Converting from MDB to EXE

[franc sutherland]

Hello all,

I've been searching the net for ways to convert an .mdb file to .exe
for distribution to non-Access licence holders. There seems to be
lots of conflicting opinion on the matter. It seems that the
Developer kit from Microsoft doesn't give the best result.

I was wondering if any of you had experience with this and could
recommend a good, reliable method?

Thanks,

Franc.

[Albert D. Kallal]

"franc sutherland" <fr**************@googlemail.comwrote in message
news:bb**********************************@l64g2000 hse.googlegroups.com...

Hello all,

I've been searching the net for ways to convert an .mdb file to .exe

You can't turn word in to an exe. You can't turn Power Point into an .exe,
or any other of the office programs. This also applies to ms-access which is
also part of office. I am not really sure where you got this idea about a
..exe
from, or even heard about it. If you have some link, I am all ears, but such
an idea or concept don't exist.

Anyway, to clear this up..it is not possible to
turn a mde into a .exe file.

for distribution to non-Access licence holders.

Yes, ok, the above is most certainly possible. There is a runtime version of
ms-access available. Once you install this runtime on the target computer,
then you can copy any mde, or mdb file to that computer, and it will run.
The runtime of course is missing the "design" tools and menus. The runtime
can
be distributed royalty free, and can be installed on machines that don't
have a paid version of ms-access installed.

Keep in mind however, the runtime is still in a sense a FULL LARGE install
of ms-access For access 2000, it was about 150 megs in size, and often
required a re-boot of the computer. For a2003, it is about 34 megs in size.

It seems that the
Developer kit from Microsoft doesn't give the best result.

Quite true. Actually, since the runtime is 100% compatible with the full
version , and is in fact the "same" as ms-access, then the problems are also
exactly the same. Access does not behave well when you have multiple
versions
of ms-access installed. So, In fact, there is no difference between
installed
multiple (different)versions of access on a computer, and the fact that the
runtime is compatible means that the problem is EXACTLY the same for the
runtime.

>
I was wondering if any of you had experience with this and could
recommend a good, reliable method?

If you don't have control of the target machines in which you plan to
install ms-access (runtime), then consider purchasing some install scripts
from here:

www.sagekey.com
Prior to access 2007, the runtime and package system was a separate
purchase. For a2007, it is now a free download...
--
Albert D. Kallal (Access MVP)
Edmonton, Alberta Canada
pl*****************@msn.com

[lyle fairfield]

On Apr 25, 4:58*am, franc sutherland <[e-mail]>
wrote:

Hello all,

I've been searching the net for ways to convert an .mdb file to .exe
for distribution to non-Access licence holders. *There seems to be
lots of conflicting opinion on the matter. *It seems that the
Developer kit from Microsoft doesn't give the best result.

I was wondering if any of you had experience with this and could
recommend a good, reliable method?

A good reliable method is to buy Access or to program the application
in some other development environment.

My own position is that if you can't afford $150 bucks for Access then
you sure can't afford me.

If there is some deserving charitable institution that might ask me to
do something I'll do it with another tool, for instance, HTA.

The last time I used runtime was with Access 97; I bought the kit for
2000 but, TTBOMR, didn't use it. Since then, runtime never enters my
mind. I don't want to distribute a huge application, the installation
of which often fails, as evidenced by the frequent posts here.

[Tony Toews [MVP]]

lyle fairfield <ly************@gmail.comwrote:

>My own position is that if you can't afford $150 bucks for Access then
you sure can't afford me.

Whereas I'm quite happy supplying my clients with the runtime. And it's really $150
per seat. So the runtime can make a substantial difference in $$$.

But I also have an almost "shrink wrap" app on my website I'm selling as well. So I
want the demo process to be relatively painless.

Tony
--
Tony Toews, Microsoft Access MVP
Please respond only in the newsgroups so that others can
read the entire thread of messages.
Microsoft Access Links, Hints, Tips & Accounting Systems at
http://www.granite.ab.ca/accsmstr.htm
Tony's Microsoft Access Blog - http://msmvps.com/blogs/access/