Access 95 to 2003

[Mats]

I have a VB application running on NT accessing an Access 95 db.

We're now switching to XP and Office 2003.

What, if anything, do I have to do in order to get this application
running in the new environment? We're not gonna apply any changes to
the application or db. We're only interested in keeping the
application running with the minimum effort possible.

Appreciate any help. Please remember I'm a total VB/Access newbie!

--Michael

 

[Chris Mills]

You are jumping from the worst-EVER version of Access to next next-worst,
jumping-over for instance Access97 and Access-XP which were considered more
stable. (Access2000 was arguably the 3rd worst)

Good on you!

You have to TEST the conversion thoroughly in the new environment before going
live with it, is what you have to do. There are thousands of potential
problems, so such a general question is a little unfair to ask. Microsoft will
give some general conversion issues on their website, or with the new package.
They will not be sufficient, hence the need to test.

Chris

 

[Allen Browne]

Chris, I can't follow your reply at all

Firstly, the question was about a Visual Basic app, using an A95 db
(presumably for storage). To change that app would require some different
references perhaps?

The OP did mention Office 2003, but I do not understand your comments on
this version. Perhaps you are *really* upset about the macro security
nonsense in A2003? Other than that, A2003 is a very good version, and can
actually be configured and operated to make it the most stable version of
Access ever released, and yes that includes A97.

For the OP, if you are actually converting an Access app (not a VB app) for
use in A2003, see the suggestions for setup, conversion, and usability in:
http://members.iinet.net.au/~allenbrowne/ser-48.html

 

[Chris Mills]

Yes I take your point, Allen.

If it's VB and not Access, then it's only the BE? In which case what
references?

I'm sure you're much more conversant than me with A2003. I am happy to be
advised on that.

My comments are based on long experience of Access waiting for at least SP1 of
any version, which indeed seems to be now out. And perhaps you would care to
answer some of the posts I see on interminal pop-ups (Access security, not
advert pop-ups)

Regards
Chris

 

[Chris Mills]

Correction...
Interminable.
(Never-ending...NO-ONE WANTS IT. Sufficient reason for me not to implement,
including apparently some later upgrades to A-XP?)

 

[Allen Browne]

Yes, I hate those security warnings also.

Are you in charge of your own environment, where you can just set:
Tools | Macro | Security | Low

(Regarding the references, a VB project does have references also, and will
not be able to read the mdb in A2000 or A2002 format without changing
references.)

 

[Chris Mills]

Let me say firstly and publicly, that I have the greatest respect for Allen
Browne MVP. If I can "spat" with him publicly, then surely that illustrates
some issues!

Perhaps you are *really* upset about the macro security
nonsense in A2003?

Yes indeed. My knowledge of A2003 is limited to what I read in the newsgroups
(I only have every version prior). That alone is sufficient for me to discard
it. Other than that, I accept your experience that A2003 is "reliable".

Perhaps I should say where I'm coming from. Over 500 installed sites mostly
law firms. I can't control what Office they install of course. So far, I'm
getting away with A97 and A2k versions (incl a Word Interface) with AXP under
test as a backup if A2k falls over for some reason. Now, why would I want
A2k3? A third version to test and distribute, do you see my problem?

Only very recently, have I seen posts saying AXP can cause "security pop-ups",
possibly associated with Jet level is that right? In which case, I will reject
it outright until there's a workaround.

You appear to admit there's a problem with security pop-ups. Is that right?
You would be amongst the most respected Access experts ever. What are you
doing about it, either with MS or circumvention?

Are you in charge of your own environment, where you can just set:

No I'm not. All but a few of my 500+ sites are runtime. Most mdb, another
product mde. Most of them remote (even if they are not remote I can't afford
"production-wise" to visit them unless it's for my Understanding / benefit)

Since it's a VB question and not directly Access, I look forward to you
assisting the original poster directly. At least I caused a few replies! I do
run VB, but only for such wastefull exercises as wishing VB were better than
Access.

None of this message has any hidden facetiousness, so far as I'm aware, and
which I am sometimes prone to.
Regards
Chris

 

[Allen Browne]

That's fair enough, Chris.

The security policies in a corporate environment are certainly an issue. I
(and others) have given MS some very direct feedback about the macro
security nonsense. Perhaps you can give them yours also, though I don't
imagine it will do any good. Your other alternative is digital signing of
course.

 

[Chris Mills]

Your other alternative is digital signing of

course.

Our "mutual friend" Brendan Reynolds MVP, has had some things to say on
digital certificates in the Access newsgroups. I am not to know whether good
or bad, just that he's tried to explain it somewhat.

MS must be Out Of Their Tree! I may have 500+ sites, but I don't have money to
burn. God help those who have less sites. And God bless those who can charge
more!!

<grin>

 

[Brendan Reynolds]

On Digital Certificates ...

Well, first of all, it is important to understand that you can't avoid this
issue by not using Access 2003 for development. It is the version of Access
that your clients use to run your application that matters, not the version
in which you developed it. If you develop an application using Access 2000
or Access 2002, and your client runs it using Access 2003, your client will
see the security warning.

I really, really don't like the way this 'feature' has been implemented. But
I don't wish to overstate the problem or alarm any one unnecessarily. It
will not be a major problem for all developers. Those who develop only for
their own use, can either set 'macro' security to Low, or create their own
certificate which will be valid only on the PC on which it was created. Or
just ignore the damn message, it's only a single mouse-click after all!
In-house developers, if all their users log on to the same domain, can use
Certificate Services on the server to create a certificate that will be
valid across that domain.

My major complaints are a) the difficulty of obtaining Class 2, individual
developer certificates, and b) the fact that the user is still presented
with almost the same scary (to an unsophisticated end-user) message even if
the application is digitally signed.

I'm told that you can avoid the issue by using the SageKey (www.sagekey.com)
installer for Access 2003. I haven't tested this myself, because I have not
yet encountered a significant number of clients or potential clients who
have installed Access 2003. If and when we start getting enough 'what's this
scary message' phone calls to be a nuisance, then I'll start harassing my
boss to buy the SageKey installer for Access 2003.

--
Brendan Reynolds (MVP)
http://brenreyn.blogspot.com

The spammers and script-kiddies have succeeded in making it impossible for
me to use a real e-mail address in public newsgroups. E-mail replies to
this post will be deleted without being read. Any e-mail claiming to be
from brenreyn at indigo dot ie that is not digitally signed by me with a
GlobalSign digital certificate is a forgery and should be deleted without
being read. Follow-up questions should in general be posted to the
newsgroup, but if you have a good reason to send me e-mail, you'll find
a useable e-mail address at the URL above.

 

[david epsom dot com dot au]

You need to make sure that all the bits are installed,
and you need to make sure no one inadvertently 'converts'
the database to A2003, or tries to make changes to the
database design in A2003.

That's all.

If you didn't build an installation program for the
original VB application, you may have trouble finding
some of the bits (Jet 3.0, DAO 3.0) to install on
the client machines.

(david)

 

[xu]

YES£¡£¡£¡£¡£¡£¡£¡£¡£¡£¡

You need to make sure that all the bits are installed,
and you need to make sure no one inadvertently 'converts'
the database to A2003, or tries to make changes to the
database design in A2003.

That's all.

If you didn't build an installation program for the
original VB application, you may have trouble finding
some of the bits (Jet 3.0, DAO 3.0) to install on
the client machines.

(david)