Microsoft Access 2010 Bible

Chapter 24: Optimizing Access Applications

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After a database is referenced, you can call the procedures in the referenced database as if they

exist in your application database. The referenced database always stays in a compiled state unless

it’s directly opened in Access and modified.

Creating a library reference for distributed applications

If you’re distributing your application, references stay intact only if the calling database and the

library database are in the same path. For example, if the main database is in C:\myapp on your

machine, and if the library database is in C:\myapp\library, the reference remains intact as

long as the library database is located in C:\myapp\library. If the path won’t remain consis-

tent upon distribution, your application’s users must manually adjust the reference or you must

create the reference with VBA code.

The following procedure creates a reference to the file whose name is passed as an argument. In

order for this function to work, the full filename with path must be passed:

bResult = CreateReference(“C:\My Documents\MyLib.accdb”).

The function is

Public Function CreateReference(strFileName As String) _

As Boolean

Dim ref As Reference

On Error GoTo HandleError

Set ref = References.AddFromFile(strFileName)

CreateReference = True

ExitHere:

Exit Function

HandleError:

MsgBox Err & “: “ & Err.Description

CreateReference = False

Resume ExitHere

End Function

Tip
You can verify that a reference is set by using the ReferenceFromFile function. To verify a reference, pass
the function, the full path, and the filename like this:

bResult = ReferenceFromFile(“C:\Windows\System32\mscal.ocx”)

Here’s the function, which returns True if the reference is valid and False if it isn’t:

Public Function ReferenceFromFile(strFileName As String) _

As Boolean

Dim ref As Reference

On Error GoTo HandleError

For Each ref In References

If StrComp(ref.FullPath, strFileName) = 0 Then

ReferenceFromFile = True

Exit For