I'm new here, and I'd like help to get a fav old runtime-compiled app to work on Win8.1

[okkid]

Hi everyone,

I’m new here, and pleased to find such an active forum where I hope someone will be able to help me. And apologies for this long post, but I assume that the more info I give, the better the help will be.

In a nutshell, I’d like some pointers as to how to update my absolutely favourite PIM, which I’ve been using for 10 years, so that it will function on Win 8.1.

It’s called ‘Freedom Organiser’, and back in 2005, when I was still using Win2000, I was in touch with its author (Jim Lancaster, located in France: was he ever active in this forum?), who helpfully incorporated some of my ‘wish-list’ features and accepted some of my presentation-related suggestions. What used to be his website is now inactive, and Google and Facebook searches for him have proved fruitless, so (until I found this forum) it has seemed like I’m stranded and on my own – because I can find nothing comparable and so fully-featured to replace it. Although an earlier version of FO is still sitting in some file repositories, it lacks the updates Jim supplied to me (and anyway, to make it usable, would require a now unavailable ET-like ‘call home’.)

When I earlier moved FO to XP I did a re-install and upgrade, and my activation code came along for the ride (in the .mdb files I think) along with the data files I transferred into the directory. Sweet.

But, when I try the same trick on my latest Win8.1 OS, I get a (not unsurprising, really) message telling me it won’t work any more – won’t even install! It seems Jim’s install is packaged up with ‘Chief’s Installer Pro for Win 16 & Win32’ (version 4.8.2.0) – which my Google results indicate was a popular choice for Win2000. So no wonder that Win8.1 doesn’t want to know it. Bummer.

And I don’t know too much about database apps like Access (with so much good coding available on the web these days, preferring to leave the intricacies to others), but, while fossicking around in the FO files on my old XP box, I realised that the ‘msarn200.exe’ file, presumably called up by the shortcut-targeted .mdb file along with the .ini file parameters, was an Access runtime version.

So I wondered if it must be a bit of a doddle to download a later runtime version, and simply replace the .exe file in the XP directory with one that Win8.1 may not object to - if I can transfer it over and run it in XP-compatible mode. The results surprised and alarmed me.

Here’s what I’ve done and found thus far:-

1 Downloaded 2007 AccessRuntime.exe (version 12.0.6425.1000, 56.2MB).
2 Ran and installed it, expecting I may find a file I could copy over to my FO working directory.
3 Instead, the install has found my FO directory (!), and not only added a bunch of new files there, including six .ldb db-locking files, but has also (judging from their new date/time stamp) also messed with my freedom.mdb & freedata.mdb files. One addition is a shortcut which targets ‘msaccess.exe’ located under a new ProgramFiles sub-directory (\MicrosoftOffice\Office12).
4 As well as the new \MicrosoftOffice and its sub-directories, date/time stamping also indicates changes/additions to \CommonFiles and the creation of \MSECache under which the .cab file etc reside.
5 FO still runs OK, but I have no idea if it’s using these new additions.
6 I tried renaming ‘msarn200.exe’ but discovered that it must still be ‘in the loop’, because FO won’t run without it; named it back again, and it works. Not sure what that implies.

So now I’m really stuck in unfamiliar territory, and need some help, please.

In order to use FO on my new box, I’m presently firing up an XP install under Vmware; but as well as being a clunky solution, it’s resource hungry. So ideally, I’d like to get FO working directly under Win8.1, but I don’t want to risk cooking my clean Win8.1 install into a bunch of tangled spaghetti by attempting what I’ve just, as precaution, tried out first on my old XP box. So I would like to know:-

1 Based on the above, does anyone have any idea if there may be a way of successfully updating and installing my existing FO app on Win8.1?
2 Alternatively, is there a way of breaking into (hacking?) the compiled .mdb files for such an older, now unsupported app and re-compiling it for an updated runtime version?

Any suggestions or help would be much appreciated. But please don’t blind me with Access science/jargon; I’ll need it spelled out as if for a db-101 student!

Thanks, and apologies again for the long post.

[ItsMe]

Which version of the Access 2007 runtime did you download? If you downloaded the 64 bit version this may be part of the problem. I am unfamiliar with what an FO is. Where were the ini files located that you are referring to, in the same directory as the mdb? What are the full names?

If supporting files were originally located in the System32 folder you may be able to get them to work by placing them in the Windows directory of your W8 machine. It is hard to say what the ini files were doing. What were the full names? They may have been put in place to safeguard against people poking around in the mdb file.

