ACCESS RUNTIME LICENSE TERMS

[Vincenzo]

Hello Everybody,

my application needs of fm20.dll to run on the end-user PC. It seems that
this dll is necessary for applications containing some components of Visual
C++, such as Microsoft Forms 2.0 CommandButton (for details give a look at
this link: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/224305).

And in fact, In my application i use Microsoft Forms 2.0 CommandButton
control.

Unfortunately, fm20.dll is not distributible so i cannot include it in the
..msi package (i use installshield to make .msi package).


Some people told me that ACCESS RUNTIME include fm20.dll and is available as
a free download.

So i'm interesting in better understand some terms of the ACCESS RUNTIME
EULA. I cut and paste it during the installationn of ACCESS RUNTIME on my PC.

Below you can find my questions about some license terms.

THANKS IN ADVANCE FOR YOUR SUPPORT.

__________________________________________________________________

License Term:
1.INSTALLATION AND USE RIGHTS. You may install and use one copy of the
software on your device to design, develop and test your programs. You may
only use the software to provide database features for your non-database
management programs.

QUESTION: what means ? maybe this means that if my application doesn't
provide Access database features i cannot distribute Access Runtime with my
application ? Please remember that my application doesn't provide Access
database features ... Access Runtime only provide fm20.dll so that my
application can run on the end-user pc.

License Term:
ii. Distribution Requirements. For any Distributable Code you distribute,
you must add significant primary functionality to it in your programs;

QUESTION: what means Distributable Code ? Anyway, i don't think my
application add significant primary functionality to Distributable Code. My
application only uses Microsoft Forms 2.0 CommandButton.
So, i cannot distribute Access Runtime with my application ?

License Term:
require distributors and external end users to agree to terms that protect
it at least as much as this agreement;

QUESTION: in which way ? Is it sufficient mention this right in the EULA of
my application ?

License Term:
keep the status bar containing the statement "Powered by Microsoft Office
Access" displayed in your user interface to be viewed by users at all times;

QUESTION: my application doesn't provide a status bar. However, because this
is a must i can add the previous statement on the interface of my
application. I have no problem into do this.


License Term:
identify Microsoft as the source of the Microsoft Office Access 2007 Runtime
software in your programs' About Box;

QUESTION: my application doesn't provide an About Box. Is it sufficient
specify this right in the User Manual of my application ?



License Term:
indemnify, defend, and hold harmless Microsoft from any claims, including
attorneys' fees, related to the distribution or use of your programs.

QUESTION: Is it sufficient specify this right in the EULA of my application
? I have no problem into do this.
___________________________________________________________________

Best Regards.

Vincenzo

 

[Gigamite]

First, I'm not a lawyer so you don't have to believe a word I say. But
listen to the issues I bring up and then make your decision.

License Term:
keep the status bar containing the statement "Powered by Microsoft Office
Access" displayed in your user interface to be viewed by users at all times;

QUESTION: my application doesn't provide a status bar. However, because this
is a must i can add the previous statement on the interface of my
application. I have no problem into do this.

Here's where the rubber meets the road. When the user opens the Access
application (that's the part stored in the mdb, mde, mda, accdb, accde,
accdr, or accdt format file) with the Access 2007 runtime, the status
bar must show the "Powered by Microsoft Office Access" to let the user
know that Microsoft created the Microsoft Access runtime, not you or
your company. The status bar in your C++ application isn't part of the
license agreement. That's a separate entity, owned by you, and you can
put whatever you want in your C++ application's status bar. It's the
Access development/user interface Microsoft owns and requires you (as
part of the licensing terms) to always show your customers that
Microsoft owns it in the Microsoft Access 2007 runtime status bar.

If your customer isn't opening the Access GUI to use (or somehow benefit
from) the forms, reports, macros, or vba code that's stored in the
database file when using your application, then your customer doesn't
need the Access runtime.

If your C++ application provides the entire interface for the user and
is only storing data in the database file, then the Access runtime isn't
necessary for your application. Any files that are included with the
Access runtime don't automatically authorize you to distribute them with
your application just because your data is stored in a Jet or ACE
database file.

The bottom line is if your application doesn't depend on the Access
runtime, then you can't distribute its files for your application, even
if the data is stored in an mdb or accdb file.

 

[Larry Linson]

I wouldn't presume to interpret the Microsoft License -- you'd need to ask
those questions of Microsoft.

I do know that Microsoft's purpose in creating the Access Runtime was/is to,
well, "run Access" and I'm reasonably certain that it was not intended to be
a vehicle for distributing a DLL for other purposes. I'm reasonably certain,
also, that Microsoft Forms was intended to provide a forms capability for
software that was part of the Microsoft Office family.

Finally, I do not know that the Access Runtime installs that DLL... it
certainly would not need to do so to support Access forms, because Access
has its own, separate, forms functionality.

That said, I don't know whether, if you created an Access database
application and used the Runtime to distribute it, and the Runtime installed
the DLL you mentioned, or others, on the user's machine, that there is any
legal prohibition to your calling it, or them, from VC++.

Larry Linson
Microsoft Office Access MVP

 

[Arvin Meyer MVP]

Only Access 2007 Developer (required to build a runtime) is free. Earlier
versions must be paid for. I don't know if frm20.dll is distributable with
the Access Runtime or not. I do know that Microsoft Forms 2.0 is not native
to Access, and while parts can be used, results are sometimes unpredictable.

 

[Albert D. Kallal]

And in fact, In my application i use Microsoft Forms 2.0 CommandButton
control.

I see very little reason to use the Forms 2.0 button?

Why not use the regular design tools and the normal command button for this
purpose?

Access has standard combo box, listbox, command button, radio buttons etc
available from the design tool bar. There is VERY little reason to toes the
forms 2.0 controls here...they offer no advantages that I can think of, and
you not have a dependencies on these external controls if you use the
ms-access contorls.

So, any reason why the ms-access controls are not being used here? As far as
I can tell, the built-in ms-access controls have MORE features....

 

[Albert D. Kallal]

Ignore my post......

I thought you were using ms-access and forms 2.0 controls on access forms.

You are NOT doing this....so, ignore my post...I miss-read your problem...

 

[David W. Fenton]

Some people told me that ACCESS RUNTIME include fm20.dll and is
available as a free download.

So i'm interesting in better understand some terms of the ACCESS
RUNTIME EULA. I cut and paste it during the installationn of
ACCESS RUNTIME on my PC.

Stop right there. You're barking up the wrong tree. You need to use
DLLs that you are licensed to distribute. The Access runtime is not
going to resolve your problem in any way, shape or form, even if it
does allow the redistribution of the DLL you seem to think you need.

This is an issue you need to resolve within your own development
platform and not drag an irrelevant runtime into the issue.

 

[Tony Toews [MVP]]

my application needs of fm20.dll to run on the end-user PC. It seems that
this dll is necessary for applications containing some components of Visual
C++, such as Microsoft Forms 2.0 CommandButton (for details give a look at
this link: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/224305).

And in fact, In my application i use Microsoft Forms 2.0 CommandButton
control.

Unfortunately, fm20.dll is not distributible so i cannot include it in the
.msi package (i use installshield to make .msi package).

What kind of application are you distributing? Access or ???

Tony