ActiveX dependencies in Access

Question

I'm using the Crystal Reports Viewer 11 ActiveX control in an Access form (version 2007, 2003 format). Everything works well on my development machine, where I have CRXI installed. I copied the referenced DLL to the client's machine, but when I try to register it, it says "Can't find module" (I double- and triple-checked my spelling) and when I try to open the form it tells me "ActiveX component can't create object" when the code tries to create a new instance of the report object. I suspect there are more dependency files required by the DLL, but I'm a little at a loss as to what ones and how I go about finding out. Although I'm using the CR control, I assume this would apply to any ActiveX control throwing this error. Thanks.

Answer 1

There should be a runtime distribution document in your Crystal Help files - from past experience (Crystal 8.5) there are multiple files that you have to distribute and register.

Answer 2

I'm answering my own question in case someone finds this via a search in the future. I don't have the Access Package & Deploy wizard David mentioned above (okay, I probably have it but couldn't find it readily) but I image it would probably do what I needed, so I recommend anyone try that first. Instead, I was able to create a setup to install tghe needed files using the Visual Studio Installer and the Crystal merge modules; note that while it wasn't difficult, nor was it pleasant.

I downloaded and installed Visual Studio Installer 1.1 from MSDN. This creates a new project type in Visual Studio 6.0 (in particular, I used InterDev 6.0) that creates a Windows Installer (*.msi) setup file. Because one of the Crystal merge modules requires the Crystal license key and VSI doesn't support merge module parameters, I also had to use Orca, a merge module editor, available from the Microsoft Windows SDK (also available on the Microsoft download site). I recommend reading through the SDK and Orca pages on MSDN for more info. Using Orca, I was able to put my key code and recompile the merge module, so I don't have to deploy my key to my users, and my users don't have to enter one.

Again, the Package & Deployment Wizard is probably a better option, but when faced with using merge modules, as with Crystal, this method will get the job done.