How do I create an Application Icon?

[Quin]

I use Microsoft Office Access 2003 SP3. I would like to distribute a copy of
my project to a few others on a network with an icon different than the "key"
icon that is normally found on a desktop. Any icon that is standard with
windows is ok, it just needs to be different than the normal one.

I tried going to Tools/Startup/Application Icon but that seems to only place
an icon in the Title bar of the application. The same old "key" icon still
exists on my desktop. After I distrubute the application I want my users to
have a distinctive icon on their desktop to start up with.

I hope a simple answer for this exists as my knowledge of Access is not too
deep.

Thanks !

Quin

 

[Al Campagna]

Quin,
It isn't really an Access problem.
Create a shortcut to either open MSACCESS.EXE directly, or to open
your mdb or mde app... (with Access "associated")
When the shortcut works correctly...
Right click that shortcut, and select the Change Icon button.
That will lead you windows icons, or you can browse to find your own.
--
hth
Al Campagna
Microsoft Access MVP
http://home.comcast.net/~cccsolutions/index.html

"Find a job that you love... and you'll never work a day in your life."

 

[Quin]

That is the way I have been distributing this application for the last couple
of years. I distribute a shortcut with a unique icon as you described. The
only problem is that when multiple users access the front end using a common
shortcut over the network it often corrupts the database. I have had to
restore from backups many times.

I want to do it correctly. That means I can not share a shortcut to the
same front end. I need to give each user their own FE and I do not see how
that can be accomplished using distributed shortcuts.

If Access does not have a provision to accomplish this I will research
methods of how it is done for other applications. It just seemed that this
would be a common requirement that would be included for Access developers.


If access does not have a way to accomplish this I will research methods of
how it is done for other applications. It just seemed that this would be a
common requirement that would be included for Access developers.

Quin

 

[Tom Wickerath]

Hi Quin,

The only problem is that when multiple users access the front end using a
common shortcut over the network it often corrupts the database.

This is an expected result. In fact, sharing a front-end (FE) application
file, or an unsplit Access application, is the number one cause of JET
database corruption, according to Microsoft. I personally heard a Program
Manager on the Access Development Team at Microsoft make this statement. You
should *always* split your application, and install the FE on each user's
local hard drive (ie. no two users are ever running the same FE file):

Split the Database
http://www.access.qbuilt.com/html/gem_tips1.html#SplitDB

Splitting a database
http://www.accessmvp.com/JConrad/accessjunkie/splitting.html

You can easily achieve your goal of using a custom icon, while maintaining a
proper installation of your application (ie. split, with FE on each user's
machine), by the free AutoFE Updater utility written by Access MVP Tony Toews:

http://www.granite.ab.ca/access/autofe.htm


Tom Wickerath
Microsoft Access MVP
http://www.accessmvp.com/TWickerath/
__________________________________________

 

[Quin]

The software you recomend (AutoFE Updater) would not be acceptable on our
system. Our IS department would not approve it. I wish Access was a bit
more like Excel to just prevent multiple users, or to open "Read Only". It
is such a small group of users, it would not be a problem.

I do not want to distribute the Front End individually until I find a better
way to make it distinctive with an Icon.

 

[Quin]

Tom,

Do you think I could bring my Mdb file home and download AutoFE Updater to
change the icon and then return to work and deploy it over the network at
work? I don't mind installing AutoFE updater on my home computer but can't
do it at work.

Or is there a better way to protect the database that will allow me to
continue using a custom short cut icon to a single FE?

Quin

 

[Tom Wickerath]

Hi Quin,

Do you think I could bring my Mdb file home and download AutoFE Updater to
change the icon and then return to work and deploy it over the network at
work?

This wouldn't do you any good, because the shortcut that the AutoFE Updater
utility creates for you (you supply the .ico file) includes the path to
Startmdb.exe and the path to the .ini file, both of which are usually saved
to the file server.

Or is there a better way to protect the database that will allow me to
continue using a custom short cut icon to a single FE?

You can create your own custom shortcut icon, however, if you continue to
share a single FE, then there is nothing that I know of that will help
prevent corruption problems.

If it is any consolation, I petitioned the IT powers-to-be at my place of
work (The Boeing Company) for the better part of a year, before they finally
approved the use of Tony's AutoFE Updater utility for use. So, you could tell
your IT department that a Fortune 100 company has approved this utility, and
that it is used by several Access developers at many locations throughout the
company.


Tom Wickerath
Microsoft Access MVP
http://www.accessmvp.com/TWickerath/
__________________________________________