missing reference and Access runtime

[Diana Criscione]

I've encountered a problem and need advice on my best course of action. I
have an Access 2002 application that I packaged using InstallShield and
included the Access Runtime. I have installed it on a machine which has
Office/Access 2000 but I am getting an error because there is a missing
reference to MSWORD.olb version 8.2. After getting the missing reference
error, the app gets a runtime error and crashes. I'm not sure if that
missing reference is causing the problem, but since I'm having to use the
runtime version of Access, I can't really do too much debugging onsite to
find out.

Other machines with this app are either running Access 2002 or 2003, so this
is the only machine that I've had problems with. This machine has
MSWORD9.olb since it is running Office 2K. Can I include the correct Word
library when I package this? What might happen if I do that? Any other
suggestions?

Thanks in advance!

 

[Rick Brandt]

I've encountered a problem and need advice on my best course of action. I
have an Access 2002 application that I packaged using InstallShield and
included the Access Runtime. I have installed it on a machine which has
Office/Access 2000 but I am getting an error because there is a missing
reference to MSWORD.olb version 8.2. After getting the missing reference
error, the app gets a runtime error and crashes. I'm not sure if that
missing reference is causing the problem, but since I'm having to use the
runtime version of Access, I can't really do too much debugging onsite to
find out.

Other machines with this app are either running Access 2002 or 2003, so this
is the only machine that I've had problems with. This machine has
MSWORD9.olb since it is running Office 2K. Can I include the correct Word
library when I package this? What might happen if I do that? Any other
suggestions?

The missing reference is almost certainly the problem. ANY missing or
broken reference causes many built in Access functions to fail.

Create a new blank Access file and then press Ctl-G and then go to Tools -
References. You will see the default list of references for an Access file
in your particular version. If you are distributing apps to multiple users
you need to make every effort to provide apps that DO NOT use any other
references besides these default ones or you will have no end to the sort
of problems you are seeing now.

On those occasions when you need to automate an additional library (like
Word) you can do so with late binding which does not require you to add a
reference and you avoid the subsequent problems on machines when that
reference is missing. In nearly all cases it also makes your code for the
outside library insensitive to the version of the library that the user
might have. Hard references always require the same version be installed
on all machines.

If you do a Google on "Late binding" you should find lots of information on
setting this up.

 

[Diana Criscione]

Thanks Rick! After posting my question, I went thru the app and modified the
code to late binding, but haven't had a chance to go onsite to see if that
would work. Glad to know I was on the right track. Thanks again for the
help!