Creating Dependency Files
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A dependency (.dep) file contains information about the run-time requirements of a solution or component — for example, which files are needed, how they are to be registered, and where on the user's machine they should be installed. You can create .dep files for standard projects in all versions of Office 2000 Developer.
For example, say you have created an Access database that uses an Excel workbook that is late-bound in code. To package this solution, you would first create a .dep file for the workbook using the wizard, then you would package the solution in Access, including the Access Run-Time. The wizard will use the workbook's .dep file during the packaging process to build a comprehensive list of all of the files the solution needs.
Note Microsoft Office 2000 Developer provides royalty-free run-time distribution licenses that allows you to distribute copies of your application, including the Microsoft Access run-time licensing key and the Microsoft Graph 9 run-time executable file. These are necessary to run Office applications on a machine that does not have Microsoft Office 2000. For more information about using the Access Run-Time, see Targeting the Access Run-Time.
You should generate a .dep file for any component you create in Office if that component may be used in another project. The information from the .dep file for each component in a project is combined to form the project's dependency information. If you do not create a .dep file for your component, the dependency information for any projects in which it is used may be incorrect.
The Package and Deployment Wizard will inform you if dependency information is missing for a component in your project. You can use the wizard to create a .dep file for the component, or, if the component is from a third party, you can contact the component's vendor and request a .dep file.
Note For some third-party projects, you may need to manually search for dependency files when using the Package and Deployment Wizard.
To create a dependency file for an Office component
Access the Visual Basic Editor from the Office product in which you created the component.
Launch the Package and Deployment Wizard from the Add-Ins menu.
Tip If you have not previously run the Package and Deployment Wizard, you may need to access the Add-Ins Manager to make it appear on the Add-Ins menu. Start the Add-Ins Manager, then select the Package and Deployment Wizard, and select the Loaded\Unloaded option. For more information, see Accessing Office 2000 Developer Tools.
On the main screen of the wizard, click Package.
On the Package Type screen, click Dependency File.
Continue through the wizard until you have set the necessary options for your file, then click Finish.
For More Information For more information on dependency files, see in the "Distributing Your Applications" chapter of the Visual Basic Programmer's Guide.