Access Application Launcher

Ó Copyright Jon C. Munson II, 1997


Welcome

Please read this document carefully; it contains information about installing and using the Access Application Launcher (AAL) application.  Please be sure that you have the following products installed:

	Microsoft Windows95
	Microsoft Access 2.0 and/or Access95 and/or Access97

Access 2.0 and/or Access95 and/or Access97 is/are required in order to use this utility.

This application is targeted to anyone who needs to utilize or administer multiple Access databases with multiple security databases, so there is a required familiarity with Windows95 and associated applications, and how they generally function.  However, do not let that frighten you into thinking this application is sophisticated — it is not, and was designed to be very easy to use.

Generally speaking, this application is meant to replace the Workgroup Administrator that comes with Microsoft Access.  It does NOT delete Workgroup Administrator off of your hard drive.  Under normal use of Workgroup Administrator, four dialogs are used in order to change one line in the registry or ini file.  I have written this utility such that you have only to specify the settings one time, and thereafter double-click a row on the grid to change the system.mdw and run the application.

I use this program every day, and find it indispensable.  I hope you do too.


Installation Instructions

To install the application on your machine, execute the setup.exe program found in the directory with this README.TXT file.  There isn't anything tricky about the installation, and there is an uninstall available with this installation program.  You do need to be aware that certain versions of olepro32.dll and oleaut32.dll are required in order to run this program.  The installation program copies a set of those two files into the application directory, so if you receive an error (such as "can't load from file"), first rename the olepro32.dll and oleaut32.dll in your windows\system directory, then copy the set included with this application into the windows directory.  i highly recommend renaming the orignal files in case you experience other problems with your system after you have copied the dlls.  If you have only installed Office95, and never installed a Visual Basic 4 application, then you will most likely need to perform the operations necessary to update those two dlls.

Use Instructions

When you start the application, the first thing you will see is a set of tabs.  The first one available is the Databases tab.  Each section hereafter describes the tabs and how to use them.

Databases Tab

You will see two basic areas on the screen:  Current System.MDWs, and a grid.  In the Current System.MDWs area,  there will be two fields displaying the registry entries for the current system.mdws for Access95 and Access97, and the system.mda for Access 2.0.  These fields are not editable, and are only meant to be informative so that you may keep track of the current mdw/mda each is assigned.  The grid contains the entries for your various database applications, the associated mdws/mdas, the associated database application (if applicable), and the Access version necessary to change the mdw/mda and/or run the associated application.

To use the grid, simply fill in the columns.  The first column contains the name for this particular application set, and it must be unique.  The second column contains the name and path of the associated mdw/mda.  The third column contains the name and path of the associated application and is optional.  The last column specifies whether these settings apply to an Access 2.0, Access95 or Access97 application.  The first, second and fourth columns are mandatory, and must be filled in.  You may browse for your mdw/mda and associated application by clicking on the buttons on the right side of the cells of the second and third columns.  If you choose to type in the path and file name, be sure to be accurate — if you specify a path and/or file that does not exist, you will receive an error.  Also, if you have spaces in your path, be sure to enclose your application path and filename in quotation marks — just like the shortcuts generated by Windows95.  Access 2.0 applications cannot have spaces or extended file names (it is a 16-bit application and therefore subject to the 8.3 rule).

Once you have specified settings in the grid, you may double-click on a row, or click the "Set & Run" button at the bottom left of the tab.  At that point AAL will change the mdw/mda and launch the application you've specified (if any).

To change the mdw/mda back to the default, create an entry for the default mdw/mda with no associated application, and double-click the row (or click the "Set & Run" button).

Settings Tab

This tab contains four fields:  Database Path, Access 20 Path, Access95 Path, and Access97 Path.  The database path contains the path and filename for the database that contains the entries for AAL's grid.  If you are using a networked database to obtain the list for the grid, you will need to specify the path in this field.  Under normal circumstances, however, you should never change the field unless necessary – as doing so may prevent the application from being used.  The Access paths point to the executables needed to run Access.  You must specify at least one of these in order to use AAL.  You may browse for any of the three paths and filenames if you like by clicking the "…" buttons found at the ends of the fields.  It is not necessary to restart the application, as the changes take effect immediately.  You will also receive warnings if the file names you specify do not exist (and the fields are not blank).  However, the database path is mandatory.

Instructions Tab

This tab contains a slightly abbreviated version of these instructions.

About Tab

This tab contains information pertinent to the application, as well as contact and payment information.


First Time Use

When running the application for the first time, you will need to do two things:  enter the path(s) for your version(s) of Access, and enter the default mdw(s)/mda(s).  Using the instructions above, I would suggest doing so as soon as possible. 

That's basically all there is to it!


Contact Information

If you run into trouble, have suggestions or comments, please write to me at:

myrr@millcomm.com

Technical support is only available via e-mail.

If you wish to purchase this program, please send $10.00(U.S. Currency only!) to:

Jon C. Munson II
518 6th Avenue S
Hopkins, Minnesota  55343

I apologize, however, at this time I cannot accept any credit card orders or company pos.


Miscellaneous Information

I can't make any promises, but if I get enough positive response, I may give the next version free to anyone who paid for the first.

It's a great little utility, and it sure beats using the workgroup administrator!  

Support the shareware system by paying those programmers who work so very hard for so very little!

Copyright Ó 1997, Jon C. Munson II.  All rights reserved.
Access Application Launcher is a trademark of Jon C. Munson II.
Windows, Access 2.0, Access95, Access97, and anything else related to Microsoft, are trademarks of Microsoft Corporation.