Removing Security from One MDB

15 Sep 2006 12:14 AM

tbl

At work (a small state office), a co-worker has an Access db
that will only open with the shortcut that provides the
paths to access and the MDW file. When opened by the
shortcut, there is no logon requirement.

No one seems to know anything about the legacy of this db,
but they have a need to send a copy to another worker in
another state office. The expected recipients don't seem to
know about Access security, and it would be down-right rude
to send this file "as is".

I'm wondering if maybe I could start a new db and import the
tables from the secured db, but the more I think about it,
the more I question the viability of this approach (in order
to get into it, I'd have to be joined to that workgroup in
the MDW file, but then I wouldn't be able to work in the new
MDB, which I would want to be using the System.MDW).

What is the best approach, here?

Any clues appreciated.

--
Thanks,
tbl

15 Sep 2006 10:01 PM

Joan Wild

tbl wrote:

> At work (a small state office), a co-worker has an Access db
> that will only open with the shortcut that provides the
> paths to access and the MDW file. When opened by the
> shortcut, there is no logon requirement.

No login? Does the shortcut also include the /usr and /pwd switches, thus
specifying the username/password?

> No one seems to know anything about the legacy of this db,
> but they have a need to send a copy to another worker in
> another state office. The expected recipients don't seem to
> know about Access security, and it would be down-right rude
> to send this file "as is".

You could send them the mdb, as well as the mdw along with a valid
username/password.

If you want to remove security, then you need to use the shortcut, but
remove the usr pwd switches from the shortcut target, and login using a
username that is a member of the Admins Group. You can then proceed to
grant full permissions to every object to the Users Group. Then quit
Access.

Now open Access (not via the shortcut), so that you are using the standard
system.mdw workgroup. Create a new mdb and import everything from your
secure mdb. This new mdb would be unsecure.

--
Joan Wild
Microsoft Access MVP

16 Sep 2006 10:46 AM

Douglas J. Steele

"Joan Wild" <jwild@nospamtyenet.com> wrote in message
news:OkFmQOR2GHA.4116@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl...
> tbl wrote:
>> At work (a small state office), a co-worker has an Access db
>> that will only open with the shortcut that provides the
>> paths to access and the MDW file. When opened by the
>> shortcut, there is no logon requirement.
>
> No login? Does the shortcut also include the /usr and /pwd switches, thus
> specifying the username/password?
>

And does the shortcut refer to msaccess.exe, or only to the mdb file? It
must include the reference to the program: command-line switches such as
/wrkgrp are switches for the executable, not for the database.

--
Doug Steele, Microsoft Access MVP
http://I.Am/DougSteele
(no private e-mails, please)