Microsoft Access 2010 Bible

Chapter 26: Bulletproofing Access Applications

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Tip
As a registered owner of the Access Developer Extensions (an Access add-in available for download from
http://msdn.microsoft.com),,) you’re permitted to distribute as many copies of the Access runtime and
its support files as needed.

When you follow Microsoft’s guidelines as you prepare a distributable application, your users may

not even be aware that they’re using Microsoft Access. You can modify or hide the runtime’s title

bar, menus, toolbars, dialog boxes, and other components to create a highly customized environ-

ment for your application.

Enabling the users to actually use the application

Even after the application has been distributed to the users, there are still steps you may have to

perform in order for the users to be able to take advantage of the application. The most basic issue

is providing them with a way to open the application to use it, but depending on how your appli-

cation was built, you may also have a requirement to get information from the users, be it the first

time they use the application or every time.

Making the application easy to start

You shouldn’t expect users to locate the Access data file (.accdb or .mdb) or to choose File ➪

Open in Access to invoke the application. Adding items to the Windows Start menu or to a pro-

gram group isn’t difficult. When properly implemented, a program icon creates the impression that

the application exists as an entity separate from Access, and endows it with a status equivalent to

Word, Excel, or other task-oriented programs.

Creating a program icon isn’t difficult. Many freeware and shareware versions of icon editors are

available online, enabling you to create entirely new icons. The Chapter26.accdb example

database comes with its own program icon (Earth.ico) for you to experiment with. You desig-

nate the program icon in the Access start-up options (see the “Using start-up options” section, later

in this chapter) or by setting a program icon in Windows Explorer.

Follow these steps to establish a Windows shortcut for an Access database application:

1. In the Microsoft Office program folder (usually C:\Program Files\Microsoft
   Office\Office14) locate MSACCESS.EXE.


2. Right-click on MSACCESS.EXE and select Create Shortcut from the context menu.


3. Press F2 while the shortcut is highlighted and enter a new caption for the icon.


4. Press Alt+Enter to open the shortcut’s Properties dialog box.

Alternatively, right-click on the icon and select Properties from the shortcut menu.

The Properties dialog box for the icon appears.

5. Select the Shortcut tab in the Properties dialog box and add a complete path reference to
   the application’s .accdb or .mdb file to the Target text box.