ACC97: How to Simulate Office Features in an ODE Application

• Microsoft Office 97 Developer Edition Tools
• Microsoft Access 97

SUMMARY

Moderate: Requires basic macro, coding, and interoperability skills.

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 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:

    ARTICLE-ID: Q151196
    TITLE     : ACC97: Viewable Wzmain80.mde Code Available

   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

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

   ARTICLE-ID: Q159367
   TITLE     : 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 which 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:

   ARTICLE-ID: Q166634
   TITLE     : ACC97: Filter-by-Form Example for Run-Time Apps Available
               on MSL

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:

    ARTICLE-ID:  Q162894
    TITLE     :  ODE97: Cannot Redistribute Office Assistant w/Runtime App

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:

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

Microsoft Excel, Microsoft PowerPoint, and Microsoft Word functionality

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:

     ARTICLE-ID: Q163410
     TITLE     : 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 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:

     ARTICLE-ID:  Q171958
     TITLE     :  ODE97: Tips for Creating and Compiling Your Windows Help
                  File

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

     ARTICLE-ID:  Q163939
     TITLE     :  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:

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