How to deploy an Access 2003 project that connects to an existing SQL Server 2000 database

Microsoft Office Access 2003 projects that connect to a Microsoft SQL Server 2000 database can be deployed by using the Package Wizard that is included with the Microsoft Office Access 2003 Developer Extensions. In an Access 2003 module, you can attach code that can automate the following required steps:

1. Find the server.
2. Start the server.
3. Attach the SQL Server 2000 database to the server.
4. Connect the project to the newly attached SQL Server 2000 database.

This article contains code that you can use to complete the four steps that are mentioned in the "Introduction" section. The code is specific to a Microsoft Access project. However, much of the code can be used by any Microsoft Visual Basic for Applications (VBA) application.

Microsoft provides programming examples for illustration only, without warranty either expressed or implied. This includes, but is not limited to, the implied warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose. This article assumes that you are familiar with the programming language that is being demonstrated and with the tools that are used to create and to debug procedures. Microsoft support engineers can help explain the functionality of a particular procedure, but they will not modify these examples to provide added functionality or construct procedures to meet your specific requirements.

Steps to modify an existing project application for deployment

The following steps assume that you already have a working project application that is ready to deploy. The steps show you how to add code to your project, how to make required adjustments to your startup form, and how to create a deployment package for an existing Microsoft Access project (*.adp) that connects to an existing SQL Server 2000 database.

1. Open the Access project that you want to deploy, and then create a new module.
   
   Because the code that you include uses SQL Server Distributed Management Objects (SQLDMO) code and scripting, you must make sure that the required references are present.
2. On the Tools menu, click References in the Visual Basic Editor.
3. In the References dialog box, click to select the Microsoft SQLDMO Object Library check box, and then click to select the Microsoft Scripting Runtime check box.
4. Click OK to close the References dialog box.
5. Put the following code in the new module that you created in step 1:

   Option Compare Database
   Option Explicit
   Dim adp_UseIntegratedSecurity As Boolean
   
   
   Public Function fStartUp(strDBName As String, strMDFName As String, _
           Optional strUN As String, Optional strPW As String)
   '------------------------------------------------------------
   'The code in this project connects the MDF file
   'to a local MSDE and then establishes the connection between
   'the Access Project and MSDE.
   '------------------------------------------------------------
       Dim strSQLInstances As String
       Dim strServername As String
       Dim intInst As Integer
       Dim strMachineName As String
       Dim spaceLocation As Long
       
       ' If no username is supplied, and you cannot 
       ' use integrated security, the function requires that you provide a valid SQL Server user account and password.
       If Not fCheckForCompatibleOS Then
           strMachineName = "(local)"
               If strUN = "" Then
                  MsgBox "Provide a valid SQL Server user account and password to log on to SQL Server because the current operating system does not support integrated security."
                  Exit Function             
               End If
              adp_UseIntegratedSecurity = False
       Else
           strMachineName = ComputerName
           If strUN = "" Then
               adp_UseIntegratedSecurity = True
           Else
               adp_UseIntegratedSecurity = False
           End If
       End If
    
       'Find the available instances of SQL Server 2000 on the computer.
       intInst = GetValidSQLInstances(strSQLInstances)
       If intInst < 1 Then
           Dim strErrorMsg As String
           strErrorMsg = "This application requires SQL Server 2000 " & _
               "to be installed on the local computer."
           MsgBox strErrorMsg, vbCritical, "SQL Server 2000 not installed!"
           Exit Function
       End If
       'At this point, it has been determined that there is at
       'least one valid instance of SQL Server 2000 on the computer.
       'The following code picks the default, or first instance, if more than
       'one instance is available. You may want to add code to prompt the user for
       'a choice when there is more than one instance on the computer.
       
       If InStr(1, strSQLInstances, "MSSQLSERVER") Then
           strServername = strMachineName
       Else
           spaceLocation = InStr(1, strSQLInstances, " ")
           If spaceLocation = 0 Then
               strServername = strMachineName & "\" & strSQLInstances
           Else
               strServername = strMachineName & "\" & Mid(strSQLInstances, 1, spaceLocation)
           End If
       End If
       
       'Call fstartMSDE to connect to SQL Server.
       fStartMSDE strServername, strUN, strPW
       
       'Call sCopyMDF to move the data file to the data folder
       'of SQL Server and then attach it to the server.
       fCopyMDF strServername, strUN, strPW, strDBName, strMDFName
       
       'Connect the ADP to the new SQL Server 2000 database.
       fChangeADPConnection strServername, strDBName, strUN, strPW
   
