Parish Record Keeper: Manual Installation Guide ================================================ WHY YOU MAY NEED THIS GUIDE ----------------------------- The normal installation uses a signed Setup package (an .exe file) that performs all steps automatically. Some Antivirus programmes block or quarantine signed executable installers as a precaution, even when they carry a valid digital signature. If that happens, or if you simply prefer to inspect every step yourself, this guide explains how to install Parish Record Keeper without running the Setup package. All executable and PowerShell files distributed with Parish Record Keeper are digitally signed by the developer (Bernhard Udelhoven) and countersigned and timestamped by ssl.com. You can verify any signature by right-clicking the file, choosing Properties, and opening the Digital Signatures tab. BEFORE YOU BEGIN: OBTAIN THE LICENCE PASSWORD --------------------------------------------- Parish Record Keeper requires a licence file to operate. This file is part of the official SETUP file, but NOT downloaded automatically like other dependent files. Contact the developer to receive its password. developer@parishrecordkeeper.com STEP 1 — DOWNLOAD THE APPLICATION FILE ---------------------------------------- Download the correct application file for your Windows and Office installation: For 64-bit Office (most common since Office 2016): https://parishrecordkeeper.com/PRKfiles/ParishRecordKeeper_64bit.accde For 32-bit Office: https://parishrecordkeeper.com/PRKfiles/ParishRecordKeeper_32bit.accde After downloading, scan the file with your Antivirus software (right-click > Scan, or equivalent). Choose an empty directory for your installation. A few guidelines: - Do NOT place it inside a Windows system folder or the Program Files folder. - Avoid a folder that is permanently synced to the cloud (OneDrive, Dropbox, etc.), as syncing conflicts with the database backend. See the main manual for workarounds if cloud storage is unavoidable. - A location such as C:\ParishRecordKeeper or D:\ParishRecordKeeper works well. Place the downloaded .accde file into that empty directory. STEP 2 — TRUST THE INSTALLATION FOLDER ----------------------------------------- This step must be completed BEFORE the first run. Microsoft Access blocks VBA code (macros) in databases that are not in a trusted location, so the application cannot set itself up until the folder is trusted first. A. AUTOMATED — download and run TrustFolder.exe Download TrustFolder.exe directly: https://parishrecordkeeper.com/PRKfiles/TrustFolder.exe Place it in the same installation directory as the .accde file and double-click it. It will register that folder (and its subfolders) as a trusted location in Microsoft Access for the current Windows user. A confirmation message is shown on completion. No administrator rights are required. Note: If you move the installation folder to a different location at any point, run TrustFolder.exe again from the new location. B. MANUAL ALTERNATIVE — via Access settings If you do not wish to run TrustFolder.exe, perform the following steps inside Microsoft Access: 1. Open Microsoft Access (without opening any database). 2. Click the FILE tab, then click OPTIONS. 3. In the Access Options window, click Trust Center in the left panel. 4. Click the "Trust Center Settings..." button. 5. In the Trust Center window, click Trusted Locations in the left panel. 6. Click "Add new location...". 7. Click Browse and navigate to your Parish Record Keeper installation folder. Select the folder and click OK. 8. Tick the box labelled "Subfolders of this location are also trusted". 9. Click OK to confirm, then OK again to close Trust Center, then OK to close Access Options. What TrustFolder.exe does in the registry (for reference): It creates a subkey under: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\16.0\Access\Security\Trusted Locations named LocationN (where N is the next available number), containing: Path (String) — full path to your installation folder, with trailing \ AllowSubFolders (DWORD) — value 1 Description (String) — "Parish Record Keeper" Date (String) — date and time of registration The same entry is created for both the 32-bit and 64-bit registry views (Registry32 and Registry64) where applicable. STEP 3 — FIRST RUN: AUTOMATIC SETUP -------------------------------------- With the folder now trusted, make sure you are connected to the internet and open the .accde file by double-clicking