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majid.pervaiz

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Dear Expert friends,

i am working on a database and would like to give this to someone in executable format, i want to know how to make such an executable file. Also what if the user will not have ms access installed on PC.
Note: this database will be utilised by multiple users, i am planning to split front and back-end.
 

pbaldy

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You can't create an executable. There is a free runtime version of Access available from Microsoft.
 
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CJ_London

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You cannot create an executable file from Access, but you can create an executable installer/setup file. Depends on your access version, but you can use the access 'package solution' option (2007 & later File>Save & Publish>Package and Distribute>) to do this.

This will create an install .exe and you have the option of including access runtime but does make the file very large. The other option is provide a link to the runtime version so the user can download it from the web. When executed, the .accdb/e is installed and runtime as well if required.

It is a bit basic but will perhaps do the job for you. The alternative is to either buy or use a free installer package.

You will need to take care of things like where they are to be installed, does the user have a choice where to put them, how you are going to link the front end to the backend, etc.

Other things to consider is whether your new user has the appropriate rights to install software (often not in a commercial environment).

If your user is in the same organisation, you can just get them to download the runtime version and send them the file directly. In case you are not aware, the runtime version has limited functionality, in particular the ribbon is very limited, the navigation pane is not available and right click menus do not exist. Also the app cannot drop into the code on an error and will likely either freeze or close without a message, so your error handling needs to be up to scratch.

As a developer you can test your app to see how it works in the runtime environment by just changing your file to .accdr. change it back again to regain full control.
 

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