a quick question on managing references

[Guest]

Hello,
still another question on references...it seems they are my nightmare...
I'm developing a database on Access2003.
Once delivered to the users it will be mostly run on pc with Access2000. I'm
saving the file in Access2000 format, but... here starts my doubt:
since I don't have Access2000 installed on my pc I'm referencing to
Microsoft Access 11.0 Object Library that will not be available on pc with
only Access2000 installed on. Right?
If I'm right, what will be the best to go?
I guess that is not possible to install only the needed library on my pc,
since I have to match the exact path that the library will be in the user's
pc.
Same problem if i want to deliver to the user the library I'm current using.
Or... I may be completely wrong in which case... please help!

Thanks very much for helping: I have posted so many messages and every time
I got an aswer which solved my troubles and improved my knowledge. God bless
this newsgroup! (I surely do!!)

Rocco

 

[Douglas J. Steele]

If all you have are the basic references (see the bottom of Allen Browne's
http://www.allenbrowne.com/ser-38.html page for a list of what those are),
you shouldn't have any problems.

 

[Albert D.Kallal]

Your first prolemb is that you are adminta that users are going to be using
a compliry different version/platform.

how can you possibility not expect to have problems????

What you need to do is right before you deploy, is place your software on a
machine with access 2000.

You then need to de-compile your code.....preferred on the a2000 box (but,
you could I suppose do this on the a2003 box RIGHT before you deploy).

Once you de-compile. (exit the application RIGHT AFTER) YOU DO THIS!!

Now, re-enter the a2000 application, and compile the code. At this point, if
you check your references, they should be ok..(and converted).
(so the version of ms-access will usually fix the references for you..but do
need to check and test your appcation on the target system. You can't
develop a application on windows XP, an then expect it to work on a windows
95 box that is 10 years old, and complete different. Many libraries, and all
kinds of dependencies will have changed.

As a further precaution, at this point, you should now create a mde file on
the a2000 box
.. (if can't create the mde then you have compile errors in your code -
another reason to make the mde as a last check!!).

So, you can well continue to develop on the a2003 box (using the compatible
a2000 file format). However, the instant you have a team of developers, and
are now developing software, and writing code, then the while ball games
changes. You will have to work with your team of developers, and ensure that
this application is tested on a a2000 box BEFORE you deploy. It is very
likely that your team of software architects, tester, and developers is YOU
just have to change the hat several times a day!!).

Further, what about bug fixes...and later updates to these people? If you
deploy the code+data...then how can you work on the "next" great version and
then give them a new copy without overwriting their existing data?

What this means is that you need to split the database. I explain why, and
how here:

http://www.members.shaw.ca/AlbertKallal/Articles/split/index.htm