access not installed

[dbellman]

if a computer does not have access installed can you still run a vb.net program using a microsoft access database? dbellman dbellman@bellmanware.com

[quacks_a_lot]

You probably just need the Access driver installed to run it. I think most of the newer Windows operating systems, or at least Windows XP, already have the driver installed.

[Kschuler]

Yes. You just have to make sure that the user has a certain version of Microsoft Data Access Components (MDAC) installed. You can do this by setting the MDAC as a prerequisite in the setup project of your program.

[Charles Wolfe]

Yes, a VB.Net application can can work with an Access database without a full version of ACCESS installed. The proper Access runtime must be present (installed) -- part of Office Extensions for .Net 200x. Note that Microsoft has removed the .Net 2003 Office Extensions from its Web sites so you can no longer easily obtain them. It becomes an interesting exercise in missing pages and pages that automatically send you back to themselves in infinite loops! As long as the proper ODBC, etc. drivers are installed and you are not trying to do anything "fancy", you may not need the Office Extensions. Hope this helps.

Charles Wolfe C. Wolfe Software Engineering