The best solution may be to rebuild your app from the ground up. You are going to have to go through the code anyway. If the app was built using Access 2000 I think you need to use Access 2003 to edit the modules. I believe Access 2003 was the first edition to use a newer way for associating forms with their Modules. So, if it were me, I would probably start by importing the forms and modules into a new MDB file using Access 2003. Then I would use a newer version to import the objects into an accdb file. With the accdb file in hand, I would see if there was a way to rebuild the app. Regardless, it will be a lot of work.

[okkid]

Thanks ItsMe.
Just to clarify - I downloaded the right one - version number as above. I assume the 64-bit version would not have loaded into my 32-bit XP anyway?
FO - sorry that's my shorthand for the app - Freedom Organiser. And I didn't write it, so am unable to access the code or edit the modules.
I'm talking about an app supplied to me whose author is now nowhere to be found, and I want to keep on using it. So I think I need to break into it, or perhaps there is a way of making it work on Win8.1 without doing that?

[ItsMe]

...Just to clarify - I downloaded the right one - version number as above. I assume the 64-bit version would not have loaded into my 32-bit XP anyway?...

I was referring to W8.

Which Runtime or version of Access did you install on your W8 machine? I thought the trouble you are having is running your app on W8.

[orange]

Is this the same thing? If so, you may get some info/help
http://www.downloadplex.com/Windows/...er_211468.html

[helloworld]

What error message is the installer giving you on 8.1? Have you tried running the installer in compatibility mode?

Another thing you could try is copying the entire directory of the installed app from your older XP box to your new Windows 8.1 install. Then you can attempt to run it directly through the executable. You will probably get an error message, but the error message may tell you what dependencies are required to get the app to run.

helloworld

[CJ_London]

looking at this link

http://community.spiceworks.com/topi...ity-with-win-8

It looks like you are stuck with the way you are doing it at the moment.

Alternatively, is there a way of breaking into (hacking?) the compiled .mdb files for such an older, now unsupported app and re-compiling it for an updated runtime version?

if these are .mdb files, you should have access to the code (but not if they are .mde files). Are you aware of the possible shortcuts such as holding down the shift key whilst opening the file - although this feature can (and often is) turned off by the developer - or create a new blank db and then copy all objects from the old db?

if the files are actually .mde then there are companies out there who can rebuild the original code from the compiled code (but without any notation etc), no idea what they charge or how effective they are and if they are reputable they will require proof of your right to get to the source code.

Given the age and potential cost of recovery, you may want to consider finding someone who can recreate the system for you in a more modern environment.

[CJ_London]

One other thought, I seem to recall reading somewhere that Access 2007 runtime will not run a .mdb or .mde file - but if you change the name to .accdr it will. You should only need to change the name of the file you are running, a .mdb should still work as a backend (freedata.mdb?). Worth a try.

[amrut]

Not aware about the installer/FO/INI stuff, but if you have an .mdb file, you can try to open it on the same machine using Access 2007/2010 full version and save it as .accdb file. Then, if the upgrade is successful, you may use the .accdb file on Win 8.1 machine.

[ItsMe]

...I seem to recall reading somewhere that Access 2007 runtime will not run a .mdb or .mde file - but if you change the name to .accdr it will....

I am not sure I believe that. I just tested the theory with 2010 and there was not any issue with an MDB and 2010 runtime. I am trying to recall, I think I have used larger mdb files on machines with RT 2010 only. Anyway, there is a rule not to publish an MDE or accde with a version that is newer than the version that will actually run it. I do not think 2010 can publish MDE's. Maybe it can, dunno.

[okkid]

Thanks, everyone for your contribution.
I'm obviously a bit of a novice in forums like this, because it seems I haven't communicated all that well. Perhaps a bunch of additional info may help me get some answers for cracking my problem. So, to clarify....

The app is Freedom Organiser (FO) authored by Jim Lancaster over a decade ago.
An information box indicates that it had its origins in Access '97.
FO is packaged up with ‘Chief’s Installer Pro for Win 16 & Win32’
In early 2005, I first installed FO on Win2000.
Then, in response to my suggestions, Jim provided me with an 'update.exe' install file which added some features.
Later, I wanted to install FO on XP. I successfully ran 'freedom.exe' & 'update.exe' to install FO, copied over 'freedom.mdb' & 'freedata.mdb' from the Win2k c:\freedom directory and everything worked just fine.
FO is not installed under 'Programs'; it has its own 'Freedom' folder in the root directory.
Contents of a typical C:\Freedom directory:-

