Q179318: ACC97: How to Simulate Office Features in an ODE Application

Article: Q179318
Product(s): Microsoft Access Distribution Kit
Version(s): WINDOWS:97
Operating System(s): 
Keyword(s): 
Last Modified: 01-JUL-2002

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The information in this article applies to:

- Microsoft Office 97 Developer Edition 
- Microsoft Access 97 
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Moderate: Requires basic macro, coding, and interoperability skills.

SUMMARY
=======

Some of the features in the retail version of Microsoft Access are not available
for run-time applications that you create using the Microsoft Office 97
Developer Edition Tools Setup wizard. For example, you are not able to
redistribute the spelling checker files or the Microsoft Access wizards with
your run-time application. However, there are ways in which you can simulate the
features in Microsoft Office in a run-time application.

This article describes how you can simulate Office features in your run-time
application.

MORE INFORMATION
================

The following list describes features that are disabled in custom applications
that you create using the Setup wizard and how you can simulate those features.

Spelling Checker Functionality
------------------------------

Issue:

You want to add spelling checker functionality to your run-time application.

Solution:

You must write a procedure to run the installed spelling checker that is already
on your user's computer or look for a 3rd party add-on that does spell checking.
If Microsoft Word 97 is installed on your user's computer, you can write a
procedure for a command button's OnClick property. For example, the following
sample code is attached to the OnClick property of a command button on the
Employees form. When clicked, it will check the spelling of the contents of the
Notes field:

  Private Sub Command0_Click()

    Me!Notes.SetFocus
    Me!Notes.SelStart = 0
    Me!Notes.SelLength = Len(Me!Notes)
    RunCommand acCmdSpelling

  End Sub

Microsoft Access Wizard Functionality
-------------------------------------

Issue:

You want to use Microsoft Access wizards in your custom application.

Solution:

You cannot copy the wizard files directly into a custom application that you
create. You can extract the code from the wizard files by opening the wizard
file that contains the code you need and copying and pasting the code into your
application.

NOTE: In the retail version of Microsoft Access 97, you can't view the Visual
Basic for Applications code for wizards. However, you can download a special
version of the wizards that contains viewable wizard code. For more information,
please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

  Q151196 ACC97: Viewable Wzmain80.mde Code Available in Download Center

For example, if your users need to have the functionality of the Find Duplicates
Query Wizard, you can copy the following code from Wztool80.mde:

  Function Dup_Entry()

     On Error GoTo dup_Entry_Err
     Dim rsStrings As Recordset
     Dim dbCode As Database
     Set dbCode = CodeDb()
     Set rsStrings = dbCode.OpenRecordset("fd_TblStrings", dbOpenTable)
     rsStrings.Index = "PrimaryKey"
     wlib_StartAddin 203, rsStrings, "String"
     wlib_OpenCurrentDb
     DoCmd.OpenForm "fd_FrmMain", , , , , acDialog

  dup_Entry_Exit:

     On Error Resume Next
     rsStrings.Close
     dbCode.Close
     wlib_EndAddin
     wlib_CloseCurrentDb

  Exit Function
  dup_Entry_Err:

     If (Err <> 2501) Then
        wlib_HandleError Err, Error$
     End If
     Resume dup_Entry_Exit

  End Function

When you call a procedure in the Wztool80.mde or Wzmain80.mde library database,
the required syntax can vary, depending on if you have a reference to the
library within your database.

For more information about where to find a specific wizard, please see the
following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

  Q159367 ACC97: Which Wizard Is Where in Microsoft Access 97?

Filter-by-form Functionality
----------------------------

Issue:

You want to use the Filter-by-Form feature in your custom application.

Solution:

The Filter-by-Form command is disabled in a Microsoft Access 97 run-time
application. You can simulate this feature by using information that can be
found in the Qbf.exe file. This file contains a database, created by Ken Getz,
that demonstrates how to create a custom Filter-by-Form that you can use in any
application, including a run-time application.

For more information about obtaining this file, please see the following article
in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

  Q166634 ACC97: Filter-by-Form Example for Run-Time Applications Available in
  Download Center

Office Assistant Functionality
------------------------------

Issue:

You want to use the Office Assistant object in your custom application.

Solution:

Only distribute your custom application that includes the Office Assistant object
in environments where the user will have a retail copy of Microsoft Access. For
more information about distributing the Office Assistant, please see the
following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

  Q162894 ODE97: Cannot Redistribute Office Assistant with Run-Time Application

OutputTo Functionality
----------------------

Issue:

You want to use the OutputTo functionality in your run-time application, and be
prompted for an output file name.

Solution:

If you want to prompt the user for a file name, you can use the ShowOpen or
ShowSave methods of the Common Dialog ActiveX control.

For more information about using the ShowOpen or ShowSave methods in your
run-time application, please see the following article in the Microsoft
Knowledge Base:

  Q173334 ODE97: OutputTo Action Was Canceled Error in Run-time App

Microsoft Excel, Microsoft PowerPoint, and Microsoft Word functionality
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Issue:

You want to create run-time applications that include Microsoft Excel
spreadsheets, Microsoft PowerPoint presentations, or Microsoft Word documents to
other users who do not have Microsoft Excel, Word, or PowerPoint

Solution:

One way you can do this is by adding the application's viewer files to the Setup
Wizard program when you are creating your distribution disks.

For more information about adding viewer files to your custom application, please
see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

  Q163410 ODE97: Creating Run-Time Apps for MS Excel, Word, or PowerPoint

Adding Custom Toolbars
----------------------

Issue:

You want to create custom toolbars that include commands from the Microsoft
Access built-in toolbar.

Solution:

Instead of selecting the built-in menus on the Commands tab in the Customize box,
select the commands that you want from the individual categories. For example,
if you want to add the File menu commands, select the File category, and then
select the individual commands.

NOTE: The run-time environment does not show and hide your custom toolbars as the
context changes, so you must manipulate the toolbars in your application using
the ShowToolbar method in the OnActivate and OnDeactivate properties of your
forms and reports.

Including Help Files
--------------------

Issue:

You want to use Microsoft Access Help in your run-time application.

Solution:

If you want to provide Help for your run-time application, you must create your
own Help file, and then set the AppHelpFile key in the Windows Registry.
Microsoft Office 97 Developer Edition includes a Help Workshop to assist you in
creating custom Help files, and the Setup Wizard to assist you in setting the
AppHelpFile registry key when you create your Setup files.

For more information about creating your own Help file, please see the following
articles in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

  Q171958 ODE97: Tips for Creating and Compiling Your Windows Help File

  Q175491 ODE97: Step-by-Step Example of Creating/Compiling a Help File

  Q163939 ODE97: Help Workshop Help Topics Contents

REFERENCES
==========

For more information about features that are disabled in the run-time
environment, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

  Q162521 ACC97: Differences Between Retail and Run-Time Microsoft Access

Additional query words: runtime

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Keywords          :  
Technology        : kbOfficeSearch kbAudDeveloper kbAccessSearch kbAccess97 kbOffice97Search kbAccess97Search kbOffice97 kbOffice97DevSearch
Version           : WINDOWS:97
Issue type        : kbhowto

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