Running Access 2003 with Office 2016

[NickMDal]

Hi. We have four Windows 7 machines that all use the same synchronized database MDB split front/back end. It has been running well for about 12 years - Access 03 is the only app from that version of Office.



It is a complex application that runs a healthcare practice. We could not convert to ACCDB since synchronization was/still is essential.


Just upgraded all machines to Office 16, 32 bit, which frustratingly upset db references.

To get the Access 11.0 object library to display, I had to manually reset the registry paths for C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Office\OFFICE11\msacc.olb …which worked, so these are the current references

1. VBA
2. Access 11.0 object library
4. DAO 3.6
5. ADO 2.5

The code compiles, but there are two errors.

First error (after installing Office 2016 and before changing references) "ActiveX component can't create object" on command to open a local Word doc, "Private Sub cmdOpenDoc_Click()"

Second (appeared after correcting references). Our application login screen uses fOSUserName to verify the Windows user ID. It won't run, blocking access to the app.


I've been involved in the design but am not a programmer. We are really in a bind here. I would really appreciate help.

[June7]

I use Environ("USERNAME") to obtain the Windows user ID.

[NickMDal]

Okay I'll ask the developer to take a look. Just a little worried about Access 2003 with Office. Is this a common function failure? Felt like a response to they Office environment change.

[Micron]

You are sure it's 32 bit? 64 bit Windows apps require API calls to be declared safe. Research ptrSafe to find out more about it.
About the only loophole I know of regarding Environ variables is that the user can alter them. If you're not concerned with that, then you could switch, but the ptrSafe declaration would be less work.

[NickMDal]

Thanks for that info. Office is definitely 32 bit based on "About" in the account info. The login security is already pretty low since the vb is accessible by any dev. The security is less piracy prevention and more low level hipaa privacy.