   
   End Function
   
   Public Function fStartMSDE(strServername As String, _
                   Optional strUN As String, Optional strPW As String)
   '------------------------------------------------------------
   'This subroutine turns on MSDE. If the server has been
   'started, the error trap exits the function and leaves the
   'server running.
   '
   'Notice that it will not put the SQL Service Manager on
   'the start bar.
   '
   'Input:
   '   strServername    The server to be started
   '   strUN        The user who is used to start the server
   '   strPW        The password of the user
   '
   'Output:
   '   Resolution of start
   '
   'References:
   '   SQLDMO
   '------------------------------------------------------------
   
       Dim osvr As SQLDMO.SQLServer
       Set osvr = CreateObject("SQLDMO.SQLServer")
           
       On Error GoTo StartError 'Error Trap
       osvr.LoginTimeout = 60
       osvr.LoginSecure = adp_UseIntegratedSecurity
       osvr.Start True, strServername, strUN, strPW
   
   ExitSub:
       Set osvr = Nothing
       Exit Function
   
   StartError:
       If Err.Number = -2147023840 Then
       'This error is thrown when the server is already running,
       'and Server.Start is executed on Windows NT, on Windows 2000, or on Windows XP.
          
           osvr.Connect strServername, strUN, strPW  'Connect to the server.
           
           Else 'Unknown Error
           MsgBox Err.Number & ": " & Err.Description
       End If
       Resume ExitSub
   End Function
   
   
   Public Function fCopyMDF(strServername As String, _
                   strUN As String, strPW As String, _
                   strDBName As String, _
                   sMDFName As String)
   
   '------------------------------------------------------------
   'This function determines whether the SQL Server 2000 database is already on
   'the MSDE Server. If the SQL Server 2000 database does not exist, this
   'function copies the MDF file from the same location as the
   'ADP file to the Data directory of MSDE and then attaches the SQL Server 2000 database.
   '
   'Input:
   '   strServername 	The server to be started
   '   strUN        	The user who is used to start the server
   '   strPW 		The password of the user
   '   strDBName 		The name of the SQL Server 2000 database
   '   sMDFName 		The name of the MSDE database to be copied
   '
   'Output:
   '   Resolution of copy
   '
   'References:
   '   SQLDMO
   '   Scripting Runtime
   '------------------------------------------------------------
   
   Dim FSO As Scripting.FileSystemObject
   Dim osvr As SQLDMO.SQLServer
   Dim strMessage As String
   Dim db As Variant
   Dim fDataBaseFlag As Boolean
   Dim dbCount As Integer
   
   On Error GoTo sCopyMDFTrap
   
       'The drive names that are used in FSO.Copyfile and
       'in oSvr.AttachDBWithSingleFile must match the
       'locations for Program Files and for MSDE on the
       'computer of the end user.
   
       fCopyMDF = ""
       fDataBaseFlag = False
       Set FSO = CreateObject("Scripting.FileSystemObject")
       Set osvr = CreateObject("SQLDMO.SQLServer")
       osvr.LoginSecure = adp_UseIntegratedSecurity
       osvr.Connect strServername, strUN, strPW
       dbCount = osvr.Databases.Count
       
       'Look for the SQL Server 2000 database existence on the local MSDE Server
       'by looping through all database names on the local
       'MSDE Server.
       For Each db In osvr.Databases
       
           If db.Name = strDBName Then 'The SQL Server 2000 database exists.
               fDataBaseFlag = True
               Exit For 'Get out of the loop.
           End If
     
       Next
       
       If Not fDataBaseFlag Then 'The SQL Server 2000 database does not exist
                                 'that matches sDBName.
   
           'Copy the file to the data folder.
           FSO.CopyFile Application.CurrentProject.Path _
           & "\" & sMDFName, _
           osvr.Databases("master").PrimaryFilePath & _
           sMDFName, True
   
           'Attach to the database.
           strMessage = osvr.AttachDBWithSingleFile(strDBName, _
               osvr.Databases("master").PrimaryFilePath _
               & sMDFName)
       End If
        
   ExitCopyMDF:
       osvr.Disconnect
       Set osvr = Nothing
   Exit Function
       
   sCopyMDFTrap:
   
       If Err.Number = -2147216399 Then 'DMO must be initialized.
           Resume Next
       Else
           MsgBox Err.Description
       End If
       