it. Parish Record Keeper will automatically: - Create all required subfolders (\System, \Utilities, \Backend, \Backup, etc.) - Download all required supplementary files from parishrecordkeeper.com - Download ParishRecordKeeper.exe (the official launcher) into the root folder - Download the helper tools (TrustFolder.exe, CreateShortcuts.exe, Associate-PRK-FileType.exe) into the \Utilities subfolder The programme will ask you for the licence password and create the licence file automatically. Use ParishRecordKeeper.exe (not the .accde file) as your regular launcher from this point on. Create a desktop shortcut to it (see Step 4). STEP 4 — CREATE SHORTCUTS --------------------------- A. AUTOMATED — run CreateShortcuts.exe Location: \Utilities\CreateShortcuts.exe Double-click CreateShortcuts.exe. It will create a shortcut named "Parish Record Keeper" on your Desktop and in your Start Menu, both pointing to ParishRecordKeeper.exe in your installation root folder, with the PRK icon (System\PR1.ico) and the correct working directory. B. MANUAL ALTERNATIVE Desktop shortcut: 1. Right-click an empty area of your Desktop and choose New > Shortcut. 2. Click Browse and navigate to ParishRecordKeeper.exe in your installation root folder. Click OK, then Next. 3. Name the shortcut "Parish Record Keeper" and click Finish. 4. To add the PRK icon: right-click the new shortcut > Properties > Change Icon, then Browse to \System\PR1.ico in your installation folder. Start Menu shortcut: 1. Navigate to: C:\Users\\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs 2. Copy the desktop shortcut you just created into that folder, or create a new shortcut there following the same steps above. STEP 5 — ASSOCIATE .PRK FILES WITH MICROSOFT ACCESS ------------------------------------------------------ Parish Record Keeper uses .prk files as its data backend. Registering the .prk file type lets Windows open these files directly with Microsoft Access and displays the correct icon in File Explorer. A. AUTOMATED — run Associate-PRK-FileType.exe Location: \Utilities\Associate-PRK-FileType.exe Double-click Associate-PRK-FileType.exe. It will locate your Microsoft Access installation automatically, register the .prk extension for the current Windows user, and refresh the Windows shell so the icon appears immediately. No administrator rights are required. B. MANUAL ALTERNATIVE — via the Windows Registry Note: editing the registry incorrectly can cause problems. If you are not comfortable with regedit, use the automated option above. First, locate MSACCESS.EXE on your computer. Common paths: C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\root\Office16\MSACCESS.EXE (64-bit Office) C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Office\root\Office16\MSACCESS.EXE (32-bit Office) Open the Registry Editor (press Windows+R, type regedit, press Enter). Navigate to: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes Create the following keys and values (right-click > New > Key or New > String/DWORD): Key: .prk Default value (String): PRK.Database Key: PRK.Database Default value (String): Parish Record Keeper Database Key: PRK.Database\DefaultIcon Default value (String): "",0 Example: "C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\root\Office16\MSACCESS.EXE",0 Key: PRK.Database\shell\open\command Default value (String): "" "%1" Example: "C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\root\Office16\MSACCESS.EXE" "%1" After creating these entries, close regedit. To refresh the file icons immediately, open a Command Prompt and run: ie4uinit.exe -show or simply sign out and sign back in to Windows. ANTIVIRUS NOTIFICATIONS ------------------------ During normal operation, Parish Record Keeper performs the following activities that some Antivirus software may flag: - It connects to parishrecordkeeper.com every 14 days to check for updates. - It deletes outdated files from its own installation directory. - If a password is set on the backend database, a registry entry is created (see uninstallInfo.txt for how to remove it manually). - When the frontend database grows too large, the application replaces it with a fresh copy downloaded from parishrecordkeeper.com. These are normal operations. The application does not access files outside its own installation directory and does not transmit any personal data. CONTACT -------- Bernhard Udelhoven Lumimba Catholic Church, Lumezi District, P.O. Box 530 081, Lundazi, Zambia developer@parishrecordkeeper.com