secured database

1 Sep 2006 3:24 PM

Rob

I have created a secure database that will prompt for passwords from users if
clicking on the shortcut. And if users trys to access database on the shared
drive without going through the shortcut, the database will not open. All
that is perfect. I will email this link to the users to enable them to
access this database. The problem is, all users MS Access is not in the same
directory. Here is the path of the link on my machine.

"C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office10\MSACCESS.EXE"
"S:\FocusTransmittalsProcess.mdb" /WRKGRP "S:\Focus1.mdw"

I would like to have eliminate the C: Program Files path and put in a
wildcard to tell it to find access whereever it resides on the C drive and
then find the database. Is there a way to do this?

4 Sep 2006 2:14 AM

Chris Mills

I don't see how you can.

-The path is not required in Start/Run (if msaccess.exe is in the path which
seems to be the default), but a shortcut will not allow such a "shortcut" :-)
-Neither will altering the shortcut allow less than full path.
-There's "Find Target" in shortcut properties, what's wrong with that?
-Few if any customers would install Access in other than the default, if they
had then they would or should be capable of also adjusting shortcuts?
-What's your install method? In PDW, such things are indeed altered
dynamically/they are set with "pseudonyms" in the setup.lst. Actually,
msaccess.exe is not specified at all but set during install.

Because of point 4, I never thought it a problem. I think you will have much
bigger problems than just tailoring a shortcut. Like, where is the mdw
installed? For each user? Fine so long as you never want to change passwords.
Apparently you've already got it installed on drive S. How'd it get there if
they didn't do it manually? What about a customer who has it on drive Z?

Chris

Show quoteHide quote

"Rob" <R**@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:02A73EC2-32A9-49DF-B611-F6443C8445AA@microsoft.com...
> I have created a secure database that will prompt for passwords from users
if
> clicking on the shortcut. And if users trys to access database on the
shared
> drive without going through the shortcut, the database will not open. All
> that is perfect. I will email this link to the users to enable them to
> access this database. The problem is, all users MS Access is not in the
same
> directory. Here is the path of the link on my machine.
>
> "C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office10\MSACCESS.EXE"
> "S:\FocusTransmittalsProcess.mdb" /WRKGRP "S:\Focus1.mdw"
>
> I would like to have eliminate the C: Program Files path and put in a
> wildcard to tell it to find access whereever it resides on the C drive and
> then find the database. Is there a way to do this?
>
>

4 Sep 2006 3:09 AM

Rob

I have discovered that you are right with the shortcut. There is no way to
have it default to another directory. Anyway, we will have to make sure that
the path is the same for all users.

In regard to the password issue, do you know of a better way to secure the
database. I know it takes a while to change the password and I have
discovered how to do so and I can tell a user of a group that how to change
it and do so periodically. But if you can think of a better way to do this,
please let me know.

Rob

Show quoteHide quote

"Chris Mills" wrote:

> I don't see how you can.
>
> -The path is not required in Start/Run (if msaccess.exe is in the path which
> seems to be the default), but a shortcut will not allow such a "shortcut" :-)
> -Neither will altering the shortcut allow less than full path.
> -There's "Find Target" in shortcut properties, what's wrong with that?
> -Few if any customers would install Access in other than the default, if they
> had then they would or should be capable of also adjusting shortcuts?
> -What's your install method? In PDW, such things are indeed altered
> dynamically/they are set with "pseudonyms" in the setup.lst. Actually,
> msaccess.exe is not specified at all but set during install.
>
> Because of point 4, I never thought it a problem. I think you will have much
> bigger problems than just tailoring a shortcut. Like, where is the mdw
> installed? For each user? Fine so long as you never want to change passwords.
> Apparently you've already got it installed on drive S. How'd it get there if
> they didn't do it manually? What about a customer who has it on drive Z?
>
> Chris
>
> "Rob" <R**@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> news:02A73EC2-32A9-49DF-B611-F6443C8445AA@microsoft.com...
> > I have created a secure database that will prompt for passwords from users
> if
> > clicking on the shortcut. And if users trys to access database on the
> shared
> > drive without going through the shortcut, the database will not open. All
> > that is perfect. I will email this link to the users to enable them to
> > access this database. The problem is, all users MS Access is not in the
> same
> > directory. Here is the path of the link on my machine.
> >
> > "C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office10\MSACCESS.EXE"
> > "S:\FocusTransmittalsProcess.mdb" /WRKGRP "S:\Focus1.mdw"
> >
> > I would like to have eliminate the C: Program Files path and put in a
> > wildcard to tell it to find access whereever it resides on the C drive and
> > then find the database. Is there a way to do this?
> >
> >
>
>
>

4 Sep 2006 4:31 AM

Chris Mills

> In regard to the password issue, do you know of a better way to secure the
> database.

This seemed to me an installation issue, not a security issue. You will have
the same Access issues whether it's secured or not (double-clicking a file in
Explorer being "unprofessional" so-to-speak).

There is no better way to secure an Access database than it's security/mdw
(you might add enhancements though never replacing it).

If we talk about the PDW (Package and Deployment Wizard, the only installer
provided by MS, there are better 3rd-Party ones), there is NO provision for a
networked install. (there is provision for the issue you mentioned
originally).

In regards to whether the mdw(or data) is installed on a network or local, I
did quite a bit to try and solve that (in earlier Access) here:
http://www.granite.ab.ca/access/access2000pdwsetup.htm

I cannot say I was successful. I might have solved some problems, but there
were at least as many unsolved. PDW just can't do network installs without
some level of fix-ups.

www.sagekey.com say their installer can do wonderful things (it's Canadian!).
I don't know, except they have a virtually perfect reputation for what CAN be
done. Costs, of course.

> I know it takes a while to change the password and I have
> discovered how to do so and I can tell a user of a group that how to change
> it and do so periodically. But if you can think of a better way to do this,
> please let me know.
>

I don't force password changes. But I do provide (in my custome menus, which
all Runtime Applications must have), a more-or-less macro to get them to the
"Change Password" screen. Let me see if I can extract it...
In a custom menu: Security|Change Password
(this is effectively a macro)
Echo On
Select Object (Table) 'Show the database window
SendKeys +{TAB}^{RIGHT}^{RIGHT} (Wait:No)
Runcommand: UserAndGroupAccounts
SelectObject: Form/"Menu" (Menu is the name of my main form)

I'm certain someone can find something more elegant than that, but oh well,
you asked!

----------
There's no doubt that distributing an app strikes numerous install
complications which would be very easy if the developer could just be on-site.
I've struggled with it for a long time. I did NOT solve more than a few of the
problems (with PDW).
----------
Chris