Asked By
Sean Paul
450 points
N/A
Posted on - 05/20/2011
I've made a little progress with packaging and making a runtime file for my Access 2007 app using Microsoft info pages. But for some reason, I'm getting a blank application when I test-package it and then tried and run the file.
Basically, I created a private certificate using Office Tools, did a "package and sign" inside Access, then (as advised by MS) changed the file extensions to .accdr, created a shortcut and edited the shortcut executable so that it had /runtime at the end.
What actually happened is that it opened up a blank environment, but with the Acrobat tab of the Office 2007 there is a ribbon showing (and nothing else). (I have Acrobat 9 Pro installed). No idea why.
What I want it to do (at the moment) is open up one of the forms by default, so users can enter information-or even better, open up multiple forms together.
In the Access Options for the database I set it to open the desired form by default, under Current Database options and then I did a Package & Sign again. However it still comes up blank, whether or not I run the .accdr file, or accdb with /runtime.
Any idea how I can fix this?
Why MS Access is showing blank environment in runtime!
Hello Sean Paul,
Alright, so you created a private certificate using the Office Tools and already did a “Package and Sign”, change the proper file extensions, ran it and showed up blank. Aside from Acrobat 9 Pro, do you happen to have plug-ins installed for it?
What you want to do is quite simple but let’s go ahead and troubleshoot your current problem.
Here are some solutions that you can try to solve your conundrum:
-
The blank screen can happen because of several reasons. A common and sometimes easy reason would be that you currently don’t have a specified start-up form. Double check if you have, then adjust it and see if it helps.
-
While in run time mode you will not have a navigation pane available so you must use a switchboard form or custom ribbon to navigate it properly.
-
If you don’t have the plug-in Developer Add-in, go ahead and download this from the internet. Install the Add-in, try to launch the form and see if it displays it correctly.
-
Don’t worry about the Add-ins showing itself in the runtime deployment. Most users have an updated Acrobat installed in their computers so it shouldn’t be a problem. If not, most of the time they will be prompted to do a small update for it to display the way you want it to.
-
You can also try splitting your Access database. What I mean by this is to split the database into “Application” and “Data. ”
-
This is a good process for any and all software, Access is one of them. Separating the Access database will bring the applications into the “front end” and simultaneously bring the data tables into the “back end”.
-
Splitting your Access database also protects your data, the process itself adds another level of security for your data tables. Let’s say, if your front end database gets corrupted, your back end data will remain untouched by this. If you did not split the data, you will lose everything.
-
To split your database (existing database), there are several ways to do this. The simplest way is to use the “Wizard” which is already built-in. Another way is to use the “Database Splitter” which is also built in. Just make a backup of the database, multiple back ups are even much better and safer. Once you have your back ups secure, run the Splitter and it’s done.
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A harder way would be to split the database manually, I don’t recommend it but some users do. Just back up the database like what was mentioned in number 8 and make a blank “back end” database. Import the tables from the original database (the database which has not been split). Now in the new “back end”, you can make the linked tables you desire.
I hope the solutions will help you. I know it’s a little confusing but once you get it started, it gets easier along the way.
Good luck with your database!
Why MS Access is showing blank environment in runtime!
Hello Sean Paul!
Alright, so you created a private certificate using the Office Tools and already did a “Package and Sign”, change the proper file extensions, ran it and showed up blank. Aside from Acrobat 9 Pro, do you happen to have plug-ins installed for it?
What you want to do is quite simple but let’s go ahead and troubleshoot your current problem.
Here are some solutions that you can try to solve your conundrum:
-
The blank screen can happen because of several reasons. A common and sometimes easy reason would be that you currently don’t have a specified start-up form. Double check if you have, then adjust it and see if it helps.
-
While in run time mode you will not have a navigation pane available so you must use a switchboard form or custom ribbon to navigate it properly.
-
If you don’t have the plug-in Developer Add-in, go ahead and download this from the internet. Install the Add-in, try to launch the form and see if it displays it correctly.
-
Don’t worry about the Add-ins showing itself in the runtime deployment. Most users have an updated Acrobat installed in their computers so it shouldn’t be a problem. If not, most of the time they will be prompted to do a small update for it to display the way you want it to.
-
You can also try splitting your Access database. What I mean by this is to split the database into “Application” and “Data. ”
-
This is a good process for any and all software, Access is one of them. Separating the Access database will bring the applications into the “front end” and simultaneously bring the data tables into the “back end”.
-
Splitting your Access database also protects your data, the process itself adds another level of security for your data tables. Let’s say, if your front end database gets corrupted, your back end data will remain untouched by this. If you did not split the data, you will lose everything.
