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Microsoft Access on a Mac

I have just completed a database project, only to be told that they want it to run on a Mac. I know I should've asked this up front, but assumed that as they didn't mention it, it was for a PC.

Being a charity, they are reluctant to use Parallels because of the cost of 10 licences.

Does anybody know of a viable, cheap solution to the problem?

ste5an

I don't think that there is a cheap solution. When there is a server, you may host a VM running Windows and Access and use RDP to log into it. But this is limited to one user at a time.

Depending on the kind of solution and the environment: What kind of solution did the expect? A web application? A local Java application or even a native one?

Seems like you need to do it again on a working platform. When the Access application is done correctly, then you can simply move the back-end to a database server. I would consider using a web service approach for a Angular/Knockout based web application.

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Daniel Pineault

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Jim Dettman (EE MVE)

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Gustav Brock

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Martin Liss

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Rick Danger

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Martin
Thanks - but I assume the renewals will be back to normal price thereafter

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PatHartman

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Jim Dettman (EE MVE)

<<but I think to recall, that in the past it had problems with Office and indeed Access. Jim may know - I've never tried.>>

Me neither. I haven't played with Linux/UNIX in a long time, and never in conjunction with Access.

It's an excellent thought though and certainly worth trying in this situation. With that said however, I believe support for Office with Wine is not all that great. Recent versions (2013 and up) might not even work since Microsoft changed the rendering engine in Office.

Jim.

Gustav Brock

It might be possible, though I wouldn't expect the install to be five-minute job:

Main Productivity Database Microsoft Access 2013 (32bit)Wine HQ: Main Productivity Database Microsoft Access 2013 (32bit)

I have neither a Mac nor a Linux machine, so I can't confirm.

Rick Danger

ASKER

Thanks all who helped. The customer cancelled in the end.