Creating Commercial MS Access Applications

[davesmith202]

I am thinking of creating some Microsoft Access databases for commercial sale. I have some concerns though.

1. Do I need any special license from Microsoft to sell Access databases as a stand alone unit, without the customer needing to purchases a license or have Office installed on their PC?

2. Is it easy to secure to reduce software piracy?

3. Is it better to convert into a Visual Basic application if I am selling it as a commercial application?

Thanks,

Dave

 

[Galaxiom]

1. You distribute the database with an Access 2007 RunTime install. You automatically have the rights to do this if you have a fully licenced Access 2007. There are some conditions. Just read the licence agreement.

2. There are ways to use licence codes to disrupt piracy but it is hard to beat it completely without significant maintenance overheads. Google licence key on this site.

3. Depends what you are doing in the application. A stand alone VB application is smaller. If you are not using the full on database features of Access you might as well do it in VB.

 

[NigelShaw]

Hi

take a look at sagekey.com

they have a runtime utility that is really good for forcing runtime and I use an extra bit of code to check syscmd for runtime to prevent full access users trying to gain entry. Basically, if runtime = false, quit...

As for piracy,

you can look at

red baron
peterssoftware.com as he has a utility called keyed I think
sagekey

all pretty good options.

I also set a db property and reg key to match. Basically if reg key exists, a previous install has taken place then if reg key doesn't match db property, quit. ( db property is a long generated random number that is saved and passed to registry. The app checks both when opening to ensure they match.

A reinstall would generate the number and set the property, check the registry and if one exists, compare. If one doesn't exist, a new install is happening so add the number.

Regs


Nidge

 

[DCrake]

You question on converting a VB project back to Accesss in order to deploy it seems to me to be a backward step. I would generally do it the other way. You have more control of what is going on and you can still use Access as the back end, if you wish.

David