Distribute Access .mdb file

Nick

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Aug 9, 2004, 7:03:53 AM8/9/04

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Hi,

We're are about to develop an app in C# that will use a MS Access
database file for data storage. The db structure will not be
modified. The user will use the C# developed app to view and edit the
data (as well as add/delete records etc.).

In order to distribute or app (including .mdb file) to PC's without MS
Access installed do we need anything (I'm thinking specically about
the MS Access Runtime)?

What are the licensing implications for distributing access databases
(not access) to PC's without Access installed?

Regards and thanks,

Nick

P.S. This is going to be our first C# project after years with
Borland Builder. If anyone else has made the transition and has any
tales to tell I would be very interested in hearing them here or
nic...@yahoo.co.uk

Jeff Boyce

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Aug 9, 2004, 7:21:19 AM8/9/04

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Nick

I am under the impression that you need to have the Developer's Edition to
distribute .mdbs and the Runtime, OR, the user needs to have MS Access.
This is just an impression.

Have you checked for information on the Microsoft site?

--
Good luck

Jeff Boyce
<Access MVP>

Arvin Meyer

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Aug 9, 2004, 7:23:59 AM8/9/04

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Distributing an mdb file requires no license. The runtime allows one to
distribute an Access front-end. If being read from and written to by C#, you
won't need the Access runtime since you already have a front-end.
--
Arvin Meyer, MCP, MVP
Microsoft Access
Free Access downloads:
http://www.datastrat.com
http://www.mvps.org/access

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Mark Rae

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Aug 9, 2004, 8:02:10 AM8/9/04

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"Nick" <nic...@yahoo.co.uk> wrote in message
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Firstly, please don't crosspost...

> In order to distribute or app (including .mdb file) to PC's without MS
> Access installed do we need anything (I'm thinking specically about
> the MS Access Runtime)?

No - the MS Access Runtime is for running actual Access applications, not C#
applications which interface with a Jet database file (.MDB).

> What are the licensing implications for distributing access databases
> (not access) to PC's without Access installed?

None.

Jeff Boyce

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Aug 9, 2004, 9:56:07 AM8/9/04

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Thanks, Arvin. I wasn't familiar with the "arcania" of the licensing.

Nick, pardon my mis-understanding.

Jeff Boyce
<Access MVP>

"Arvin Meyer" <a...@m.com> wrote in message
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Brett Robichaud

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Aug 12, 2004, 6:41:22 PM8/12/04

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To extend the original question a bit. If developing a C# app that uses an
access database should I install the latest Jet drivers during my apps
installation?

As I understand it MDAC no longer comes with Jet drivers so there is no need
to install MDAC. I believe there is a separate installer for the Jet
drivers. Should I be concerned with installing this to make sure the Jet
drivers are there or can I assume that every Windows machine has some
version of Jet? Or does the .Net Framework 1.1 include everything I need to
manipulate access databases?

Please correct me if I've made any incorrect statements above.

-Brett-

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Mark Rae

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Aug 12, 2004, 6:58:28 PM8/12/04

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"Brett Robichaud" <brettro...@nospam.yahoo.com> wrote in message
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> Or does the .Net Framework 1.1 include everything I need to
> manipulate access databases?

Yes it does. You need to reference either the System.Data.OleDb namespace
(preferred) or the System.Data.Odbc namespace to provide connectivity with
your .MDB file, and everything you need from that point is included in the
.Net Framework.

E.g. if you wrote a WinForms app which used a .MDB file for database
services, all you would need to do would be to compile the app and deploy
it. At install time, the compiled app would detect the presence or absence
of the .NET Framework, and invite you to install it if wasn't already
installed.

Brett Robichaud

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Aug 13, 2004, 1:50:06 PM8/13/04

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Excellent. So I simply need to be sure the .Net Framework is installed and
my C# Winforms app can be guaranteed that all necessary MS Access drivers
are in place on the machine?

That is just what I wanted to hear.

Thanks...

-Brett-

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Ron Allen

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Aug 16, 2004, 9:00:18 AM8/16/04

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Brett,
Actually you will need MDAC 2.7 or greater to use an access back end so
you have to install that manually or integrate it into your distribution.
Also the newer version of MDAC don't include the Jet database engine files
see http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;239114 for
instructions on downloading the latest Jet 4.0 service pack which does
contain the files needed to use an Acess database under MDAC. I'd reccomend
using MDAC 2.8 as there have been some improvements in the engine's
performace with the latest version.

Ron Allen

"Brett Robichaud" <brettro...@nospam.yahoo.com> wrote in message

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Brett Robichaud

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Aug 16, 2004, 1:03:26 PM8/16/04

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Argh! Thank you for correcting me on this issue. This is in fact what I
was originally expecting. I was elated to hear from another poster that I
need not worry about this, so I am a bit dissapointed now of course.

But thanks for giving me more correct info. I would undoubtedly have run
into problems had I taken the original advice.

-Brett-

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