Programming (1 Viewer)

[mls68]

I've just created a really neat database in Access. I would like to take it a step further and make it into a program. I don't want it to look like it is in Access. I would like for it to look like a regular program. I would greatly appreciate anyone responding to this. Please keep in mind that I'm a first timer.

Thanks in advance for your help!
Michelle

 

[Neal]

If you want this to be a standalone program that your users can work with without having Access, you need to create it with Visual Basic, which is a lot harder than creating a database in Access.

 

[jfi]

The other alternative would be to get your hands on a copy of the Office Developer's Edition. This includes a copy of the MSAccess runtime library that you can distribute royalty-free so that users don't need MSAccess to use your database. I don't know about Access2000, but I've seen it around for 97.

As for making it not look like Access, I think there are enough things you can change in a database in the way of form appearances and custom toolbars and such to do a fine job of hiding the program's true origin. And I think it'd sure be a lot easier than redoing the thing in visual basic.

 

[Travis]

jfi is correct by doing some work on the forms and using the Access Developer TookKit you should be able to create a good Stand Alone program.

As for Neal's response. VB is a good alternative for creating a program as it does have more power and can be made into an Exe file. But as for harder a disagree, as for taking longer to do, that I agree with. VB is very much like VBA that you are currently using in Access so most of your code will be the same. Its when it comes to the Reports/Data writing where things become different. But not harder.

 

[MHM]

I agree to jfi: It's not that difficult to hide any Access-parentship by changing the appropriate properties.

I suggest:
StartOptions: no database-window, start with specific form, disable interrupt-Keys
Forms: use BorderStyle=0 (none): now form is just a filled rectangle without title
General: use Bitmaps wherever possible

 

[wilycat]

There IS an Office 2000 ODE (which is just the distributable Access runtime version, necessary distributables and the setup wizard if its anything like the Office 97 version - I've got it but we are reconsidering the move to 2000).

If you use it, the Database window is not visible, and no design capabilities are provided to the end user. With some planning and appropriate property settings you can prevent end users from knowing its origin (except for one thing, the shortcut to run the app will have a path to the msaccess.exe runtime executable).

If you don't have (or don't want to purchase) the runtime you can still pretty much disguise everything by using the /runtime command line switch in the startup shortcut.