Running Access database without access on a computer

Question

Hello. My question: Is there a way to run an access database without having to download "Runtime 2016" from Microsoft, or is there a way to inbed the runtime into the database?

The reason I am asking is about 2 years ago we purchased an employee time tracking program (time clock) and after having it for a while I was looking in the c drive and noticed that the time management program was just an access database. At the time we did not have access on our computer and the program ran fine. Also when we purchased the program we did not have to go to the microsoft web site and download the runtime program.

I can only think that it was part of the database. I have created a membership database in access and am thinking about offering this to other post organizations who I know do not have access installed on their systems and how nice it would be if they didn't have to go through the extra steps of going out and finding runtime and downloading and installing it.

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Thanks for your time.

Bill

Answer 1

No, it is not, and has never been, possible.

What the developer probably did was package it into a single exe for deployment to simplify everything and make a professional solution.

Access used to have a primitive packaging tool, but that no longer exists, but there are plenty of other ones for you to look into.  See: http://www.devhut.net/2014/06/04/ms-access-package-solution-wizard-is-dead-now-what/