MS Access database support - Putting database on a network drive

Author

Putting database on a network drive

visionstate@googlemail.com

2006-04-06, 7:41 am

Hi all,
I have built my 1st database and it is ready to go on a shared network
drive.
I have read a few articles about the security in access but am having
some trouble getting my head around it all.
Firstly, do I need to convert my database from an MDB file to an MDE
file?
Basically, what i want is for all users to be able to search through
the database but only let myself edit the database.
I changed some options in the 'Startup' section of Access but whenever
I open the database, I am unable to edit it unless I hold the 'shift'
key on open. This then displays all of the tables etc.
Is there a way of changing the startup options so the users can just
search through the form that opens but then have a password for me or
something so I can open and then edit it without pressing the shift
key? Because I'm guessing if anyone presses the shift key on open, they
can start editing the database?
I guess I mean like setting 'read only' access in Excel.
Sorry if this is confusing and doesn't make sense!
Any helps i greatfully recieved.
Thanks a lot!

Keith Wilby

2006-04-06, 7:41 am

< visionstate@googlema
il.com> wrote in message
news:1144320448.891498.200730@t31g2000cwb.googlegroups.com...
> Hi all,
> I have built my 1st database and it is ready to go on a shared network
> drive.
> I have read a few articles about the security in access but am having
> some trouble getting my head around it all.

You're not alone.

> Firstly, do I need to convert my database from an MDB file to an MDE
> file?

Not necessarily. You can apply user level security to an mdb file. It
depends how savvy your users are with Access and what the risk of someone
trying to hack in is, but converting to an mde will fully compile and hide
your code and reduce the file size.

> Basically, what i want is for all users to be able to search through
> the database but only let myself edit the database.

Define 'edit' - do you mean edit the data or the design of the app? If the
latter then disabling the bypass key and setting startup options should keep
them out of the design. User level security has the added bonus of allowing
different users different permissions.

> I changed some options in the 'Startup' section of Access but whenever
> I open the database, I am unable to edit it unless I hold the 'shift'
> key on open. This then displays all of the tables etc.
> Is there a way of changing the startup options so the users can just
> search through the form that opens but then have a password for me or
> something so I can open and then edit it without pressing the shift
> key? Because I'm guessing if anyone presses the shift key on open, they
> can start editing the database?

You need to create and control the AllowBypassKey property. Search this
group for "AllowBypassKey".

> I guess I mean like setting 'read only' access in Excel.
> Sorry if this is confusing and doesn't make sense!
> Any helps i greatfully recieved.
> Thanks a lot!
>

HTH - Keith.
www.keithwilby.com

visionstate@googlemail.com

2006-04-06, 9:35 am

Hi Keith,
Thanks a lot for posting back.
The post was really, really helpful. Just what I needed.

The only bit I'm unsure of is, if I disable the Allowbypasskey
property, how will I then get into the database to edit tables, queries
etc?

Thanks again!

Keith Wilby wrote:
> < visionstate@googlema
il.com> wrote in message
> news:1144320448.891498.200730@t31g2000cwb.googlegroups.com...
>
> You're not alone.
>
>
> Not necessarily. You can apply user level security to an mdb file. It
> depends how savvy your users are with Access and what the risk of someone
> trying to hack in is, but converting to an mde will fully compile and hide
> your code and reduce the file size.
>
>
> Define 'edit' - do you mean edit the data or the design of the app? If the
> latter then disabling the bypass key and setting startup options should keep
> them out of the design. User level security has the added bonus of allowing
> different users different permissions.
>
>
> You need to create and control the AllowBypassKey property. Search this
> group for "AllowBypassKey".
>
>
> HTH - Keith.
> www.keithwilby.com

Keith Wilby

2006-04-06, 9:35 am

< visionstate@googlema
il.com> wrote in message
news:1144328723.658914.245620@g10g2000cwb.googlegroups.com...
> Hi Keith,
> Thanks a lot for posting back.
> The post was really, really helpful. Just what I needed.
>
> The only bit I'm unsure of is, if I disable the Allowbypasskey
> property, how will I then get into the database to edit tables, queries
> etc?
>
> Thanks again!
>

If you search the group for "AllowBypassKey" you'll find a number of sources
for a free utility that will allow you to set the property to either true or
false - set it to false on your released FE and true on your dev copy. I
got my copy of the utility from Albert Kallal's web site IIRC.

HTH - Keith.
www.keithwilby.com

Larry Linson

2006-04-06, 8:29 pm

For a high-level overview of Access in a multiuser environment, see the
presentation on that subject at, http://appdevissues.tripod.com, in the
Downloads area.

For the best information and links I have found on multiuser, see MVP Tony
Toews' site at http://www.granite.ab.ca/accsmstr.htm. Also see
http://home.bendbroadband.com/conra...cessjunkie.html and
http://www.access.qbuilt.com/html/articles.html, for more information.

You should never set AllowBypassKey On in your master or development copy of
the Front End database (queries, forms, reports, macros, modules, and
perhaps rarely-changed local lookup tables). And, you should definitely
split a multiuser database into Front End (tables and relationships) in a
shared folder and Back End (a copy for each user). You, the developer, keep
a master or development copy (with frequent backups), that you don't try to
"lock down"... you do that on a separate copy that you will distribute to
the users.

A common complaint is "it is too much trouble to make sure each user has the
latest front end"... you'll find a "Automatic FE Updater" at Tony's site,
and you'll find my discussion of handling this in a client-server or
multi-user environment in an article at http://accdevel.tripod.com.

Larry Linson
Microsoft Access MVP

Larry Linson
Microsoft Access MVP

< visionstate@googlema
il.com> wrote in message
news:1144328723.658914.245620@g10g2000cwb.googlegroups.com...
> Hi Keith,
> Thanks a lot for posting back.
> The post was really, really helpful. Just what I needed.
>
> The only bit I'm unsure of is, if I disable the Allowbypasskey
> property, how will I then get into the database to edit tables, queries
> etc?
>
> Thanks again!
>
> Keith Wilby wrote:
>

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