Issues with .accde files

[Neologic29]

I have a database that I've been working on that's ready for deployment and distribution to the users. I have split the database and want to lock down the front end so that users can't make changes to it. I attempted to do this by taking the .accdb front end and converting it into a .accde file. The problem is that I have a significant amount of VBA in this database that no longer runs when the .accde is opened. I have already tried compiling the code before converting the .accdb into .accde and it still has not worked. I have added the file location to the trusted locations list and made sure the macros setting was enabled. I cannot for the life of me find a solution. Every instance of this problem I can find seems to be solved by compiling the code first. Any insights?

[ItsMe]

... Every instance of this problem I can find seems to be solved by compiling the code first...

I am confused by this statement.

In order for the file to function it needs to be able to operate exclusively in the Run Time environment. Executable files can not access features that you would see and use during development time.

During development time you write VBA and develop things like objects, classes, etc. It is important to periodically compile your code. This takes only moments but is considered as Compile Time. During compile time your VBA is translated into a language that the runtime files can support. Any failure to compile your code during compile time will effect the ability of the app to operate in a Run Time environment. The runtime does not know what to do with your VBA. Your VBA needs to be translated into what I believe is referred to as Base Language, if I remember correctly.

[Neologic29]

Basically, what I meant was that when I did a search for "VBA not working with accde" on Google, I got a bunch of other forum posts about having to compile the code before converting the .accdb into .accde. This seemed to solve those other people's problem (which is the same as mine) but it hasn't solved mine.

Are you saying I needed to be periodically compiling the code as it was being written? Or could I compile the whole thing once it was done? I am new to VBA and have recently started using it more over macros because of how powerful it is, but I admit that I don't really know much about the compiling process.

[ItsMe]

You can wait to compile your code just be fore publishing an executable. I would not do it that way and, instead, compile periodically. If you wait too long before compiling your code, you may find something that you wrote several days or weeks prior is not working. It is better to fix problems while the purpose of the code is fresh in your mind and you do not repeat mistakes that compiling may bring to your attention.

Not every line of code will run every time you run the app.

Now back to the accde issue. You need to determine what the earliest version of Access and or Runtime the users will employ to open your published app. Once you have determined that, you need to use that version to publish the accde file. You can not publish an accde file using Access 2010 and expect someone with Access runtime version 2007 to be able to use it.

Another issue could be with macros. Macros are often times not interchangeable between versions. In other words some macros may not be backward or forward compatible. So even if you are using Access 2007 to publish your accde file, if there are macros inside, someone using Access 2010 or Access 2013 may not be able to use the file.

Another issue could be a deprecated features that are not forward compatible. There are not many but thee are a couple. Pivot Tables come to mind. I don't know if you can even use them during runtime, I think you can. Anyway, I do not believe they are supported in 2013. Some deprecated features are accessible in later versions but can not be created or edited in later versions. Deprecated features are probably the least of your worries.

[Neologic29]

I haven't received any compiler errors when attempting to check the code I've written and it all works exactly as designed (In both Access 2013 and 2010). Additionally, I always step through the code when it's first written to determine exactly where problems arise, if any. If there was an error somewhere, I would be aware of it.

As for compatibility, at home, I use Access 2013 to work on this project and when I'm at work, I would use Access 2010 because that is what they have installed there. I haven't run across any incompatibility issues with the full database file while moving it between these two versions. In fact, I have been testing the database split and .accde conversion solely on Access 2013. While I will definitely keep this in mind once I'm ready to distribute, I don't think that version compatibility is an issue because I created the .accde file using 2013 and am running it on 2013 as well. It seems like something else is wrong here. (*NOTE I will probably split the database while at work and distribute the font end using Access 2010 to avoid possible complications there).

[ItsMe]

The only thing that I can think of that would cause an accde file not to function is if the VBA inside is requesting functions that are only available during Development Time.