MDE Files

[Sully38]

Will a person need Access installed on a machine to run a Access DB to run saved as a *.MDE file?

 

[Mudface]

Yes. You need the Developer's version to create standalone runtime databases.

 

[mdmilner]

The runtime is basically a license limited full installation of Access.
The visual difference is, you have no interface. You have to build everything in a full license version and then make sure at least one switchboard type form shows up to allow users to navigate (or build the menus)

It's probably possible to duplicate a great deal of the menu functionality of Access, but, the amount of time involved can't be worth the cost of just buying a brand new copy.

 

[SydneyGeek]

Well...

A number of large sites who don't want to license Access on every desktop do use runtime files for their databases. I guess it depends where the price / performance and ease of use cuts in for you, but I agree that it is generally easier to build and use a full version than a runtime.

Pros of runtimes -- you can use MDE files as the front end, linked to a standard Access backend. The files can be password protected and use all of the standard security features, but you MUST test the runtime version thoroughly before releasing it -- you can get bitten by interface bugs.

Denis

 

[Sully38]

Work sprung for an Access developer version for me.. Happy days for me as this will make things easier in the end. Thanks Guys !! Good advice and some good fire power for my pitch to Boss.