       Resume ExitCopyMDF
   Exit Function
       
   End Function
   
   
   Function MakeADPConnectionless()
   '------------------------------------------------------------
   'This code removes the connection properties from the
   'Access Project for troubleshooting purposes.
   'The ADP opens in a disconnected state until new connection
   'properties are supplied.
   '------------------------------------------------------------
       Application.CurrentProject.OpenConnection ""
   End Function
    
   Function fChangeADPConnection(strServername, strDBName As String, Optional strUN As String, _
           Optional strPW As String) As Boolean
   '------------------------------------------------------------
   'This function resets the connection for an ADP by using the
   'input parameters to create a new connection string. If no username
   'is supplied, it tries to connect by using integrated security.
   '
   'Input:
   '   strServerName    The server to be started
   '   strDBName   The name of the MSDE database
   '   strUN        The user who is used to start the server
   '   strPW        The password of the user
   '------------------------------------------------------------
       Dim strConnect As String
       On Error GoTo EH:
       strConnect = "Provider=SQLOLEDB.1" & _
       ";Data Source=" & strServername & _
       ";Initial Catalog=" & strDBName
       If adp_UseIntegratedSecurity Then
           strConnect = strConnect & ";integrated security=SSPI"
       Else
           strConnect = strConnect & ";user id=" & strUN
           strConnect = strConnect & ";password=" & strPW
       End If
       Application.CurrentProject.OpenConnection strConnect
       fChangeADPConnection = True
       Exit Function
   EH:
       MsgBox Err.Number & ": " & Err.Description, vbCritical, "Connection error"
       fChangeADPConnection = False
   End Function

6. Save this module as ModCopyConnect.
7. Create a second module, and then put the following code in the second module:

   Option Compare Database
   Option Explicit
   
   'This module provides functions that work together to
   'find existing computers that are running instances of SQL Server and also to find the computer name.
         
   Public Type OSVERSIONINFO
       dwOSVersionInfoSize As Long
       dwMajorVersion As Long
       dwMinorVersion As Long
       dwBuildNumber As Long
       dwPlatformId As Long
       szCSDVersion As String * 128
   End Type
   
   Declare Function GetVersionExA Lib "kernel32" _
            (lpVersionInformation As OSVERSIONINFO) As Integer
   
   Private Declare Function OSRegOpenKey Lib "advapi32" Alias _
   "RegOpenKeyA" (ByVal hKey As Long, ByVal lpszSubKey As String, _
   phkResult As Long) As Long
   
   Private Declare Function OSRegQueryValueEx Lib "advapi32" _
   Alias "RegQueryValueExA" (ByVal hKey As Long, _
   ByVal lpszValueName As String, ByVal dwReserved As Long, _
   lpdwType As Long, lpbData As Any, cbData As Long) As Long
   
   Private Declare Function GetComputerName _
   Lib "kernel32" Alias _
   "GetComputerNameA" (ByVal lpBuffer As String, _
   nSize As Long) As Long
   
   Private Declare Function OSRegCloseKey Lib "advapi32" _
   Alias "RegCloseKey" (ByVal hKey As Long) As Long
   
   Private Const MAX_COMPUTERNAME_LENGTH As Long = 15&
   Public Const HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT = &H80000000
   Public Const HKEY_CURRENT_USER = &H80000001
   Public Const HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE = &H80000002
   Public Const HKEY_USERS = &H80000003
   Private Const ERROR_SUCCESS = 0&
   Private Const VER_PLATFORM_WIN32s = 0  'Win32s on Windows 3.1
   Private Const VER_PLATFORM_WIN32_WINDOWS = 1  'Windows 95/98/ME.
   Private Const VER_PLATFORM_WIN32_NT = 2  'Windows NT/2000/XP
   Private Const REG_SZ = 1
   Private Const REG_BINARY = 3
   Private Const REG_DWORD = 4
   Private Const REG_MULTI_SZ = 7
   
   
   Public Function GetValidSQLInstances(ByRef strSQLInstances _
                   As String) As Integer
   '-----------------------------------------------------------
   ' This returns the number of valid SQL instances and a space-delimited
   ' string that lists the instances.
   '-----------------------------------------------------------
   
       Dim hKey As Long, i As Integer
       Dim strVersionInfo As String
       strSQLInstances = ""
       GetValidSQLInstances = 0
       
