Excel2003/Excel97 Object Library Conflicts

negal · 09-10-2008, 06:58 AM

Hi all,

So we have a couple of legacy database systems developed using Access97 Applications, which then produce reports in Excel97 using old Excel97 Object Library references. When the Access97 dbase Apps are opened for use, they automatically search the local system for the version of excel installed and then proceeds to update the access97 system with the version of excel found. Now this all works fine, unless you have Excel 2003 on that machine, in which case it then picks up the Excell 2003 version and starts to use the Object Library for excel 2003, which then screws up the system as the Access97 dbase apps and are not written for 2003 version Object Libraries. so my question really is, how would you go about using the SVS solution to deal with this kind of situation?

Do you think virtualizing Excel 2003, might isolate Excel
Object Libraries and thus resolve issue. Any ideas?

I am also thinking, maybe virtualizing excel 2003, and if need be getting the user to "deactivate" the Excel 2003 while using the legacy SVS appz.

Any ideas appreciated.

Many thanks in advance.

andykn · 09-10-2008, 10:43 AM

I think you can script the deactivation of the layers, so you could have a batch file to launch the Access 97 app that would deactivate the Excel 2003 layer before running the Access97 app.

I don't think virtualising Excel 2003 itself will islote the libraries.

Have you thought of isolating the Access97 systems in a Virtual PC?

negal · 09-10-2008, 10:48 AM

Hi AndyKN, thanks very for the reply mate.

Trouble is we have a large number of users using this legacy system. We're talking around 500. Also some of the PCs they use are not good enough to handle a virtual PC. So the virtual PC idea isn't going to work i am afraid.

I do like the idea of script that activation/deactiation though. Been looking into it and found that the SVSCMD.EXE will allow me to do that. Do you know of any other way to script that part?

andykn · 09-10-2008, 10:52 AM

I don't know of any other way to script the deactivation of layers.

I don't envy you, you'll have to come up with some way of making sure you don't close someone's work in Excel 2003

Also, I think you'd need to change the Excel 2003 launch shortcut too to check that the Access97 is deactivated.