FileName Size (KB) Created Modified

AMERICAN.TSD 359 1/02/2005 31/08/2000
COMPOBJ.DLL 107 1/02/2005 1/09/2000
CUSTOM.DIC 2 1/02/2005 31/08/2000
DAO2016.DLL 427 1/02/2005 1/09/2000
DECOMP.EXE 38 1/02/2005 1/09/2000
FMSSPELL.VBX 74 1/02/2005 1/09/2000
Freedata.mdb 4,736 1/02/2005 16/06/2015
FREEDOM.INI 4 1/02/2005 27/01/2006
FREEDOM.ldb 1 18/02/2015 20/02/2015
FREEDOM.MDB 15,392 1/02/2005 20/02/2015
FREEDOM2.BMP 301 1/02/2005 15/05/2002
FREEDOM3.ICO 10 1/02/2005 31/08/2000
IMPORT.RTF 36 1/02/2005 8/03/2004
Introduction.rtf 129 1/02/2005 8/03/2004
MSABC200.DLL 299 1/02/2005 1/09/2000
MSACAHBB.DLL 196 1/02/2005 1/09/2000
MSAEXP20.DLL 80 1/02/2005 1/09/2000
MSAFIN.DLL 26 1/02/2005 31/08/2000
MSAIN200.DLL 403 1/02/2005 31/08/2000
MSAJT112.DLL 17 1/02/2005 31/08/2000
MSAJT200.DLL 971 1/02/2005 31/08/2000
MSAJU200.DLL 96 1/02/2005 31/08/2000
MSAOLE20.DLL 115 1/02/2005 31/08/2000
MSARN200.EXE 1,859 1/02/2005 31/08/2000
MSCPYDIS.DLL 14 1/02/2005 1/09/2000
MSJETERR.DLL 10 1/02/2005 1/09/2000
MSJETINT.DLL 15 1/02/2005 1/09/2000
NETWORK.RTF 43 1/02/2005 8/03/2004
OLE2.DLL 298 1/02/2005 1/09/2000
OLE2.REG 27 1/02/2005 1/09/2000
OLE2CONV.DLL 56 1/02/2005 1/09/2000
OLE2DISP.DLL 160 1/02/2005 1/09/2000
OLE2NLS.DLL 122 1/02/2005 1/09/2000
OLE2PROX.DLL 51 1/02/2005 1/09/2000
Readme.rtf 42 1/02/2005 28/08/2004
SHELL.DLL 5 1/02/2005 24/04/2003
SOA200.DLL 35 1/02/2005 31/08/2000
STDOLE.TLB 5 1/02/2005 1/09/2000
STORAGE.DLL 154 1/02/2005 1/09/2000
SYSJRL.ldb 1 1/02/2005 20/02/2015
Sysjrl.mda 576 1/02/2005 20/02/2015
SYSTEM.LDB 1 1/02/2005 29/11/2001
SYSTEM.MDA 96 1/02/2005 14/03/2005
System02.mda 96 1/02/2005 25/10/2001
TAS1010T.MDB 64 1/02/2005 31/08/2000
TAS1020T.MDB 96 1/02/2005 31/08/2000
TASPELL.EXE 80 1/02/2005 31/08/2000
TASPELL.GID 16 1/02/2005 18/02/2015
TASPELL.HLP 96 1/02/2005 31/08/2000
TASPELL.INI 1 1/02/2005 31/08/2000
TASPELL2.LDB 1 1/02/2005 20/02/2015
TASPELL2.MDA 256 1/02/2005 20/02/2015
TASSYS.LDB 1 1/02/2005 4/02/2005
TASSYS.MDA 96 1/02/2005 4/02/2005
TYPELIB.DLL 174 1/02/2005 1/09/2000
uninstal.exe 126 1/02/2005 4/10/2001
UNINSTAL.LOG 18 1/02/2005 1/04/2005
UPGRADE.RTF 29 3/02/2005 22/02/2005
UTILITY.LDB 1 1/02/2005 29/11/2001
UTILITY.MDA 224 1/02/2005 31/08/2000
UTILJRL.ldb 1 1/02/2005 20/02/2015
Utiljrl.mda 224 1/02/2005 31/08/2000
VBDB300.DLL 93 1/02/2005 31/08/2000
VBRUN300.DLL 389 1/02/2005 31/08/2000
VER.DLL 9 1/02/2005 1/09/2000
VSHARE.386 15 1/02/2005 1/09/2000
WRKGADM.EXE 107 1/02/2005 31/08/2000
WZLIB.ldb 1 2/02/2005 20/02/2015
WZLIB.MDA 544 2/02/2005 20/02/2015


The desktop shortcut targets FO with:- C:\Freedom\MSARN200.EXE C:\Freedom\Freedom.mdb /ini C:\Freedom\freedom.ini, which is why I suggested in my original post that the .ini file seems to provide some sort of parameters.

