Access 2010 Runtime Packager

Question

I need to deploy an Access app in a mixed environment of XP and Windows7 machines. The app was originally written in A2002 and I've been modifying it in A2010. I've encountered a problem with the Package Solution Wizard disappearing and have read the threads on that subject from a year ago. At this point I'm not sure if it's worth it to package it in 2010 or go back to A2007 and package it there. Will an A2007 runtime run in Windows7? Will an A2010 runtime run in XP? Does it matter which way I go?

I'd welcome any comments on which path I should take.

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Darrell H Burns

Answer 1

Darrell

All versions of 32-bit Access will run in Windows XP. If you are modifying you app in 2010, I strongly suggest you convert it to 2010 if you haven't already done so. Modifying an MDB in 2010 can lead to a lot of broken stuff. If your users' lowest version is 2002, you should be developing in that version to stay on the safe side.

There is a module that Allen Browne wrote for prepping an access db to run in 2010. It works really well. You can download it at http://www.allenbrowne.com/ser-69.html and adjust the constants to suit.

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Bill Mosca
http://www.thatlldoit.com
http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/MS_Access_Professionals

Answer 2

Hi Bill.

Yes, I've converted the database to A2010 already. I want to deploy it as a runtime, which is why I asked the questions:

• Will an A2007 runtime run in Windows7?
• Will an A2010 runtime run in XP?

The app makes calls to the Outlook2010 object...if I include the MSOUTL.OLB version 14 in the msi will it run in the older environments?

Thanx,

Darrell

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Darrell H Burns

Answer 3

Darrell:

The Access Runtime you should use REGARDLESS of Operating system is the 2010 Runtime, if you have been developing with Access 2010.  It will work with Windows XP SP3 (must have SP3 though).

Also, you should probably be using LATE BINDING for anything to have to do with Outlook since then it can be used with any version that is installed (as long as you aren't using any features that don't exist in the earlier versions).  But it isn't going to be legal to distribute the MSOUT.OLB file as it is part of the Office installation files and would need to be installed under a correct license and installation of Office.

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Bob Larson, Access MVP 2008-2010, 2011

Answer 4

Bob,

I'm not familiar with LATE BINDING...can you elaborate plz?

When I create the A2010 package do I add the MSOUTL.OLB as follows?

BTW, This is for a client who already has licenses for Office 2010 and I'll be distributing the file internally.

Thanx!

Darrell

 

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Darrell H Burns

Answer 5

Bob,

I'm not familiar with LATE BINDING...can you elaborate plz?

When I create the A2010 package do I add the MSOUTL.OLB as follows?

BTW, This is for a client who already has licenses for Office 2010 and I'll be distributing the file internally.

Thanx!

Darrell

 

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Darrell H Burns

Instead of setting a reference to Outlook in the references you declare your objects like:

 

Dim objOL As Object   instead of   Dim objOL As Outlook.Application

And all other Outlook objects too:

Dim olMail As Object

So then you use

Set objOL = CreateObject("Outlook.Application")

instead of Set objOL = New Outlook Application

 

Also, again, you would NOT distribute the OLB for Outlook.  They need to have Outlook installed on their machine.

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Bob Larson, Access MVP 2008-2010, 2011

Answer 6

DarrellDoesData wrote:

I'm not familiar with LATE BINDING...can you elaborate plz?

Late binding means you can safely remove the reference and only have an
error when the app executes lines of code in question.  Rather than
erroring out while starting up the app and not allowing the users in the
app at all.  Or when hitting a mid, left or trim function call. 
This also is very useful when you don't know  version of the external
application will reside on the target system.  Or if your organization
is in the middle of moving from one version to another.

For more information including additional text and some detailed links
see the "Late Binding in Microsoft Access" page at
http://www.granite.ab.ca/access/latebinding.htm

When I create the A2010 package do I add the MSOUTL.OLB as follows?
<http://social.microsoft.com/Forums/getfile/4194/>

No.

Tony

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Tony Toews, Microsoft Access MVP
Tony's Main MS Access pages - http://www.granite.ab.ca/accsmstr.htm
Tony's Microsoft Access Blog - http://msmvps.com/blogs/access/
For a convenient utility to keep your users FEs and other files   updated see http://www.autofeupdater.com/

Answer 7

Hi Bob. I followed what you suggested and the eMail worked fine when executed in native A2010. But it doesn't work when I package it with the A2010 packager and execute with the runtime. I tested the runtime on the same machine I created it: Windows7, Office2010 32-bit.

Public Function SendMail() As Integer
  Dim OutlookObject As Object
  Dim OutlookMailItem As Object
  On Error GoTo SendMail_Error
  SendMail = False
  'Create a new email object...
  Set OutlookObject = CreateObject("Outlook.Application")
  Set OutlookMailItem = OutlookObject.CreateItem(Outlook.OlItemType.OutlookMailItem)
  'Add the To/Subject/Body to the message...
  OutlookMailItem.To = strRecipient
  If strCcRecipient > "" Then
    OutlookMailItem.CC = strCcRecipient
  End If
  OutlookMailItem.Subject = strSubject
  OutlookMailItem.Body = strBody
  OutlookMailItem.Send  ' send without previewing
SendMail_exit:

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Darrell H Burns

Answer 8

Thanx, Tony, that was helpful. Now I'm having trouble figuring out how to pass the arguments to the Outlook object. I used CreateItem when I was early-binding, but now it doesn't like the olMailItem parameter.

This is my code...

Dim objOutlook As Object
Dim objMailItem As Object
Set objOutlook = CreateObject("Outlook.Application")
Set objMailItem = objOutlook.CreateItem(olMailItem)  <==variable not defined 
objMailItem.To = strRecipient
objMailItem.Subject = strSubject
objMailItem.Body = strBody
objMailItem.Send  

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Darrell H Burns

Answer 9

Thanx, Tony, that was helpful. Now I'm having trouble figuring out how to pass the arguments to the Outlook object. I used CreateItem when I was early-binding, but now it doesn't like the olMailItem parameter.

This is my code...

Dim objOutlook As Object

Dim objMailItem As Object

Set objOutlook = CreateObject("Outlook.Application")

Set objMailItem = objOutlook.CreateItem(olMailItem) <==variable not defined 
objMailItem.To = strRecipient

objMailItem.Subject = strSubject

objMailItem.Body = strBody

objMailItem.Send 

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Darrell H Burns

With late binding you can't use object constants like that.  You either have to define them or you have to pass the actual value.  So you could use

 

Const olMailItem As Long = 0

or just use

Set objMailItem = objOutlook.CreateItem(0)

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Bob Larson, Access MVP 2008-2010, 2011

Answer 10

Hi,

I was having same scenario. The DB was built in 2007 & it was working fine with runtime 2007. Later I got upgrade office 2010. I started to edit the app in Access 2010. But then i found that on client machines with having xp & office 2003 i was having issue of MSOUTL.OLB. I was having same code which Darrel has used. I juts removed the reference to Office Object Library 14 & the app started to work as normal.