ADT/ODE: Function to Determine Retail or Run-Time Version

• Microsoft Access Distribution Kit, version 1.1
• Microsoft Access Developer's Toolkit, versions 2.0, 7.0
• Microsoft Office 97 Developer Edition Tools
• Microsoft Office Developer Edition 97

SUMMARY

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

This article demonstrates how to use a function to determine if your Microsoft Access application is running in the run-time or the retail version of Microsoft Access. This function can be used to prevent your application from being used in the retail version of Microsoft Access.

The SysCmd() function, added in Microsoft Access 1.1, enables you to display a meter in the Microsoft Access status bar. Although SysCmd() was designed to display a meter, the number 6 was added to return whether the application is running in the run-time or the retail version of Microsoft Access.

This article assumes that you are familiar with Visual Basic for Applications and with creating Microsoft Access applications using the programming tools provided with Microsoft Access. For more information about Visual Basic for Applications, please refer to your version of the "Building Applications with Microsoft Access" manual.

NOTE: Visual Basic for Applications is called Access Basic in Microsoft Access versions 1.x and 2.0. For more information about Access Basic, please refer to the "Introduction to Programming" manual in Microsoft Access version 1.x or the "Building Applications" manual in Microsoft Access version 2.0

MORE INFORMATION

The following example demonstrates how to create a function called IsRunTime() that you can use to prevent an application from being run in the retail version of Microsoft Access.

1. Add the following function called IsRuntime() to a new or existing module in your application:

   
         Function IsRuntime ()
            On Error GoTo ErrIsRuntime
            IsRuntime = SysCmd(6)
   
         ByeIsRuntime:
            Exit Function
   
         ErrIsRuntime:
            If (Err = 5) Then
               IsRuntime = False
            Else
               Error Err
            End If
            Resume ByeIsRuntime
         End Function
   
      Note that it is necessary to trap for Err = 5, Illegal Function Call,
      in case your application is being run in Microsoft Access version 1.0,
      which does not support the SysCmd(6) call. 




2. Create the following macro and save it with the name AutoExec:

   
         Macro Name   Condition   Action
         -------------------------------------------------
         AutoExec                 Not IsRuntime()   MsgBox
                      ...         Quit
   
         AutoExec Actions
         --------------------------------------------------------------
         MsgBox
            Message: Invalid setup, run YourAppName setup and try again.
            Beep: Yes
            Type: Critical
            Title: YourAppName
         Quit 

   
   

Additional query words:

Keywords : kbusage GnlApp
Version : WINDOWS:1.1,2.0,7.0,97
Platform : WINDOWS
Issue type : kbhowto