Question: Opening Access Form without Access installed.

[FunkyFlea]

Hi,

I have a database (.mdb file) which includes a table, forms and VB code. I intend on putting it onto a CD and then opening the form on another computer which may not have Access. Is this possible? Can I convert the file or can I attach some type of reader to the disk?
I have seen some software for download on the internet which allows you to open the tables however the Form is the most important thing in this case (but I take it whatever I use, it will need to be able to view the VB, subforms and tables as well since the Form depends on them?).

...also can I install an auto-run to the file for when the disk is inserted? (this is not a major issue though).

Thanks.

 

[The_Doc_Man]

Short answer: NO to "opening database without Access."

The issue is that Access or Access Run-Time must be available. The latter comes if you have an Access Developer's Kit. Without either, you have nothing to interpret the file.

Stated another way, you can almost always open a text file because there is an association (a Windows concept) between .TXT files (and .CSV files and a few others) and either NotePad or WordPad. That is, when Windows sees a file of a certain type, it "knows" what program will correctly open that file.

But a database is of type .MDB and there are only a very few programs that can correctly open that type. If you have installed Access or Access Run-Time, you can make the .MDB association so that Windows knows what to do. Without this, you are screwed.

HOWEVER, just giving Windows an association doesn't help if the program isn't able to read the format of the file. For example, suppose you build an association to WordPad for .XLS files. When you try to open the file, you'll get some really ugly stuff on your screen because the association is bogus. And that is why you need to have the correct interpreter on your system.

As to the auto-run....

This is a file of type .INF but it is actually just something that LOOKS like an old .INI file. It's name has to be AUTORUN.INF and it has to be in the root directory of the CD. Find another CD, explore it (rather than Open it), and open the .INF file you find in its root. It might give you a hint as to how to proceed.

 

[FunkyFlea]

Doh, the MS guys need to get working on something for this issue!

Thanks for your reply.

 

[boblarson]

Doc's info about the running of the database without Access will probably stop you right there.

But, as far as the Autorun.inf, if you don't want to try to remember how to build one, you can go to http://www.karenware.com and go to her free programs and she has a free autorun.inf tool to create them easily for those who don't want to try to do it manually.

 

[boblarson]

Doh, the MS guys need to get working on something for this issue!

Thanks for your reply.

Supposedly they are. The Access 2007 runtime, which should be able to run 97-2003 files too, should be available free anytime soon (just when that is, remains to be seen).

 

[FunkyFlea]

Thanks bob, much appreciated.

Reckon i'll give my dodgy uncle a call, se if he can get me some kind of pre-release