Database 30 Day Password

16 Jan 2009 12:52 PM

Rod

I would like to distribute a database for standalone use but have it only
work for 30 days at a time. To enable it to work for 30 days at a time I
would like to require the user to put in a password which I will provide.
This password needs to be generated on my end monthly and the users end
should be looking for this password every 30days; without this password the
database should not open. The password is to change every 30 days. How can
I do this?

Thanks MUCH!

16 Jan 2009 2:09 PM

Tom van Stiphout

On Fri, 16 Jan 2009 04:52:01 -0800, Rod
<R**@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote:

There is nothing built-in that can do this, but you can write a VBA
function. It would generate a password based on an algorithm that is
difficult to predict for your user. For example it can use a random
starter password of "dlso2cug65shlkug" and the next one is 1, 2, ... N
ascii values higher than the previous letter: "envs..." etc. Of course
you need to wrap-around after "z".
Be sure not to lock the DATA for the user; that is typically frowned
upon and may be illegal in many jurisdictions.

-Tom.
Microsoft Access MVP

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>I would like to distribute a database for standalone use but have it only
>work for 30 days at a time. To enable it to work for 30 days at a time I
>would like to require the user to put in a password which I will provide.
>This password needs to be generated on my end monthly and the users end
>should be looking for this password every 30days; without this password the
>database should not open. The password is to change every 30 days. How can
>I do this?
>
>Thanks MUCH!

16 Jan 2009 2:47 PM

Rod

Sounds like that could do it - simple. Any ideas where I can find an example
or get some help?

What do you mean by lock the DATA?

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"Tom van Stiphout" wrote:

> On Fri, 16 Jan 2009 04:52:01 -0800, Rod
> <R**@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote:
>
> There is nothing built-in that can do this, but you can write a VBA
> function. It would generate a password based on an algorithm that is
> difficult to predict for your user. For example it can use a random
> starter password of "dlso2cug65shlkug" and the next one is 1, 2, ... N
> ascii values higher than the previous letter: "envs..." etc. Of course
> you need to wrap-around after "z".
> Be sure not to lock the DATA for the user; that is typically frowned
> upon and may be illegal in many jurisdictions.
>
> -Tom.
> Microsoft Access MVP
>
>
> >I would like to distribute a database for standalone use but have it only
> >work for 30 days at a time. To enable it to work for 30 days at a time I
> >would like to require the user to put in a password which I will provide.
> >This password needs to be generated on my end monthly and the users end
> >should be looking for this password every 30days; without this password the
> >database should not open. The password is to change every 30 days. How can
> >I do this?
> >
> >Thanks MUCH!
>

17 Jan 2009 4:15 AM

Tom van Stiphout

On Fri, 16 Jan 2009 06:47:02 -0800, Rod
<R**@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote:

The thing with these algorithms is that they should remain somewhat
secret, so you won't find much help. But it's really not that
difficult; the keywords would be Mid$, InStr, Chr, Asc.

What I meant is that you would not want to make the data inaccessible
to the user, just the application. Hijacking one's data is frowned
upon, whereas disabling one's program for non-payment is capitalism.

-Tom.
Microsoft Access MVP

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>Sounds like that could do it - simple. Any ideas where I can find an example
>or get some help?
>
>What do you mean by lock the DATA?
>
>"Tom van Stiphout" wrote:
>
>> On Fri, 16 Jan 2009 04:52:01 -0800, Rod
>> <R**@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote:
>>
>> There is nothing built-in that can do this, but you can write a VBA
>> function. It would generate a password based on an algorithm that is
>> difficult to predict for your user. For example it can use a random
>> starter password of "dlso2cug65shlkug" and the next one is 1, 2, ... N
>> ascii values higher than the previous letter: "envs..." etc. Of course
>> you need to wrap-around after "z".
>> Be sure not to lock the DATA for the user; that is typically frowned
>> upon and may be illegal in many jurisdictions.
>>
>> -Tom.
>> Microsoft Access MVP
>>
>>
>> >I would like to distribute a database for standalone use but have it only
>> >work for 30 days at a time. To enable it to work for 30 days at a time I
>> >would like to require the user to put in a password which I will provide.
>> >This password needs to be generated on my end monthly and the users end
>> >should be looking for this password every 30days; without this password the
>> >database should not open. The password is to change every 30 days. How can
>> >I do this?
>> >
>> >Thanks MUCH!
>>