Contents of the 'freeom.ini' file:-

[Options]
SystemDB=C:\FREEDOM\sysjrl.mda
UtilityDB=C:\FREEDOM\utiljrl.mda
AllowCustomControls=1
AllowOLE1LinkFormat=0

[Clipboard Formats]
Microsoft Excel (*.xls)=soa200.dll,1,xls
Rich Text Format (*.rtf)=soa200.dll,2,rtf
MS-DOS Text (*.txt)=soa200.dll,3,txt

[Report Formats]
Microsoft Excel (*.xls)=xls,SOA_RptToBIFF,Biff3,Microsoft Excel (*.xls)
Rich Text Format (*.rtf)=rtf,SOA_RptToRTF,Rich Text Format,Rich Text Format (*.rtf)
MS-DOS Text (*.txt)=txt,SOA_RptToAscii,1,MS-DOS Text (*.txt)

[Microsoft Access]
Filter=Microsoft Access (*.mdb)|*.mdb|All Files (*.*)|*.*|
Extension=mdb
OneTablePerFile=No
IndexDialog=No
Maximized=0
CreateDbOnExport=No
Tutorial=0

[Delimited Text]
Filter=Delimited Text (*.txt)|*.txt|All Files (*.*)|*.*|
Extension=txt
OneTablePerFile=Yes
IndexDialog=No
CreateDbOnExport=No

[Fixed Width Text]
Filter=Fixed Width Text (*.txt)|*.txt|All Files (*.*)|*.*|
Extension=txt
OneTablePerFile=Yes
IndexDialog=No
CreateDbOnExport=No

[Word for Windows Merge]
Filter=Text (*.txt)|*.txt|All Files (*.*)|*.*|
Extension=txt
OneTablePerFile=Yes
IndexDialog=No
CreateDbOnExport=No

[Microsoft Excel 2.0-4.0]
Filter=Microsoft Excel (*.xls)|*.xls|All Files (*.*)|*.*|
Extension=xls
OneTablePerFile=Yes
IndexDialog=No
CreateDbOnExport=No

[Microsoft Excel 5.0]
Filter=Microsoft Excel 5 (*.xls)|*.xls|All Files (*.*)|*.*|
Extension=xls
OneTablePerFile=Yes
IndexDialog=No
CreateDbOnExport=Yes

[Lotus WKS]
Filter=Lotus 1-2-3 (*.wks)|*.wks|All Files (*.*)|*.*|
Extension=wks
OneTablePerFile=Yes
IndexDialog=No
CreateDbOnExport=No

[Lotus WK1]
Filter=Lotus 1-2-3 (*.wk1)|*.wk1|All Files (*.*)|*.*|
Extension=wk1
OneTablePerFile=Yes
IndexDialog=No
CreateDbOnExport=No

[Lotus WK3]
Filter=Lotus 1-2-3 (*.wk3)|*.wk3|All Files (*.*)|*.*|
Extension=wk3
OneTablePerFile=Yes
IndexDialog=No
CreateDbOnExport=No

[Menu Add-Ins]
;&Add-in Manager==Wm_Entry()
;&Database Documentor==Doc_PrintDataBase()
;A&ttachment Manager==Am_Entry()
;Im&port Database...==Doc_ImportDatabase()
;&Menu Builder==CustomMenuBuilder()
Total Access Speller==tas_start()


[Libraries]
c:\Freedom\wzlib.mda=rw
;wzTable.mda=rw
;wzQuery.mda=rw
;wzfrmrpt.mda=rw
;wzbldr.mda=rw
c:\Freedom\taspell2.mda=rw


[ISAM]
PageTimeout=5
LockedPageTimeout=5
CursorTimeout=10
LockRetry=20
CommitLockRetry=20
MaxBufferSize=512
ReadAheadPages=16
IdleFrequency=10

[Paradox 3.X]
Filter=Paradox (*.db)|*.db|All Files (*.*)|*.*|
Extension=db
OneTablePerFile=Yes
IndexDialog=No
CreateDbOnExport=No

[Paradox 4.X]
Filter=Paradox (*.db)|*.db|All Files (*.*)|*.*|
Extension=db
OneTablePerFile=Yes
IndexDialog=No
CreateDbOnExport=No

[Installable ISAMs]
Paradox 3.X=C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\pdx200.dll
Paradox 4.X=C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\pdx200.dll
FoxPro 2.5=C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\xbs200.dll
FoxPro 2.6=C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\xbs200.dll
FoxPro 2.0=C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\xbs200.dll
dBASE III=C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\xbs200.dll
dBASE IV=C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\xbs200.dll

