MDE/package/run-time

[Phil]

HI,
I have a db (call it test.mdb) that I what to split, make runtime and
package. I have the db in a directory called testfolder. I split the db
giving me both the frontend and backend files in testfolder. When I
packaged, a new (default) subfolder was created under testfolder called
package with subfolders support and runtime.

When I run the setup file in the package folder things get installed and a
"test" folder that is created in the "program Files" folder. The test folder
has my frontend and backend files of test. If I click on start/programs and
hightlight test and then click on test my db comes up fine. The problem is
that when I make changes to the data the backend file in my original
testfolder gets changed and not the backend file in the ProgramFiles/test
folder.

Is there a criteria for splitting and packaging a db and/or where to place
the MDB frontend and backend files, or where to place the "Package" folder?
What I'm doing isn't working......

Thanks

 

[Albert D. Kallal]

As most developers find out, you need to supply a system that handles the
linking of the front end to the back end.

I would assume that as a developer you have proceeded far enough to use the
runtime, then I am sure for years you had a split database, and have for
years dealt with the issue of re-linking the FE to the BE on the customers
sites.

If you natural daily development process has not been to work with a split
system, then it is much too soon to be thinking about the deployment state
with the runtime.

You should as a general rule in your startup code: try to open a table in
the back end, and if it fails, then you have to inform the user that the
data table is missing, or better yet, you might want to pop up the file
browse dialog and let them browse to the BE..and then re-link the tables.

The code to re-link tables can be found here:

http://www.mvps.org/access/tables/tbl0009.htm

And, the code to pop up the file dialog browse can be found here:

http://www.mvps.org/access/api/api0001.htm

So, really, in less then 1 hour of work, you can use above code to cobble
together the code that re-links for you.

 

[Phil]

Thanks Albert,

My application is a single user, single computer application. I'm splitting
the db just to make it easy for form and report additions/changes. Isn't
there a way to maintain the link without all that code? When I run the
package setup program it places both the FE and BE in the c:\Program
files\Myprogram folder. Is there no way to create the link before the db is
packaged? It dosen't seem like this should be that hard.....

Thanks again,
Phil

 

[Albert D. Kallal]

Thanks Albert,

My application is a single user, single computer application. I'm
splitting
the db just to make it easy for form and report additions/changes. Isn't
there a way to maintain the link without all that code?

Yes, that is a load of code!

However, to be frank, I used that link code, but have never bothered to even
look at it!!
In other words, the fact that the code is 20 lines, or 250 lines is really
moot, since I
did not have to write the code!!!

This is not hard, because the code is already written for you!!

package setup program it places both the FE and BE in the c:\Program
files\Myprogram folder. Is there no way to create the link before the db
is
packaged? It dosen't seem like this should be that hard.....

Well, if you use the same path names on your development computer, then yes
you can pre-link. I have often used virtual PC, and created some folders
with the same path name as my client (and, I gave the virtual PC the same
name as my clients server). I then pre-link, and zip and email the fields to
the client.

However, before I had virtual pc, I just use some code that linked the first
time on startup, and that is still my preferred approach to this...