Does Access runtime work?

[Aileen Hewat]

I have a database - FE/BE. I want to deploy it on one standalone computer - nothing fancy, no servers, no multiple users. Just take a copy and put it on someone's computer.

I understand that Runtime is simply Access with some bits disabled - those bits that allow people to redesign my work and generally stuff it up. That's pretty cool as far as I am concerned. I also understand that the Package Wizard is not necessary for what I am doing.
However, I am frustrated by the process - no, not the process; it's easy to put it on his computer and get it working - except then it has glitches

Firstly, how do I link FE/BE under Runtime? Pleae note I am not a programmer - I can read VB if I have created something, but I cannot write it. I have seen some answers in code on various sites, but I don't even know what to do with it. In desperation, I Imported the BE into the FE until I get some answers

Secondly, some important bits seem to vanish in Runtime.
I created a Right click Shortcut Menu with things like copy, paste, SpellCheck and email - but SpellCheck and Email won't work - and they are both important actions for this program.

Some simple help would be appreciated

[colintis]

The runtime version is actually something to allow a PC to open a access database, that's all and nothing else. You can't see tables nor navigation panel in runtime as well, so simply a default menu window(a form) is necessary on open. The runtime itself also contains trust center settings, but those need batch file codings which tuned the register stuffs.

So, to setup FE/BE environment into another PC with different file path and etcs. You'll need to step into the VBA coding to design a system preference, asking user to locate the BE file, change the link table's link path. If the user is not placing the BE database to somewhere strange, you can simply place the BE in a location where both the user and your PC exist (e.g. C:\Program files\), so that you don't need to worry about setting up the new location for the BE file.

To those spell check and email functions, it may not be possible as runtime doesn't contains additional stuff other than opening the database. You may try placing some codes and buttons to make the events.

Another case, if the user is able to install a full version, in preventing modification on your database design, you can export the FE as a ACCDE file, this is somehow a "execute only" version from your original FE database.

[Aileen Hewat]

Thanks for your reply. I hadn't thought of saving to C:\Program files - that should solve my first problem, linking FE to BE.
Albert D. Kallal (Access MVP)Edmonton, Alberta Canada says "The runtime is simply a full version of MS access with some of the design tools removed, but for the most part it's behaviors much the same as when you install the full version.
You don't have to use the package wizard to actually deploy and installed your software, **once** you have the runtime installed. Thus, you can simply copy the file to that computer, and then double click on mdb, or accDB file to launch it (the same as if you had the full version of MS access installed)." This made me believe that items I created, such as shortcut menus, would work. Alas, it seems I am mistaken, but one wonders what Microsoft is thinking if they distribute Runtime and it won't let basic functions operate - there's little point really.

[colintis]

In his term of "a full version of MS access with some of the design tools removed", this includes all ribbon tabs as well. You still can comply the functions you want to the user, by making buttons on the form and some VBA codings. Similar to installing PC games, you'll notice all the games might included a installation choice of directX "runtime", this allows you to execute the game with something requires the directX software, never expect you to use it to make error checks or other functions.

[Aileen Hewat]

The ribbon tabs don't worry me; I put everything my user will need on the screens as buttons, and I have made shortcut menus using macros.
Originally, I combined FE/BE to get it to work under Runtime. Most things worked just fine; the only probems were two IMPORTANT items on the Shortcut menus - Spellcheck and SendObject (as pdf to email). I am told that the Spellcheck won't work because it doesn't come with Runtime - I would have thought Microsoft programs would use a common Spellchecker.

As you advised, I put the BE at c:\Program Files\mydatabasefolder\mydatabase and created the links, then replicated that on the runtime computer.
Disaster!
The main screen has four buttons which call up other screens. No problem. Open the Sales Screen, click on FindSale, and up pops the records of an existing sale. Click to ADD a new sale and everything goes haywire; three messages, which basically sum up as "something is wrong with macro or VBA, or something else is going on at the same time",and then the program shuts down. Re-open and check other buttons, and the same thing happens - button after button closes the program; except, strangely, it allows me to open a report, and even more amazingly, it will let me email that report as a pdf.

I am now further behind because the program really doesn't work at all. I can see myself returning to a one-piece database - then at least it works.
Any suggestions?
Thanks

[colintis]

Have you tried using On error goto to output the error code and description in a message box when error occurs? as runtime never shows the details on what's actually happening in the errors.

[Aileen Hewat]

Thanks Colin, but I am not at all confident as to how to do that.
Something I read in the last day or so showed how to convert macros to VBA, which I have done. Don't know if it works or not, as I don't haver access to the Runtime computer at the moment, but did find that I cannot convert Addmenu macros, so I wonder how much use it will be.

[colintis]

The On Error Goto is within the VBA functions, it'll be something like this

Sub xxxx()
On Err Goto xxxx_err
    (Your codes in here)
xxxx_err:
    Msgbox "Error " & Err.Number & ", " & Err.Description
    Exit Sub
End Sub

It'll capture any errors occur under the On Err Goto statement
For the macro tips, here's a link.

[Aileen Hewat]

I create macros, which I do read are a problem to developers wqho advise you should always use VBA, so I went looking to find out how to convert my macros to VBA and found http://www.aspfree.com/c/a/Microsoft...cess-Macros/4/
So I converted my macros - but now what do I do with them?
How do I attach them? I tried replacing my macro links with "Event procedure", then copying the relevant data from my converted macros to the new VBA procedure. However, when I click on a button, a VBA window pops up and tells me "Compile Error - expected End Sub" - then highlights the first line - in this case "Private Sub AddContact_Click()" and so it goes with each button.