[Paradox ISAM]
ParadoxNetPath=C:\ACCESS
ParadoxNetStyle=3.x
CollatingSequence=Ascii

[FoxPro 2.0]
Filter=FoxPro 2.0 (*.dbf)|*.dbf|All Files (*.*)|*.*|
Extension=dbf
OneTablePerFile=Yes
IndexDialog=Yes
IndexFilter=FoxPro Index (*.idx;*.cdx)|*.idx;*.cdx|All Files (*.*)|*.*|
CreateDbOnExport=No

[FoxPro 2.5]
Filter=FoxPro 2.5 (*.dbf)|*.dbf|All Files (*.*)|*.*|
Extension=dbf
OneTablePerFile=Yes
IndexDialog=Yes
IndexFilter=FoxPro Index (*.idx;*.cdx)|*.idx;*.cdx|All Files (*.*)|*.*|
CreateDbOnExport=No

[FoxPro 2.6]
Filter=FoxPro 2.6 (*.dbf)|*.dbf|All Files (*.*)|*.*|
Extension=dbf
OneTablePerFile=Yes
IndexDialog=Yes
IndexFilter=FoxPro Index (*.idx;*.cdx)|*.idx;*.cdx|All Files (*.*)|*.*|
CreateDbOnExport=No

[dBASE III]
Filter=dBASE III (*.dbf)|*.dbf|All Files (*.*)|*.*|
Extension=dbf
OneTablePerFile=Yes
IndexDialog=Yes
IndexFilter=dBASE Index (*.ndx)|*.ndx|All Files (*.*)|*.*|
IndexExtension=ndx
CreateDbOnExport=No

[dBASE IV]
Filter=dBASE IV (*.dbf)|*.dbf|All Files (*.*)|*.*|
Extension=dbf
OneTablePerFile=Yes
IndexDialog=Yes
IndexFilter=dBASE Index (*.ndx;*.mdx)|*.ndx;*.mdx|All Files (*.*)|*.*|
CreateDbOnExport=No

[dBase ISAM]
CollatingSequence=Ascii
Century=Off
Date=American
Mark=47
Deleted=On

[Run-Time Options]
StartupScreen=C:\Freedom\Freedom2.bmp
TitleBar="Organizer"
Icon=C:\Freedom\Freedom3.ico

[ODBC]
QueryTimeout=60
LoginTimeout=20


Does that makes sense to someone, and help the diagnosis?

I had hoped that it would be just as easy to get FO running on Win8.1 as it was on XP. But it won't install under Win8.1, and that may be because it doesn't like the Win2k-era install file? Then I wondered if it may be possible to simply create a c:\freedom directory under Win8.1, and copy everything over to it from XP. But before doing that, I thought I should experiment on my XP install and try to include a later Access runtime .exe that I could, if necessary, run in XP-compatible mode on Win8.1. Thus the (unsuccessful) steps 1-6 in my original post.

I've since realised that just copying the fies over wont suffice, because a registry search for 'freedom' on my XP bx where FO is presently installed throws up several entries. I'm no registry boffin, so what they do I wouldn't know.

And since mulling over the contributions here I've tried another ruse on my XP box. I altered the desktop shortcut so that it no longer targets the old MSARN200.EXE. The target becomes "C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office12\MSACCESS.EXE" C:\Freedom\Freedom.mdb /ini C:\Freedom\freedom.ini, so that the lately installed Access 2007 can try to run the database. But that's when I get this message:-

"The current user account doesn't have permission to convert or enable this database".....
... "This error is usually associated with opening or converting a security-enhanced Access 97 or earlier database"....


So I guess that means the database must be passworded or has somehow been made inaccessible.

Ajax: you suggest, "if these are .mdb files, you should have access to the code". They are, but I'm not an Access coder, so even if I could get into them I wouldn't know what the code means. I have tried to open them with a full Access 2000 app, but I get a message similar to the one above. The reason I want to break them open is to see if it is then possible to save them in a format compatible with a later runtime which will work on Win8.1.

amrut: I don't have a later full version of Access to try - but I'd be surprised if I didn't get a similar message again anyway.

orange: Thanks for the link, but it's broken... (as are all the file repositories' links to the now defunct FO site).

Any suggestions would be welcome. And if anyone is really keen to fire it up on XP and work it out, thjen I guess I could upload the original FO .exe files for you to play with? If so, how?

Thanks.

(Sorry for the duplicated huge image - I can't see how to edit it out )

[CJ_London]

I stick with my original suggestion - I've not used it but msarn200.exe is a facility for access 2 and I suspect is not compatible with the win8 OS

google msarn200.exe and you will find a number of threads on the subject