[AccessD] Meet VBA's Replacement

Kenneth Ismert kismert at sbcglobal.net
Sun Jul 16 10:47:57 CDT 2006


Hadyn, 

> Does this mean the runtime will now cost to deploy?  Or is this 
> talking about developer licensing?


VSTA is a scripting add-on for software companies that want to sell
VSTA-scriptable applications. The software company bears the cost of
licensing (which then gets passed to the customer).

See (bottom of page): 
Microsoft Visual Studio 2005 Tools for Applications
---------------------------------------------------
http://msdn.microsoft.com/vstudio/extend/vsta/default.aspx


VSTO is the development/scripting environment for Office. VSTO and VSTA
appear to be closely related. For example, the improved VBA migration
in VSTA will likely make it to Access 2007. 

You purchase VSTO in a number of ways: 

Purchasing Visual Studio 2005
-----------------------------
http://msdn.microsoft.com/vstudio/howtobuy/default.aspx

It is harder to find good information on the Access runtime. For Access
2003, you can get the Access Runtime with VSTO. This licenses you to
distribute a (limited) runtime solution, royalty-free:


Visual Studio 2005 Product Line Overview
----------------------------------------
http://msdn.microsoft.com/vstudio/products/compare/default.aspx

Obtain and deploy the Access 2003 runtime
-----------------------------------------
http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/assistance/HA011208861033.aspx

Overview of Office 2003 Developer Technologies
----------------------------------------------
http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/default.asp?url=/library/en-us/dno2k3ta/html/office2003overviewdevelopertechnologies.asp

(exerpt)
The Access 2003 Runtime license allowing royalty-free distribution
comes with the Microsoft Office Access 2003 Developer Extensions, which
is a component of Visual Studio Tools for Office version 2003. A
developer who is licensed for this product can bundle a solution (.mdb
files and any other support files) with the Access 2003 Runtime and
distribute it to as many users as necessary. There is no limit to the
number of distributions or the number of Access Runtime solutions that
you can create using one license. The physical runtime files are
included with Microsoft Office 2003 Professional Edition or Microsoft
Office Access 2003, so you must also own a copy of one of these
products, although this is not a requirement for the end customer. The
Package Wizard, which comes with the Access 2003 Developer Extensions,
helps you create a professional installation package for the solution.

The Access 2003 Runtime is, in essence, Microsoft Office Access 2003,
but with a few key features disabled. A user with an Access 2003
Runtime solution installed instead of full Access can open and run the
solution (either an .mdb file or, with a few extra steps, a SQL Server
back-end database) but does not see the Database Window and cannot
switch the view of any Access object to the Design view.


Microsoft Partner Program -- Ask the Partner Group: November Questions:
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
http://members.microsoft.com/partner/nz/askthepartnergroup_nov.aspx

(exerpt) Question 5: 

...Access Runtime is now licensed through Visual Studio Tools for
Office (VSTO) and MSDN Universal. If a developer creates a database
using a VSTO/MSDN license they can then distribute their database to
the end users by way of the Access Runtime license. However, as Access
Runtime is included as part of the developer license, the license
dictates that the users with Access Runtime must only be able to view
the data within the database. If further access to the data (eg:
changing tables, creating reports, etc) is undertaken, then a full
version of Access is required for each device that has the ability to
utilise this functionality.

-Ken



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