Are you using a starter to update the FE? (1 Viewer)

KitaYama

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I use the bat method to update clients' Front Ends.
Searching the forum to find a better method, I noticed there's a starter app method too.
So far I see @isladogs @arnelgp & @bastanu suggesting using a starter app.

I have several questions for you if you prefer starter over bat.

  1. What happens if a user runs the FE without using the starter app? The starter shortcut is sitting on the desktop or anywhere else, but a user can always launch Access and select the FE from the history. In this way a version check will never occur.
  2. Is there any way to hide Access Splash screen in the starter? I have a splash screen when the starter launches, then another one for the FE.
  3. How do you update the starter? The only way I can think of is the starter updates FE, and FE updates starter.
I had several more questions while reading this post. But I can't remember it now. Seems my memory doesn't serve me well at this age.
I will add when (if) I remember what I had in mind.

Thanks for your insight on this.
 
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Gasman

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I always had code in the FE, that would check it if it needed to be updated.
It also checked it was an accde and in the correct location.
 

isladogs

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In answer to your 3 questions above:
1. My users rarely tried starting apps by other methods so it wasn't really an issue. However, where a newer version is available the FE displayed a warning that users should upgrade to the newer version using the desktop shortcut.
2. It is easy to hide the Access splash screen. To do so, place a .BMP file with the same name as your app and in the same folder. e.g. MyApp.bmp.
It doesn't need to be a real image and can even be an empty text file renamed as .bmp
3. The starter app also checks for a newer version of itself (StarterNEW.accdb or similar) and downloads that as well if it exists before the starter app itself closes.
The FE checks to see if there is a newer version of the starter app and if so deletes the old Starter.accdb and renames StarterNew.accdb as Starter.accdb so it will be used next time

See attached PDF for more info
 

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KitaYama

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@isladogs Thanks for your input.

2. It is easy to hide the Access splash screen. To do so, place a .BMP file with the same name as your app and in the same folder. e.g. MyApp.bmp.
It doesn't need to be a real image and can even be an empty text file renamed as .bmp
Seems that Microsoft has changed something again. If I put a text file in the same directory and rename it to myDb.bmp, Access shows its splash screen. If I put a real bmp file in the directory and rename it to myDb.bmp, Access hides the splash screen, but shows the bmp file prior to launching the db. I can use our company's logo saved as bmp or use a bmp with only one pixel size, Just wanted to say it seems that Access can not hide the splash screen anymore. (Microsoft 365 x64 with latest updates)

This morning I was thinking about the rest of your reply.
  • You have two files (your App and the starter) to take care of.
  • You have to update 2 files if necessary,
  • You have to add additional security measures to prevent your database being launched directly (without starter)
To me it means too many disadvantages, while using a bat file takes care of them all.
I have a hard time to understand why professionals like you stick to a starter.
What's the advantages of using a starter (that a bat file can not fulfill)

Your pdf file shows that your database is a commercial one. If for any reason (security or something) you don't want to answer, feel free and ignore this question.

Thanks again for your time.
 

Gasman

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I am not an expert or professional.
However I can read a batch file?
If so inclined I could see where that file is and copy that to my PC, and just use that, as I do not like your latest restrictive amendments?
 

isladogs

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@KitaYama
Using a 'bmp file' as described still works for me in the current version 2201 of A365
Neither the Access splash screen nor the small 'bmp file' is displayed.

See this short video demonstrating it:

I have used a starter app with many of my commercial apps for almost a decade.
I changed to that from a .bat file for a number of reasons but mainly because it gave a more 'professional' experience for end users.
Prior to that I had received feedback that users were concerned when a command window suddenly appeared.

Once the starter app was released it only needed updating a couple of times over a 5 year period to handle things I overlooked originally.
It hasn't needed updating since 2014.
Moreover, I can reuse the same starter app with multiple applications - effectively I just change the app name in the title bar & the app path

So the starter app really needs no further changes once it is ready & working.
It needs no more work than updating a batch file - possibly less
And it needs minimal additional security - but once again I can reuse that code in multiple apps

The method has worked perfectly for me with multiple apps & numerous clients & thousands of individual users for almost a decade.
For my clients and me, it is far better than using a .bat file
But if you want to continue using a .bat file, that's fine by me!

