You can view, print, mail, and electronically distribute reports created in Microsoft Access without needing a full or run-time Microsoft Access license. This topic provides reference information about:
Benefits of report snapshots and Snapshot Viewer
Using report snapshots on the World Wide Web
Sending report snapshots in e-mail
Creating and distributing report snapshots
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A report snapshot is a file (.snp extension) that contains a high-fidelity copy of each page of a Microsoft Access report and that preserves the two-dimensional layout, graphics, and other embedded objects of the report.
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Snapshot Viewer is a program that you can use to view, print, and mail a snapshot, such as a report snapshot. Snapshot Viewer version 9.0 consists of a stand-alone executable program, a Snapshot Viewer control (Snapview.ocx), a help file, and other related files. By default, Snapshot Viewer is automatically installed by Microsoft Access 2000 the first time you create a report snapshot. You can also install Snapshot Viewer from the Setup program, or from a World Wide Web software download page located at the Microsoft Access Developer's Web site.
You can use the Snapshot Viewer control to view a snapshot from Microsoft Internet Explorer version 3.0 or later or from any application that supports ActiveX controls, such as Access or Microsoft Visual Basic for Applications.
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If you print and distribute reports to users inside or outside your organization, using report snapshots can save considerable time and money. Instead of photocopying and mailing printed Microsoft Access reports, you can electronically distribute and publish them using either e-mail or a Web browser, such as Microsoft Internet Explorer. Your users can easily and quickly view the reports online and print only the report pages they need. This is especially useful when your reports contain color and images, such as charts and pictures.
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You use Microsoft Access 2000 to create a report snapshot. However, you can view, print, store, publish, distribute, and archive a report snapshot without having an Access license by using a combination of Snapshot Viewer and other programs such as Windows Explorer, an e-mail program, or a Web browser, such as Internet Explorer.
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There are two ways you can publish a report snapshot on the World Wide Web:
<A HREF="http://Website/NWTraders/catalog.snp">Catalog report</A>
If you are using Internet Explorer version 3.0 or later as your browser, when you click on the link, Internet Explorer does an in-place activation of the report snapshot and Snapshot Viewer in the Internet Explorer window. Other browsers open the report snapshot in a separate Snapshot Viewer window. In either case, Snapshot Viewer must be installed on the same computer as the browser. Therefore, it's a good idea to provide an additional link on the Web page to the software download page for Snapshot Viewer. Users who do not have Snapshot Viewer installed on their computers can then download and install Snapshot Viewer to view the report.
<OBJECT ID="SnapshotViewer" WIDTH=640 HEIGHT=480
CLASSID="CLSID:F0E42D60-368C-11D0-AD81-00A0C90DC8D9">
<PARAM NAME="_ExtentX" VALUE="16722">
<PARAM NAME="_ExtentY" VALUE="11774">
<PARAM NAME="_Version" VALUE="65536">
<PARAM NAME="SnapshotPath"
VALUE="http://Website/NWTraders/catalog.snp">
<PARAM NAME="Zoom" VALUE="0">
<PARAM NAME="AllowContextMenu" VALUE="-1">
<PARAM NAME="ShowNavigationButtons" VALUE="-1">
</OBJECT>
You can embed the Snapshot Viewer control by using the Microsoft ActiveX Control Pad application and set the control parameters by using the Control Pad Object Editor.
You can use this method only with Internet Explorer 3.0 or later. In this case, if Snapshot Viewer is not installed on the same computer as the browser, Internet Explorer automatically downloads the Snapshot Viewer ActiveX control (but not the entire Snapshot Viewer program).
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You can send a report snapshot in e-mail by using Snapshot Viewer or Microsoft Access. You can also embed a report snapshot as an icon or as a file in an e-mail message by using an e-mail program that supports ActiveX controls, such as Microsoft Outlook or Microsoft Exchange. When you send report snapshots in e-mail, it's a good idea to always include a link to the software download page for Snapshot Viewer.
More information about sending a report snapshot in an e-mail message
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A typical business application creates and distributes reports not only on request, but also on a schedule according to regular business cycles, such as weekly stock quotes, monthly sales reports, or quarterly financial statements.
From Microsoft Access 2000, you can programmatically create and distribute report snapshots in several ways. For example:
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