opening Access mdb via Access vs MyComputer

[Guest]

I put an Access2003 file on another's PC. Opened the file using MyComputer
and much to my surprise the tool bar was not there nor could you find the
database window.

Looked and performed fine. Had it not been my own file I would have thought
that it was intended to be this way by the developer.

I instead opened Access application generically; and then found my file on
the C: and opened it - and it looked just like my regular file i.e. with the
tool bar and with the database window.

Am baffled. Why would it open one way via MyComputer and differently via
Access? This PC is at a small company and I don't know anything else about
their LAN or IT. Thoughts/advice?

 

[George Nicholson]

Knee jerk reaction is this:
-Sounds like double-clicking the file opened it in Runtime mode (no
toolbars, no db window).
-Since you were able to open Access independently, and then open the file
"normally", then the machine has Retail Access installed. (If the machine
only had Runtime Access installed, you wouldn't be able to open Access
independently and then select a file...)

So, I'm wondering if the Windows File Associations for .mdb files have
somehow had the /runtime switch attached to them, causing the double-click
behaviour you observed. I've never heard of that, don't even know if its
possible, but's all I can come up with.

Or (more likely?) maybe its an issue of both Retail and Runtime versions
being installed at some point on that machine and the mdb File Associations
are still pointing to the Runtime exe. (maybe Access 2003 runtime was
installed on top of Retail 2000 or something similar...)

HTH,

 

[Guest]

I remain baffled on this. I am not a systems guy at all so I don't know what
is possible. Using MyComputer the mdb file opens without db window/toolbar -
- and if you believe those are the signs of a 'runtime' open then maybe
indeed their IT guy somehow has set it up that way.....

They definitely have Office...so they do have the 'retail' product. But
maybe if you use MyComputer it isn't launching the local version of Access
maybe it is launching a runtime version elsewhere. I don't know, and am not
sure how one determines this, sets it up, etc. Not really needing to
change anything am just always trying to figure out things I don't
understand....thanks

 

[Renate.Hilber]

I put an Access2003 file on another's PC. Opened the file using MyComputer
and much to my surprise the tool bar was not there nor could you find the
database window.

Looked and performed fine. Had it not been my own file I would have
thought
that it was intended to be this way by the developer.

I instead opened Access application generically; and then found my file on
the C: and opened it - and it looked just like my regular file i.e. with
the
tool bar and with the database window.

Am baffled. Why would it open one way via MyComputer and differently via
Access? This PC is at a small company and I don't know anything else
about
their LAN or IT. Thoughts/advice?

 

[renato]

Hello Renate

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