       If RegOpenKey(HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE, _
       "Software\Microsoft\Microsoft SQL Server", hKey) Then
           RegQueryStringValue hKey, "InstalledInstances", strSQLInstances
           RegCloseKey hKey
           StrConv strSQLInstances, vbUpperCase
           If InStr(1, strSQLInstances, "MSSQLSERVER") Then
              If RegOpenKey(HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE, _
              "Software\Microsoft\MSSQLServer\MSSQLServer\CurrentVersion", _
              hKey) Then
                   RegQueryStringValue hKey, "CurrentVersion", strVersionInfo
                   RegCloseKey hKey
                   If Mid(strVersionInfo, 1, 1) <> 8 Then
                       Replace strSQLInstances, "MSSQLSERVER", ""
                   End If
               End If
           End If
           Trim strSQLInstances
           If Len(strSQLInstances) > 0 Then
               GetValidSQLInstances = GetValidSQLInstances + 1
           Else
               Exit Function
           End If
           For i = 1 To Len(strSQLInstances)
               If Mid$(strSQLInstances, i, 1) = " " Then
                   GetValidSQLInstances = GetValidSQLInstances + 1
               End If
           Next i
       End If
   End Function
   
   
   Public Function RegOpenKey(ByVal hKey As Long, _
   ByVal lpszSubKey As String, phkResult As Long) As Boolean
   '-----------------------------------------------------------
   ' FUNCTION: RegOpenKey
   ' This opens an existing key in the system registry.
   ' True is returned if the key opens successfully. Otherwise, False 
   ' is returned.
   ' Upon success, phkResult is set to the handle of the key.
   '-----------------------------------------------------------
       Dim lResult As Long
       Dim strHkey As String
   
       strHkey = strGetHKEYString(hKey)
   
       lResult = OSRegOpenKey(hKey, lpszSubKey, phkResult)
       If lResult = ERROR_SUCCESS Then
           RegOpenKey = True
       End If
   End Function
   
   
   Public Function RegCloseKey(ByVal hKey As Long) As Boolean
       Dim lResult As Long
   '-----------------------------------------------------------
   ' FUNCTION: RegCloseKey
   ' Closes an open registry key
   ' Returns: True on success, else False
   '-----------------------------------------------------------
       lResult = OSRegCloseKey(hKey)
       RegCloseKey = (lResult = ERROR_SUCCESS)
   End Function
   
   
   Private Function strGetHKEYString(ByVal hKey As Long) As String
   '-----------------------------------------------------------
   'Given an HKEY, return the text string that represents that key.
   '-----------------------------------------------------------
       Dim strKey As String
       Dim intIdx As Integer
       strKey = strGetPredefinedHKEYString(hKey)
       If Len(strKey) > 0 Then
           strGetHKEYString = strKey
           Exit Function
       End If
    End Function
   
   
   Private Function strGetPredefinedHKEYString(ByVal _
   hKey As Long) As String
   '-----------------------------------------------------------
   'Given a predefined HKEY, return the text string that represents
   'that key, or else return vbNullString.
   '-----------------------------------------------------------
       Select Case hKey
           Case HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT
               strGetPredefinedHKEYString = "HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT"
           Case HKEY_CURRENT_USER
               strGetPredefinedHKEYString = "HKEY_CURRENT_USER"
           Case HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE
               strGetPredefinedHKEYString = "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE"
           Case HKEY_USERS
               strGetPredefinedHKEYString = "HKEY_USERS"
       End Select
   End Function
   
   
   Public Function RegQueryStringValue(ByVal hKey As Long, _
   ByVal strValueName As String, strData As String) As Boolean
   '-----------------------------------------------------------
   ' This retrieves the string data for a named
   ' (strValueName = name) or for an unnamed (Len(strValueName) = 0)
   ' value in a registry key. If the named value
   ' exists, but its data is not a string, this function
   ' fails.
   '
   ' Returns: True on success, else False
   '  On success, strData is set to the string data value.
   '-----------------------------------------------------------
       Dim lResult As Long
       Dim lValueType As Long
       Dim strBuf As String
       Dim lDataBufSize As Long
       lResult = OSRegQueryValueEx(hKey, strValueName, 0&, _
                 lValueType, _
           ByVal 0&, lDataBufSize)
       If lResult = ERROR_SUCCESS Then
           If lValueType = REG_SZ Then
               strBuf = space$(lDataBufSize)
               lResult = OSRegQueryValueEx(hKey, strValueName, 0&, _
                    0&, ByVal strBuf, lDataBufSize)
               If lResult = ERROR_SUCCESS Then
                   RegQueryStringValue = True
                   strData = StringFromBuffer(strBuf)
               End If
                   ElseIf lValueType = REG_MULTI_SZ Then
               strBuf = space$(lDataBufSize)
               lResult = OSRegQueryValueEx(hKey, strValueName, 0&, _
                         0&, _
                   ByVal strBuf, lDataBufSize)
               If lResult = ERROR_SUCCESS Then
                   RegQueryStringValue = True
                   strData = ReplaceNullsWithSpaces(strBuf)
               End If
           End If
       End If
   End Function
   
