How do I distribute app to machines without Access Database

[dfergusson]

I am writing an application which uses an .mdb database file and Data Controls. Trouble is that when I install it and run it on another machine which does not have Ms Access installed it will not run.

Please tell me how to distribute my application and include all the neccesary files to run it on machines which do not have Ms Access installed.

I am creating a setup using the package wizard.

Thanks

How are you accessing the database? ODBC?

[dfergusson]

I am accessing the database using Jet DAO controls. The database is very small i.e max 1000 records and 3 tables. As a result I thought that using this method would be the easiest solution as all I would have to do is set the Database Name and Record Source properties on a data control and tie it to a data grid. Most of the functions used are very simple

e.g Data1.Recordset.AddNew
Data1.Recordset!name="xxx"
Data1.Recordset.Update

This solution works fine for it's purpose until I attempted to install it on a pc which did not have VB or Ms Access on it. The application seems to launch (visible in Tasks) but the main form is not visible on the screen !

If you're using the PD wizard, it will install the DAO components during the setup.

I think there is a screen when you create the package that says something like "Use the following for data access:" and one of your choices is "Microsoft Jet 2.0/3.0", make sure you check that one.

The other thing you might want to do is try to trap the error when you're opening the database so you can verify that that is actually the problem. Use something like

On Error Resume Next
Set myDb = wrkJet.OpenDatabase(...)
If Err then 
  msgBox "Database Connection Error."
  err.clear
end if

Hope that helps

-John