Access Developer Extensions - Allow only custom installalation?

[2dollars]

Background:

split database successfully.

the database is to be made available nationwide by download.

The backend is to be located on a network drive at each location. Each
location network structure is unique.

I would like to disable the "typcial Install" and only allow the user to
select the "custom install". Then provide instructions to select their local
network share drive for the backend installation location.

Thanks,

 

[2dollars]

As each downloaders (the person dowloading my database) network is unique I'm
unable to create a typical install location to store the backend on a network
drive.

As each backend location is a different path...how would code in the
frontend relink?

 

[Douglas J. Steele]

It doesn't really matter what you've got as the Connect property for the
linked tables in what you're distributing, as long as you can correct it.
(the installation from Access Developer Extensions won't do that for you, by
the way)

If you have no other way to determine the correct path, you'll probably have
to prompt them at that point. See
http://www.mvps.org/access/tables/tbl0009.htm at "The Access Web" for one
way to do this.

 

[2dollars]

Douglas,

thanks for taking time to assist me.

but it seems the thread is veering off my initial request.



The package installer presents two options
1) typical installation
2)custom installation

I would like to disable the "typical Install" and only allow a "custom
install" For the BackEnd as the backend is to be located on each downloaders
unique network path system.

My reasoning...I don't want individuals who are spread across the country to
have option to store the backend on there local computer C drive.

Thanks again,

Mike

 

[Douglas J. Steele]

Why? There's nothing that stops them from moving the back end wherever they
want. After all, it's just a file, and they must have permissions on it in
order to use it. (Besides, wouldn't you want "typical install" to prevent
them from changing your options?)

 

[2dollars]

from what i could determine, the typical install only permits installation on
the local computer?

 

[Douglas J. Steele]

Which is all you're trying to do: install a copy of the front-end on their
local computer.

I think you may be thinking that Access takes care of "the plumbing" for
you: that it ensures that the front-end is linked to the back-end. That's
not the case: you have to do that yourself. And since the back-end is
located on a file server, you do not need any sort of package to install it:
you just copy the file onto the server (Access need not be installed on the
server)

 

[2dollars]

Douglas, I appreciate your continued attempts to assist me.

My goal was to create 2 separate install packages.

One for the backend
One for the frontend

the frontend installation is not the issue. It's finished and readly for
distribution. I modified the setup.ini to change the "Display" setting to
"basic" in order to control the location of the frontend installation
location. (i'm dealing with some members whose computer skills are very basic)

the backend installation package creation is the challenge for me since I
desire it to be installed on a network drive (not on my network..but various
networks scattered around the country)

It appears the solution is to make available the backend as a separate zip
file (not an msi install package) with instructions on how to place it on a
network drive folder with proper permissions settings.

Then provide instructions on how to link them together using the linked
table manager.

 

[Douglas J. Steele]

It appears the solution is to make available the backend as a separate zip
file (not an msi install package) with instructions on how to place it on
a
network drive folder with proper permissions settings.

Then provide instructions on how to link them together using the linked
table manager.

Yes.