Database Deployment

[John Baker]

This post is slightly off-topic, so please feel free to email me and/or change the Followups line if you feel that would
be appropriate.

I've been doing custom development with Access for many years now. However, I am now tasked with writing a
database-driven application that is to be deployed commercially. It is a requirement that the user NOT be required to
have any specific software on their system (like Access).

So I am seeking suggestions from other Access users as to what development tool they might use to develop an application
that would be perfect for Access were it not for the need to be distributed to users without it.

[Rick Brandt]

Re: Database Deployment

John Baker wrote:[color=blue]
> This post is slightly off-topic, so please feel free to email me
> and/or change the Followups line if you feel that would be
> appropriate.
>
> I've been doing custom development with Access for many years now.
> However, I am now tasked with writing a database-driven application
> that is to be deployed commercially. It is a requirement that the
> user NOT be required to have any specific software on their system
> (like Access).
>
> So I am seeking suggestions from other Access users as to what
> development tool they might use to develop an application that would
> be perfect for Access were it not for the need to be distributed to
> users without it.[/color]

Well if you write it in Java they'll need the JRE installed. If you use VB
they'll need the VB runtime libraries. If you use dot net they'll need the
dot-net framework.

Is the requirement really that they need "no other software" installed or
just no other software that is not free, or are other software requirements
fine providing they can all be bundled into your application's setup
program?


--
I don't check the Email account attached
to this message. Send instead to...
RBrandt at Hunter dot com

[polite person]

Re: Database Deployment

On Thu, 21 Jul 2005 16:59:35 GMT, John Baker <john.baker@jmj services.com> wrote:
[color=blue]
>This post is slightly off-topic, so please feel free to email me and/or change the Followups line if you feel that would
>be appropriate.
>
>I've been doing custom development with Access for many years now. However, I am now tasked with writing a
>database-driven application that is to be deployed commercially. It is a requirement that the user NOT be required to
>have any specific software on their system (like Access).
>
>So I am seeking suggestions from other Access users as to what development tool they might use to develop an application
>that would be perfect for Access were it not for the need to be distributed to users without it.
>[/color]
So what database system is being used? I take it that what you want is way of writing a front end
that doesn't require an installed package which costs money or installation effort.
A browser-based front end requires least extra stuff on user's machines but it is the most work to
write the software. If you are used to using continuous subforms with linked master-child fields
expect to do a lot more work and not achieve as smooth a result -
in fact this applies to any non-Access environment at least if you are not very familiar with it.
It is likely that your client might not regard the VB runtime (or java ditto) as "extra software".

If you do go the browser way you must decide whether to allow users to alter just one data item
(field or record) at a time or allow a degree of local batch editing.The former is usual, but it may
seem very ponderous to someone used to the way Access usually works if the application
involves much editing of data by users - many don't.

[Larry Linson]

Re: Database Deployment

"John Baker" wrote

[color=blue]
> I've been doing custom development
> with Access for many years now. How-
> ever, I am now tasked with writing a
> database-driven application that is to be
> deployed commercially. It is a require-
> ment that the user NOT be required to
> have any specific software on their system
> (like Access).
>
> So I am seeking suggestions from other
> Access users as to what development
> tool they might use to develop an application
> that would be perfect for Access were it
> not for the need to be distributed to users
> without it.[/color]

If I understand correctly what the requirements are, Access would be a good
tool for what you want to do.

With the Visual Studio Tools for Office 2003 System or the Office Developer
Edition for earlier versions, you can distribute your Access database
application with runtime support, so the user will not have to have Access.
(The runtime support _is_ Access and Jet with some functionality disabled,
but is installed automatically.) If you want to make your distribution
smoother, you may want to also obtain the Wise InstallMaster, InstallShield,
or other installer products, and scripts from SageKey. In all cases, it will
be rather large, so you will likely have to distribute on CD or your users
will have to have a very high-speed Internet connection.

MVP Tony Toews' site, http://www.granite.ab.ca/accsmstr.htm has good
information on runtime support for various versions of Access.

I don't know of any development tool, as has already been mentioned, where
NO other software is required on the user's machine -- though there are a
number that will install the necessary extra software.

Larry Linson
Microsoft Access MVP

[Steve]

Re: Database Deployment

Maybe you want to change your business model and become an application
service provider using Windows Terminal Server/Citrix. The client(s) could
then run the application any any machine connected to the Internet.

The above is a very general statement, and there are a lot of financial / IT
/ service issues that you must consider.

Steven

Steven R. Zuch, CPA
Principal
Cogent Management Inc.

"John Baker" <john.baker@jmj services.com> wrote in message
news:XvQDe.3221 3$zY4.2572@torn ado.ohiordc.rr. com...[color=blue]
> This post is slightly off-topic, so please feel free to email me and/or
> change the Followups line if you feel that would be appropriate.
>
> I've been doing custom development with Access for many years now.
> However, I am now tasked with writing a database-driven application that
> is to be deployed commercially. It is a requirement that the user NOT be
> required to have any specific software on their system (like Access).
>
> So I am seeking suggestions from other Access users as to what development
> tool they might use to develop an application that would be perfect for
> Access were it not for the need to be distributed to users without it.
>[/color]