Distributing access application without being physically present during installation (1 Viewer)

[itsabayomi]

Hi everyone,
I created an installer for my new created access application (accde), tested it on my computer, by default it was installed in Program File. When I launched it, it opened in "Read Only" mode which is not what I wanted.

1) Please how can I distribute the application without being physically present to manually set trusted centre and any other settings that may be required?

2) Another thought, what about those that do NOT have full version access installed but only access runtime, how do access developers go about distributing to such environment?

Thank you in advance

 

[itsabayomi]

Hi everyone,
I created an installer for my new created access application (accde), tested it on my computer, by default it was installed in Program File. When I launched it, it opened in "Read Only" mode which is not what I wanted.

1) Please how can I distribute the application without being physically present to manually set trusted centre and any other settings that may be required?

2) Another thought, what about those that do NOT have full version access installed but only access runtime, how do access developers go about distributing to such environment?

Thank you in advance

In addition, the access application I developed is to be used on a single computer not shared network

 

[isladogs]

I would obtain a professional installer app which allows you to use scripting which can do various things such as
1. Determine whether Access is installed and whether its 64-bit or 32-bit. Based on that it can install Access runtime if needed and choose which version of ACCDE to install
2. Set the install folder or allow the user to choose
3. Create registry entries to set trusted locations, manage licence info
4. Require the user to enter a valid licence key etc

Products available include Inno (free but script based only) and commercial applications such as SamLogic Visual Installer and SSE Setup. Suggest you check out various products and see what works for you.

You might find this recent lengthy thread useful Access installers

BTW I would avoid installing to Program Files as it requires elevated permissions which can be an issue in unattended installatuons

 

[vba_php]

Abayomi,

Colin would know more about this than I would in this day in age, but I remember using the access developer extensions quite a bit a while back. If I remember right, the installer used in it to install a solution on a user's machine threw a dialog box during the installation that allowed the user a choice of where to put the solution's files in windows explorer. Using the extensions, I never had anyone say the file would open in read-only mode. I'm not sure if that's what you tried using or not. I don't even know if the extensions package still exists today for versions newer than 2010. Here's a useful link to MS's overview on the packaging solutions they offer, apparently only for 2007 and 2010:

https://support.office.com/en-us/ar...overview-f3cde397-707d-40ac-9453-14bb9446f805

I don't think this is where I got my copy of the extensions from, but this is the same 12.0 version of them that I used to create installation packages:

https://microsoft-office-access-developer-extens7.software.informer.com/

 

[NauticalGent]

To support isladog's post, here is a video that mentions some of the programs he listed and some others. Good stuff:

https://youtu.be/7qdmBo_F3hU

 

[isladogs]

Thanks for this NG.
I'd not seen that before but its another excellent video by Steve Bishop which I have bookmarked for future reference and will add to that UA thread.

The video gives a very detailed explanation of SSE Setup including stressing the point I made about avoiding installing to Program Files.
It doesn't cover SamLogic Visual Installer which is my preferred application but that and SSE Setup have very similar features.

Two other options
1. As Adam mentioned, Access did at one time include a Package Wizard. It was far less fully featured and, whatever its merits or otherwise, was dropped with A2013.
2. Access does still include a Package and Sign feature. If you have purchased a digital certificate you can use this to make an ACCDC compressed version of your ACCDB/ACCDE file. However i think this is rarely used by developers

 

[theDBguy]

Hi All. I just wanted to throw my vote in for using third-party installers like SSE Setup over the built-in Package Wizard, because you'll have more flexibility when using them. Cheers!

 

[itsabayomi]

Thank you all for coming to my aid.

After exploring all of the listed suggestions here which make me feel like a carpenter who has more than a hammer in his toolbox,
I gave SSE setup a try and it worked.

Honestly, I can't thank you all enough for the eye opening insights and help you offered. I really appreciate.