Runtime Conflicts with Native Access

[Sorrells]

I plan to use XP Access Developer to create an application for distribution in the commercial market. Customers who purchase the software may have XP but more likely will have earlier versions.

I am aware that there is a conflict if a XP Runtime is installed on a PC with earlier versions of Access and databases built in these earlier versions. The conflict apparently derives from the registration of the Runtime. When it is registered on a PC that already has an earlier version of Access installed, then there are two possible Jet engines that might be invoked against an Access file. I also understand that the registry will continue to use the same jet engine until explicitly told to use a the other one by providing a full filepath to it.

Thus, my understanding and partial experience is a scenario like this. You have Access97 installed then you purchase and install a XP Runtime application. After running the new application, if you attempt to open an A97 dB, an error is returned (I cannot remember if it is an offer to convert the dB to a newer version or another kind of error). Or if you open the Access97 Jet engine explicitly, then next attempt to open the runtime will be by that A97 engine and will return 'unrecognizable format".

I believe most of the above is correct, but it has been so long since I worked with XP Developer, I would not state perfect accuracy. My question is, has anyone gotten around this problem and if so, how did you do it?

 

[Sorrells]

Interesting that there is no response as of yet. Are there any of those MVPs on this forum?

I went to www.support.microsoft.com and found no newsgroup devoted to deployment of stand-alone applications. Now, I would have thought that the primary reason for buying XP Office developer was for the run-time Jet engine and right to deploy applications.

I attempted to post my concerns (not to mention my clients!) and found that MS Newsgroups will not post my threads. No errors but just no nothing.

Does anyone know of any web resources where a person might go for Developer problems????

 

[Pat Hartman]

It has been quite a while since I had to research this but I found lots of information in the Microsoft knowledge base. Don't restrict yourself to searching the AXP version articles since, I think many of the conflict situations exist from one version to the next and will continue at least until Microsoft acknowledges that maybe, just maybe someone might need to keep more than one version of Access installed on a single PC.

Microsoft Knowledge Base

 

[Timbo99]

I have the same problem.. Did anyone find a work around yet?

 

[Sorrells]

Pat,

Believe me I am looking!

Timbo99, I was offered one workaround on another forum. I'll post it here later. It is not very elegant.

I did my best to shake Microsoft's tree for an answer yesterday but I am doubtful that anything will result. When I posted to their newsgroups, I could not see the posts actually added.

It is nice, in a sad way to find I am not alone in looking for a decent resolution to this issue!

 

[Timbo99]

Found a workaround. just run access 97, 1 time.. and all your links will work with access 97 databases.. next time you run the access 2002 deployment program, you will again need to run access97 to switch it back..

Timbo

 

[Pat Hartman]

I can't give you any code to do this but the problem is basically that all versions of Access fight over the same registry keys. You would need to identify the registry settings prior to installing the runtime so that you could reset the registry after the installation is complete. If you open Access and then open a database, Access assumes that it should make that version of Access the "current" version and takes over the registry. That means that if you double click on an .mdb, the "current" version will be called upon to open the db. However, you should ALWAYS open your distributed applications via a shortcut that references the Access runtime. This method does NOT cause Access to "take over" the registry and so it will not disturb the current settings.

I think the Wise installer does not cause the same problems as the Microsoft installer. However since I have not used Wise, I have no direct experience. Try searching here for "Wise" and you might find some info.