   
   Public Function StringFromBuffer(Buffer As String) As String
       Dim nPos As Long
       nPos = InStr(Buffer, vbNullChar)
       If nPos > 0 Then
           StringFromBuffer = Left$(Buffer, nPos - 1)
       Else
           StringFromBuffer = Buffer
       End If
   End Function
   
   
   Public Function ReplaceNullsWithSpaces(str As String) As String
   '-----------------------------------------------------------
   ' Replace all null characters with spaces.
   '-----------------------------------------------------------
       Dim i As Integer
       If Len(str) > 0 Then
           For i = 1 To Len(str)
               If Mid$(str, i, 1) = vbNullChar Then
                   Mid$(str, i, 1) = " "
               End If
           Next i
           ReplaceNullsWithSpaces = Left$(str, Len(str) - 2)
       Else
           ReplaceNullsWithSpaces = str
       End If
   End Function
   
   
   Public Function ComputerName() As String
   '-----------------------------------------------------------
   '  The following returns the local computer name.
   '-----------------------------------------------------------
       Dim nLen As Long
       Dim strComputerName As String
       nLen = MAX_COMPUTERNAME_LENGTH
       strComputerName = String$(nLen, 0)
       GetComputerName strComputerName, nLen
       strComputerName = Left$(strComputerName, nLen)
       ComputerName = strComputerName
   End Function
    
    
   Public Function fCheckForCompatibleOS() As Boolean
   '-----------------------------------------------------------
   '  The following checks to see if the operating system can use integrated security.
   '-----------------------------------------------------------
       Dim osinfo As OSVERSIONINFO
       Dim retvalue As Integer
       osinfo.dwOSVersionInfoSize = 148
       osinfo.szCSDVersion = space$(128)
       retvalue = GetVersionExA(osinfo)
       If osinfo.dwPlatformId >= VER_PLATFORM_WIN32_NT Then
           fCheckForCompatibleOS = True
       Else
           fCheckForCompatibleOS = False
       End If
   End Function
   

8. Save the second module as GetSQLInstances.
9. Open your existing startup form in Design view. Or, create a new startup form if you do not have a startup form.
10. Add a command to the OnOpen event property of your startup form to call the fStartUp function.
    
    You must specify the SQL Server 2000 database name that you want to create on the computer that is running SQL Server. You must also specify the existing SQL Server data file name. You can also specify the required SQL Server logon name as an optional third argument. You can specify the password as an optional fourth argument. Both the third and fourth arguments can be specified if you are not using integrated security. For example, if you want to create a database that is named Northwind by using a data file that is named NorthwindSQL.mdf, the function call appears as follows:

    =fStartUp("Northwind","NorthwindSQL.mdf","","") 

    Note This note concerns SQL Server security. If you do not supply a logon name in the fStartUp function call, the fStartUp function call tries to use integrated security if the underlying operating system supports integrated security. For example, the underlying operating systems for Microsoft Windows 2000 and for Microsoft Windows XP support integrated security.
    
    If the underlying operating system does not support integrated security, you have to provide a valid SQL Server user account and password. Regardless of the operating system, if you specify at least a logon name, the code tries to connect by using SQL Server security with the supplied logon name and password. If you do not have a copy of your SQL Server data file, you must make a copy of that data file to include with your deployment package.
11. On the Tools menu, point to Database Utilities, and then click Copy Database File.
12. In the Open dialog box, specify the name and the location where you want to save the database file, click Save to finish the process, and then close the dialog box.
    
    When the project is first run on the destination computer, Access 2003 tries to connect to the computer that is running SQL Server that is specified in the connection properties of the file. Although the previous sample code still runs and still updates the connection information, it is a good idea to remove the existing connection information before you deploy.
    
    To remove the existing connection information, you can run the MakeADPConnectionless function that is included in the ModCopyConnect module.
13. To run the function, put the following in the Immediate window, and then press ENTER:

    ?MakeADPConnectionless

14. Save your changes.
15. To complete the deployment of your Access 2003 solution, open the Package Wizard that is included with Microsoft Office Access 2003 Developer Extension.

For additional information about how to create a distributable Access run-time application, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

For additional information about deploying an Access 2003 project with SQL Server 2000, click the following article numbers to view the articles in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: