating it.

I wouldn't be surprised if this particular feature of Office 2007 causes more people to investigate other products (OpenOffice?) - though, Access is hard/impossible to replace - and/or delay upgrading. Upgrading to 2007 will cost - both in hardware (wonder what screen size/resolution the guys inventing this ribbon stuff have, but I'll bet it's significantly more than the average user), but also in training. I mean, where's the friggin print button in Word/Excel? Luckily, ctrl+p is one of the shortcuts that still work.

 

[CraigDolphin]

That Allen Brown link makes for interesting reading. After reading some of the 'good' I was becoming tempted to dabble with it: despite having to deal with the ridiculous 'ribbon'. Then I read the rest and now I'm quite happy to keep playing with 2000/2003 until the cows come home

Seriously ...fields within fields? How is that even remotely helpful? Normalization is tough enough to figure out without that!

 

[AccessJunkie]

Access 2007 has seen a lot of changes and in my opinion they've added some cool new features. Don't discount it completely.


--------------------
Jeff Conrad - Access Junkie - MVP Alumni
SDET - XAS Services - Microsoft Corporation

Co-author - Microsoft Office Access 2007 Inside Out
Presenter - Microsoft Access 2007 Essentials
http://www.accessmvp.com/JConrad/accessjunkie.html
Access 2007 Info: http://www.AccessJunkie.com

----------
This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.
Use of included script samples are subject to the terms specified at
http://www.microsoft.com/info/cpyright.mspx
----------