Putting the Final Touches on an Application

When you have finished developing and testing the database and objects that make up your application, it’s time to put the final touches on your application before you deliver it to users. Think about where your users are located, as well as their levels of database expertise. Also, think about the environment in which your application will run, and the potential for future updates to the database and objects you have developed. Considering such issues will help you create a polished final product that meets the specific needs of your users.

You may want to do any of the following before you distribute your application:

• Set options that determine how your application starts up.
• If your application will be used on a network, you may want to split it into a shared back-end database that resides on the network and a front-end database on each user’s computer that has links to tables in the back-end database.
• Document the objects and structure of your database.
• Consider how database maintenance operations will be performed.
• Secure the design of database objects and control access to sensitive data.

  See Also   For more information on securing your application, see Chapter 14, “Securing Your Application.”

• Use replication to synchronize data and design changes across a local area network, using dial-up or e-mail connections, or across the Internet.

  See Also   For more information on how to create and use replicas of your application, see Chapter 20, “Using Replication in Your Application.”

In addition to the tools and information provided by Microsoft Access to assist you with application development, Microsoft Office 97, Developer Edition provides tools to help you develop Windows- and Office-compatible applications. With the Office Developer Edition, you can distribute your Microsoft Access-based run-time applications to multiple desktops without purchasing an individual copy of Microsoft Access for each desktop. Additionally, the Office Developer Edition includes:

• The Setup Wizard, which automatically creates disks and compresses files for distributing applications. With the Setup Wizard, you can create a setup program similar to the Microsoft Access Setup program.
• Additional ActiveX controls to assist you in designing your application.
• The Microsoft Replication Manager, which you can use to create and manage replication systems, synchronize applications on a schedule, and support both remote sites and mobile users.