Distributing a database across Office 97 to Office XP users

[Brian Butters]

I have already distributed a read only database as a pilot to Office 97 and Office 2000 users by using a split front end and back end and having separate Access 97 and Access 2000 front ends as mde files. The database uses charts and therefore uses Graph.exe which has various versions from 97 through to 2002. The libraries also have increasing version numbers.

I now have to distributed a new version.

I have upgraded to Office XP (2002) and have acquired Office XP Developer with the aim of distributing a run time version. There seems to have been a further Access file format change – for instance Access 2002 does not allow an mde file to be produced from an Access 2000 file format. You have to create an Access 2002 mdb file.

When I create the Access 2002 project it picks up Graph.exe that is the wrong version for an Access 2000 or Access 97 environment.

I am new to Developer but can anyone tell me if I am trying to achieve the impossible or is it possible to distribute a run time version with Graph.exe that everyone will be happy with from XP Developer.

I’m wondering whether to ditch Access. What else works across Windows 98 to Windows XP. Sadly I won’t bother with Windows 95 users because it will probably a version to far.

 

[John.Woody]

With Developer you will create an installation image, which you can burn to CD etc. When you install this on each PC it will install the runtime version of Access 2002 along with your chosen options e.g. graph.exe. When you open your application it will use Access 2002 and not 97 even if both are installed (as long as you use the shortcuts created) and therefore your graphs will work as well. If you need to use graphs for a different 97 db you will have to make sure they work after installation.

 

[Brian Butters]

John, Thanks. I think at the first attempt I did not scan to include Graph.exe and some system libraries. I've made a package which is now OK on my PC of course but is also OK on a Windows 2000 PC with Office 2000. The installation fails on a Windows 95 PC with Office 2000 and fails on a Windows 98 PC with Office 97. The error message is :-

"The Office System Pack cannot be installed on this system because the languages are not the same. Install the Office System Pack for the appropriate language on your computer"

Any ideas?

 

[bradcccs]

Brian,

I have once had the language error that you mentioned.

It too occured on a Win98 unit, but installed without issue on Win2000 / NT units ? ?

As a work around, I changed the regional language setting on the Win98 PC to English (United States). I was then able to re-run the installation without error. Once installation was complete, I changed the regional language back to suit our region (Australia), and the installed db worked without any problem.

I realise that this is not ideal if you plan to distribute widely, and rely on users installation, but I always "meant" to investigate further, but never got around to it.

HTH

Brad.

 

[Brian Butters]

Brad,

Thanks for the clue. I tried it with the Win 98 and Win 95 PCs and it got me past that hurdle. However with 2 different Pcs the Win 95 install hit another brick wall. It went through a reboot part way through and then continued the install until I got Path / File Access error. Further messages said "An unexpected Set Up error has occurred" and finally "Run time error '75'". The app appears on the start menu and of course doesn't run and is uninstallable from Programs/Remove !!!

On the Win 98 machine I had error messages but it went to completion. The app runs except where I try the buttons that generate an Excel workbook from the Access database. Then it says 430 Class does not support Automation or does not support expected interface. THe workbiook is created but I have it hidden at that point. Possibly that's a VBA problem that I need to track down. Problem is also with this one the app also doesn't appear in the Uninstall list.

I wish Microsoft would give health warnings on backward compatibility of Run Time apps. I find it very difficult to find anything on this on their website.

I think I'll give up on Win95 and take a view on the Win98 effort depending on how many users there are out there still on Win98. I think I'll just give them a normal Access copy depending on their version of Access - probably 97.

Good old Bill - what would we do without him?


Brian