ODE97: ODE Setup Wizard Creates Unexpected Registry Keys

• Microsoft Access 97
• Microsoft Office 97 Developer Edition

SYMPTOMS

Advanced: Requires expert coding, interoperability, and multiuser skills.

When you create a custom application using the ODE Setup Wizard, extra entries are placed in the Windows registry when you run Setup for your custom application on any computer. The following entries are made to the Windows registry:

• HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Access Runtime
• HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Office\8.0\Access\Profiles

CAUSE

The registry keys listed in the "Symptoms" section are always created, even though the options are not selected in the Setup Wizard program. This behavior occurs because a profile can be used on any computer running Windows 95 or Windows NT, regardless of whether the developer of the application specifies a shortcut for the profile when creating the Setup program or not. This is also true for the run-time switch in some situations.

STATUS

This behavior is by design.

MORE INFORMATION

A user profile is a special set of Windows Registry keys you can create to override standard Microsoft Access and Microsoft Jet database engine settings, and to specify additional run-time options. You then use the /profile command-line option to specify this user profile when you start your application.

You can use a user profile, for example, to:

• Prevent standard Microsoft Access settings that users might modify in their database properties and startup options from conflicting with your application needs.
• Ensure that when you distribute your applications, other programs using the Jet database engine do not override custom settings your application needs.
• Test your application under different configurations.

Steps to Reproduce Behavior

1. Create a simple custom application that does not include the run-time component or any profiles for the Windows registry. These options are set on page three and page four of the Setup Wizard program.

2. On the Add files page, add any text file and click to select the "Set as Application's Main File" check box.

3. On the Add Shortcuts page, add a shortcut for the text file.

4. Click Next on the "List of Registry Values" screen.

5. On the Add Redistributables page, make sure "Microsoft Access Run-Time Version" is not selected. Click Next.

6. Type a name for your application in the "What is the name of your application" box. Click Next twice.

7. On the Specify Disk Image Options page, select the type of disk images you want to create, and then click Finish.

8. Run Setup for your application on any computer.

9. On the Start menu, click Run, and type Regedit in the Open box. Search for the new registry entries using the paths in the "Symptoms" section.

REFERENCES

For more information about run-time options, search the Help Index for "runtime environment," or ask the Microsoft Access 97 Office Assistant.

Keywords          : StpGnrl kbusage
Version           : 97
Platform          : WINDOWS
Hardware          : x86
Issue type        : kbprb
Solution Type     : Info_Provided