@Gasman
Hi Paul
Not sure I understood the point of your last post.
Is your point that a knowledgeable user could edit a .bat file and circumvent some of its code whereas doing that would be much more difficult with an ACCDE starter app?
If so, I would agree, though its almost unheard of in my experience for users to want to 'mess with' an application version upgrade
 

KitaYama

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I am not an expert or professional.
However I can read a batch file?
If so inclined I could see where that file is and copy that to my PC, and just use that, as I do not like your latest restrictive amendments?
I really don't understand your point.
The question mark means you're asking something, but I can't understand what I've been asked to answer.

The way I do it, no bat file is remained.
The DB checks for new version, if there is any update, creates a bat file in tmp folder, runs the bat file and closes itself.
The bat updates the FE and FE deletes the bat file (if exists) at start up.
All of this is in less than several seconds and I don't think you can access the bat (even if you knew where it's saved), because it's deleted.
 
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KitaYama

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Using a 'bmp file' as described still works for me in the current version 2201 of A365
Neither the Access splash screen nor the small 'bmp file' is displayed.
It's very strange.
My version says : 2201 (Build 1487.20198 Click-to-run)

I'll check other PCs to see how they behave.
Thanks for your confirmation.
 

isladogs

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Another advantage I forgot to mention is speed - the starter app uses an API to copy files and is blisteringly fast
Small files in a fraction of a second. Much larger files of 130+ MB in just a few seconds.

EDIT:
If you watch the video, you'll see no Access splash screen is displayed
 

KitaYama

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If you watch the video, you'll see no Access splash screen is displayed
I see a black rectangle.
Isn't that the bmp?
Use a large bmp file, something that takes a while to be loaded and the image is bright, if possible.
Don't you see the image still?


thanks.
 

isladogs

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I did state that the bmp file should be small - an empty text file renamed as .bmp works fine
The black rectangle was just a glitch in the recording.
Here's another example...
 

KitaYama

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I did state that the bmp file should be small - an empty text file renamed as .bmp works fine
The black rectangle was just a glitch in the recording.
Here's another example...
Thanks for confirming.
I'll try to find what's wrong on this side. So far, all of our PCs show the bmp file.

Thanks again.
 

isladogs

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Correction - it seems that a converted text file no longer works.
Use a tiny bmp file - ideally 1 pixel x 1 pixel so it isn't visible

P.S. The black rectangle glitch was due to a combination of the application window being hidden together with automatic form resizing
 

KitaYama

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Use a tiny bmp file - ideally 1 pixel x 1 pixel so it isn't visible
Does it mean you're hiding the the bmp by downsizing it to 1x1?
I mean if the bmp is larger than that, do you see the bmp too (like me)?

I'm like 😭 why it works for you and not for me. (referring to your previous posts)
 

isladogs

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Does it mean you're hiding the the bmp by downsizing it to 1x1?
I mean if the bmp is larger than that, do you see the bmp too (like me)?

I'm like 😭 why it works for you and not for me. (referring to your previous posts)
Yes - the bmp file is 'displayed' in place of the Access splash screen so if its large enough you will see it briefly.
That's precisely why I specified that the file needed to be small - ideally 1px x 1px

This is how I achieve this
1. Right click in the folder where your database is stored and click New...Bitmap Image
2. Rename the image to match the database e.g. Test.bmp if the db is Test.accdb
3. Right click the bmp file click Edit. The bmp file opens in MS Paint. Click Resize and change to 1px x 1px

Now open the database - no splash screen should be seen
But if you rename either the Access file or the bitmap file, the splash screen reappears
 
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isladogs

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I've just uploaded a short video to YouTube explaining how this is done:

 

orny

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Hello! When I make a replacement BMP launch graphic to replace the Access launch graphic, I notice that if i make a tiny BMP (6k, black letters on white background) the same name as the application, this is correctly shown on application launch. But if I make the BMP slightly larger, with 32 bit color depth, it is not shown at all. What is the maximum size/depth allowed for the BMP in this context? Thanks for any advice!
 

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