How to make MS Access looks like real Application

[Newhulkhuithem]

Hi,
Please I need help to make MS access looks like a real application I mean when I run the application I need only Forms appears
and the application looks like normal apps without notes it's MS access " Like that application My Visual Database "
myvisualdatabase.com
Thank you in advance

 

[GPGeorge]

Actually, MS Access creates "real" applications! Real relational database applications, to be precise.

Hiding the fact that you used Access is possible, of course, but hardly something that makes it "more real".

Yes, you might have guessed I'm not too thrilled by that suggestion.

That said, isladogs, who is a prominent poster here, does have code on his website that enables the kinds of things you probably want.

 

[theDBguy]

With Access, you can only go so far. Maybe use Visual Studio instead?

 

[June7]

Hiding the Access frame is a common topic. Google it.https://www.tek-tips.com/viewthread.cfm?qid=895857

 

[MajP]

I am personally not a fan of any of the API code that hides Access application. I find this to be very unstable. I do think some very simple techniques give you a 90% solution.
1. Use pop up forms only.
2. Open to a maximized Dashboard/Menu
3. Hide the ribbon, and navigation pane.

 

[oleronesoftwares]

Please I need help to make MS access looks like a real application I mean when I run the application I need only Forms appears

Using an icon(this is available under access options)play around with access options,also using custom splash screen, customized form has landing page where all buttons to open other forms will be will help you achieve most of what you want.

I am guessing you might be having some clients look down on the quality of the softwares you developed once they know its Ms Access, i also had such challenge over a decade ago.

 

[isladogs]

I am a fan of hiding the application interface and having created numerous apps over several years using this approach.
Both my clients and I find the approach totally stable in use.
It is a popular approach and many people do feel it looks more 'professional'

I have an example app demonstrating its use with various types of form and report. It is available at

Control Application Interface

This article discusses how the Access application interface can be controlled including hiding the navigation pane, ribbon or the entire application interface.

www.isladogs.co.uk

I also led a presentation for Access User Group Eastern Time in Dec 2021.
This is the YouTube video from the session

 

[SunnyJamshedji]

Instead of distributing the whole Office 365 install to your users, you can just distribute the Access Runtime Engine. This removes all your menus etc. You cannot install Access Runtime Engine along with full Office 365 installations. Was possible in the past. Not possible anymore.

If they already have Office 365 installed, and need to use other apps then you can use the /runtime command line option to get rid of the menus, etc. Of course, this means that users cannot change the way it is launched otherwise they get to see all the menus again. You will need to somehow control that. In my case, it works well, because another app launches my Access app, so I have control over the command line parameters.

There is also one more way to reduce menu access etc. and that is through the DB Options menu. You can research that.

 

[Pat Hartman]

Unless something has changed, you can install a different version of the runtime than what the Office installation is. I don't believe that installing the runtime and full version of the same version has ever been possible.

Renaming the FE from .accde to .accdr tells Access to pretend to be the runtime and so has the same effect as the /runtime switch

 

[isladogs]

Agreed that you could never install both full & runtimne for the same version

There may be an issue installing full versions & runtime with any combination from 2016/2019/2021/365 as all of those are Access 16.0.
Can anyone confirm or refute that statement.

 

[Cotswold]

Agreed that you could never install both full & runtimne for the same version

There may be an issue installing full versions & runtime with any combination from 2016/2019/2021/365 as all of those are Access 16.0.
Can anyone confirm or refute that statement.

I'm not 100% sure about this but when I was supplying applications with RunTime (up to Access2000) there were many instances when it was being installed on a PC with a full version of Access. My Runtime versions were always installed into my specifically named folder off the C: drive. For instance it could have been something like C:\ACRT2000\ . It was never installed into or anywhere close to the MS Office set that contained Access.
I have to say that did not have any issues arising over the years I used Runtime. All my systems were set up to use the installed Runtime with a shortcut calling the Runtime with the program as a parameter.

I do seem to recall reading that Runtime and Access could co-exist if they were in different folders. But that was a long, long time ago. Back in the olden days. Which is why I set it up as I did. But as I say maybe I'm wrong? Maybe I was just lucky? But there were a few thousand installed over the years.

 

[Uncle Gizmo]

Actually, MS Access creates "real" applications! Real relational database applications, to be precise.

Hiding the fact that you used Access is possible, of course, but hardly something that makes it "more real".

Yes, you might have guessed I'm not too thrilled by that suggestion.

That said, isladogs, who is a prominent poster here, does have code on his website that enables the kinds of things you probably want.

I agree with George and I would add that some people spend an awful lot of time making their application look "good" and indeed many look fantastic but under the hood they are complete abortions.

That's where you need to put your time and effort into the actual workings of your application, not in how it looks. The only time you should concentrate on making the application look good is if you intend selling it to 10s or hundreds of customers. Also it is rare for a developer to have the time and inclination to waste on gilding the lily as it were, if I required my application to look something special then I may well employ someone with the skills to do it. Generally developers are not the best at using form colors fonts and the like. You only got to look at my examples to know that's true!

 

[isladogs]

On the other hand, there is no point have an app with amazing code if the interface is so poor that the app is unusable
Both good code and appearance are important