1) If you are using Access-2016, then you really should download and use the Access 2016 runtime
This is the link to Microsoft's official download site...
DO NOT DOWNLOAD THIS FROM ANY OTHER SOURCE!
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/down....aspx?id=50040
Double check that the above link lands you at
WWW.Microsoft.COM and not any other root site.
++>> AFAIK : the 32bit office installation is still the recommend install configuration so double check which version you are using and downloading. Keep in mind, 32bit access applications
might run in the 64bit runtime; however, the reverse is NOT true and once the 64bit configured application touches the 32bit file, the 32bit file may not subsequently run in a 32bit environment.
You may find that using different versions of the runtime/office will occasionally corrupt your application. However, then again, you may never have an issue. This just depends on what you're doing and apparently the position of the stars and planets.
2) You have to design the database so that all of the code is error trapped. In the runtime environment un-trapped errors will crash and burn your application.
3) Menus, the runtime environment you have to provide all of the custom menus - this includes the common built-in menus one sees in the full version, well ribbons, which can be somewhat of a pain but doable.
Also some other features may be disabled such as the spell checker and of course the VBA editor is missing.
4) Your end-users will not be able to do much in the runtime environment, no on-the-fly reports nor queries, etc... Nor will they be able to easily open anything that you do not provide for either in the forms or via any custom ribbons.
>> You can simulate what your end users will experience by:
Using a COPY of your database, rename the file from:
*.accdb
to
*.accdr
You can also do this by creating a shortcut on your desktop, in the target:
path to MSAccess.ext path to database /runtime
So for example using MsOffice2013 in a Win7-64bit the target might be:
"C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Office\Office15\msaccess.exe" "Z:\SomeDataBase.ACCDB" /Runtime
I create the shortcut for the files instead of renaming when in development... I used to just rename; however, I'd forget to change the name back every so often and it was hassle to have to close, rename, open, close, rename, open, close, rename, open... for every check and update.
>>> I HIGHLY advise that you check your application in the runtime mode before distribution. Few things will shake the confidence of your end user in your abilities than an application that doesn't do basic math correctly and/or crashes at the worst time!
5) Proper database design is a must in the runtime environment.
I'll PM you a copy of my intro tools and resources for Access, check your bytes.com inbox (link at top if the page :) )
6) Get comfortable with VBA! See the resource PM in your inbox.
7) MAKE DOUBLE SURE THAT YOUR FORMS HAVE A CLEANUP ROUTINE! Checking to make sure that all of the records are saved before closing.
7A) make double sure that the database on close closes all connections to the back-end that you open if you are using a split database (linked tables will usually handle themselves without much fuss). In-fact, this is highly advised for any database to close connections to the back-end
8) In Access2016 (well starting in 2013) the web-based Access apps require a SharePoint server and are clunky to work with as compared to the depreciated active server pages which is a real shame.
That should cover the basics... installation and distribution are a bit beyond what we can cover here as each situation is different.
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