Launch a 3rd party application

[tranchemontaigne]

I want to integrate two applications together and make the end user feel like they are only using one piece of software. To make the applications talk, I will be using MS Access since one of them uses MS Access for the back-end database. My thought was that I could

1 - create a form that fills the whole screen and

2 - create a subform-type space on the form where the 3rd party application could run and have command buttons that would allow the user to control which application is displayed on the form

I know this type of thing can be done to initiaize an Internet Explorer session on a MS Access form.

Any ideas on how to approach this solution? I have a solid VBA coding background.

 

[lupins46]

'I know this type of thing can be done to initiaize an Internet Explorer session on a MS Access form'
That's because a control exists to do it.

There is no 'Access session' control so I would say what you are suggesting is not possible.

 

[tranchemontaigne]

Do you have any thoughts on another language / IDE that would meet this goal?

 

[lameid]

Not an expert on this kind of integration but either the appliaction has an Active X contrtol that you can stick on a form and hopefully exposes the properties and methods you need or it doesn't. As lupins46 pointed out, IE has such a control and I believe all the office apps do as well. Don't know never needed to use them.

If your application doesn't have a control, you'll have to give up or create a program and control that does the same thing in say VB or C++. VB is closest to VBA so if you are starting in a new language and know VBA I'd start there. Unfortunately my only intense development has been in Access and I only have a passing familiarity with what other languages can do. Honestly if you stuck me in a VB IDE I wouldn't know what to do with it.

 

[oharab]

When you put the internet explorer session onto an access form, you are putting an internet explorer activex control onto your form, just as when you put an activex chart or treeview control onto your form.
You don't say what your 3rd party apps do, but if they don't come with an activex control, then you can't put them on a form.

Ben

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Ben O'Hara

http://www.RobotParade.co.uk

"Where are all the stupid people from...
...And how'd they get so dumb?"

NoFX-The Decline
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