repost: Access 2003 runtime

[Colin Chudyk]

Hi,

Here is my situation. Can anyone provide insight?

I have developed a database in Access 2002. I am planning to distribute it
as a split MDE (front) / MDB (back) to be used by the Access runtime and
also full-version. Some of the client workstations will have Access 2002
installed. Most of them will have the runtime installed.

However, I can't find the Office 2002 Developer Edition anywhere! Nobody has
it in stock. So, I am considering using Visual Studio Tools for Office 2003.
But, I have the following concerns:

- I do not have Office 2003. Do I need it in order to use the tools for
packaging and distributing the runtime?
- How do these tools operate? As add-ins to Access, or completely
stand-alone?
- Is everything compatible? Can I use the 2003 runtime with 2002 mde or mdb?
From what I understand, there are no file-format issues with moving from
2002 to 2003.

Has anyone gone through this? Or perhaps know of a Canadian supplier still
carrying Office 2002 Developer Edition?

Thanks,
Colin

 

[Arvin Meyer]

Try entering:

Office XP Developer Edition

in the search screen at eBay.com. There is at least 1 copy for sale (current
bid $202) which is a very good price, I'd say.
--
Arvin Meyer, MCP, MVP
Microsoft Access
Free Access downloads:
http://www.datastrat.com
http://www.mvps.org/access

 

[Jeff Bean]

I have developed a database in Access 2002. I am planning to distribute it
as a split MDE (front) / MDB (back) to be used by the Access runtime and
also full-version. Some of the client workstations will have Access 2002
installed. Most of them will have the runtime installed.

However, I can't find the Office 2002 Developer Edition anywhere! Nobody has
it in stock. So, I am considering using Visual Studio Tools for Office 2003.
But, I have the following concerns:

- I do not have Office 2003. Do I need it in order to use the tools for
packaging and distributing the runtime?
- How do these tools operate? As add-ins to Access, or completely
stand-alone?
- Is everything compatible? Can I use the 2003 runtime with 2002 mde or mdb?
From what I understand, there are no file-format issues with moving from
2002 to 2003.

Yes, you do need the Access 2003 CD in order to build a runtime package.
The first time you build a package it will ask for the Access CD in
order to fetch some files it needs from it. You don't need all of
Office 2003, just Access 2003. You should be able to buy an Access 2003
upgrade retail package for about $120 (US).

The Package Wizard is an MDE file and runs under the auspices of Access.

From my brief experiments, yes, you can use the 2003 runtime with a 2002
mde or mdb. I have not found any gotchas yet in running an MDB under
2003 that was built with 2002. But be warned that the 2003 runtime
(like the rest of Office 2003) refuses to run on Windows 9x, ME or NT.
Windows 2000 is minimum.

Here's another source for Office XP Developer:
http://store.dirtcheapsoftware.us/micofxpdevfu.html
The name of the store doesn't inspire confidence, but I bought Office
2003 from them and had no problems.

Jeff Bean
CWC Software

 

[Jeff Bean]

I have developed a database in Access 2002. I am planning to distribute it
as a split MDE (front) / MDB (back) to be used by the Access runtime and
also full-version. Some of the client workstations will have Access 2002
installed. Most of them will have the runtime installed.

However, I can't find the Office 2002 Developer Edition anywhere! Nobody has
it in stock. So, I am considering using Visual Studio Tools for Office 2003.
But, I have the following concerns:

- I do not have Office 2003. Do I need it in order to use the tools for
packaging and distributing the runtime?
- How do these tools operate? As add-ins to Access, or completely
stand-alone?
- Is everything compatible? Can I use the 2003 runtime with 2002 mde or mdb?
From what I understand, there are no file-format issues with moving from
2002 to 2003.

Yes, you do need the Access 2003 CD in order to build a runtime package.
The first time you build a package it will ask for the Access CD in
order to fetch some files it needs from it. You don't need all of
Office 2003, just Access 2003. You should be able to buy an Access 2003
upgrade retail package for about $120 (US).

The Package Wizard is an MDE file and runs under the auspices of Access.

From my brief experiments, yes, you can use the 2003 runtime with a 2002
mde or mdb. I have not found any gotchas yet in running an MDB under
2003 that was built with 2002. But be warned that the 2003 runtime
(like the rest of Office 2003) refuses to run on Windows 9x, ME or NT.
Windows 2000 is minimum.

Here's another source for Office XP Developer:
http://store.dirtcheapsoftware.us/micofxpdevfu.html
The name of the store doesn't inspire confidence, but I bought Office
2003 from them and had no problems.

Jeff Bean
CWC Software

 

[Colin Chudyk]

Thank you for the infomation. Very useful.

Regards,
Colin