Microsoft Access Runtime Setup Switcher

(Last updated 27 September 2010)

Also see Microsoft Access Developer Edition FAQ.

By Chris Mills

This program is designed as a front-end Setup.exe which switches between different Microsoft Access Runtime Setup.exe's in different folders, depending on the existence of various Registry Keys. It's designed to install either Access 97 or Access 2000-related setups, though it's functionality is not in any way limited to Access.

WARNING This software has not been extensively tested. Use at your own risk. It is currently in beta testing.

Click here to download. It is about 100 kb in size. Click here for the source.

The program is nominally called Asetup to distinguish from other setup's. You can name it what you like (e.g. Setup.exe), the only thing is that the ini file should be in the same folder with the same name. (If you rename it Setup.exe, then you would have a Setup.ini)

This program is also distinguished from other setups by a slightly different icon (a green screen in the icon).

The required files are Asetup.exe and Asetup.ini. Other files, such as an EULA or the setup programs to run, are specified in the ini file.

I think the point is that almost nothing (like messages) is pre-programmed in the actual exe.

Let's take a look at the heart of it, the ini file.

[Init]

Silent=0
Either 0 or 1. You can display a Dialog Box with OK/Cancel or not. This line is mandatory.

Caption=MySetup
This line is optional. The Dialog Box caption defaults to the program name, if shown.
Title=My Program Setup
Copyright=Copyright © 2000 Me Inc.
These lines are optional. If a Dialog Box is shown, you will want them.
EULA=\Eula.txt
This line is optional. If a Dialog Box is shown, then the EULA contents will be displayed.
This file could be either an EULA, instructions, or advertising. I don't care. If the EULA file begins "END USER", then the "OK" key is changed to "Accept".

DefaultName=Default Installation - Access 97 version
DefaultPath=\setup97\Setup.exe
This is the default install if no Registry Keys are found. If a Dialog Box is shown, DefaultName is displayed.

[ApplicationKeys]
This is where you specify the Registry Keys to be searched for. The first key to be found will cause the associated program to be run, so it's order-dependent.

Note that you don't specify HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE or whatever, only the subkey. HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT, HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE, & HKEY_CURRENT_USER will be searched in that order. There can be up to 9 keys.

RKey1=SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Office\8.0\Access\Jet
This is the Registry Key to search for. The key seems to be case-insensitive. Why the \Jet ? Well, they might have installed & removed Access, so you have to be sure the key you choose is installed & removed with it, rather than being a "left-over".

Name1=Run Access 97 version of Setup
If a Dialog Box is shown, this is the message to display.
Path1=\setup97\Setup.exe
This is the program to run if the key is found. Note that no drive is specified. The drive will be determined at run-time, and everything must be on the same drive.

RKey2=SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Office\9.0\Access\Jet
Name2=Run Access 2000 version of Setup
Path2=\setup2000\Setup.exe
There can be up to 9 keys.

Support is provided in either the microsoft.public.access.devtoolkits or microsoft.public.access.developers.toolkitode newsgroups. Please do NOT email me or the author of the utility, Chris Mills. Instead ask your questions in the newsgroup where they will be answered for everyone to view. Your questions may also be added to this web page.

Links

MS Access Runtime Installer The Access Runtime Installer is a setup program that determines whether Access 97 or Access 2000 is installed, and then runs the appropriate installation program.

[ Access Downloads | Access | Main | Search ]

   Auto FE Updater distribute new and updated Front End databases to your users with several mouse clicks.

Granite Fleet Manager - the best designed fleet maintenance tracking and management system available