MDE questions

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traveler - 16 Jan 2006 18:37 GMT

I've read through lots of postings and haven't seen the answer yet so I
thought I'd ask --
I have a reasonably large Access 2003 application (about 65 MB) that I want
to convert into an MDE so that I can later convert to a run-time app. The
problem is that I get the following message:

This error is usually associated with compiling a large database into an MDE
file. Due to the method used to compile the database, a considerable number
of TableID references are created for each table. The Microsoft Jet database
engine version 4.0 can only create a maximum of 2048 open TableIDs at one
time. Exporting a database as an MDE potentially can exceed this limit if
the database has a large number of objects (table, macro, form, report, etc).

I don't have all that many tables but I do have a LOT of macros (I don't
know VB so I have done everything with macros) [sigh!]

I assume that I have to convert all the macros to VB. My first question is:
do I have to convert/compile all these macros one at a time?

My second question is: once they are converted, can I still see them like
macros or am I then forced to learn VB so I can modify them that way.

My third question is: If I'm going to be creating a stand-alone run-time
version with the Access 2003 Developer Extensions, do I have to create the
MDE first?

TIA for any assistance I can get on this!

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George Nicholson - 16 Jan 2006 19:07 GMT

1 & 2) There is no "auto conversion" feature that will turn macros into VB,
so learning VB is necessary if you want to "convert" macros.
3) ADE does not require mde files. You can package MDb files as well.

FYI: not sure what you mean by "Stand alone runtime". If you mean a
single-file executable, there is no such thing with Access apps. ADE allows
you to distribute a royalty-free "runtime" version of the Access executable
*along* with your app. Some verison of msAccess.exe is *always* required to
run an .mdb or .mde file.

And distributing an application intended to be used with the Access runtime
requires some extra development work:
http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/default.asp?url=/library/en-us/odc_ac2003_ta/h
tml/odc_acdeployADE.asp

Preparing Your Access 2003 Database for Deployment, Part 2
Under "Using the Access Run-Time Components"
See "Differences Between the Access Runtime and the Retail Versions of
Access"

The above doesn't even include the error handling you can't currently have
in your app, since you are only using macros.

As far as the error message you are getting goes, did you do a Compact &
Repair on the file before trying to make it an mde?

HTH,

Signature

George Nicholson

Remove 'Junk' from return address.

> I've read through lots of postings and haven't seen the answer yet so I
> thought I'd ask --
[quoted text clipped - 29 lines]
>
> TIA for any assistance I can get on this!

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david epsom dot com dot au - 16 Jan 2006 23:41 GMT

>There is no "auto conversion" feature that will turn macros into VB,

Select a macro, then:

Tools, Macro, "Convert Macros to VBA"

The conversion is not very good, but it does convert macro's to VBA.

(david)

>1 & 2) There is no "auto conversion" feature that will turn macros into VB,
>so learning VB is necessary if you want to "convert" macros.
[quoted text clipped - 59 lines]
>>
>> TIA for any assistance I can get on this!

Reply to this Message

George Nicholson - 17 Jan 2006 23:39 GMT

david:

Thanks much for the correction. I've never needed to use that functionality
and I don't recall reading about it or anyone ever mentioning it in a post,
so I honestly thought no such thing existed.

Signature

George Nicholson

Remove 'Junk' from return address.

> >There is no "auto conversion" feature that will turn macros into VB,
>
[quoted text clipped - 71 lines]
>>>
>>> TIA for any assistance I can get on this!

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Jerry Whittle - 17 Jan 2006 16:40 GMT

IMHO an MDE should never be anywhere near 65MB in size. That's because the
tables should be in and MDB file and the reports, forms, code, and queries
should be in the MDE. This is known as splitting the database between a Back
End (BE) with just the tables, and a Front End (FE) with everything else.

You really, really want to learn about splitting the database before
creating an MDE.

Signature

Jerry Whittle
Light. Strong. Cheap. Pick two. Keith Bontrager - Bicycle Builder.

> I've read through lots of postings and haven't seen the answer yet so I
> thought I'd ask --
[quoted text clipped - 23 lines]
>
> TIA for any assistance I can get on this!

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