Securing an Access Database

A reader from Kuwait wrote the other day...


Orlando,

I was browsing for some help on the net and just saw
your name, I had a question, could you please help me.

My question is, i have developed a database, and i
want to give it to my friend, the question is, i want
to secure the Queries, Form & Reports from being
edited or re-designed, i dont want these to be visible
whenever he uses it. he should be able to print &
update database, but he should not be able to see what
queries i have set as well he should not be able to go
to the design view to modify my forms & Reports.

Could you please help.

Regards,

Oswald
Kuwait


Oswald...

There are a couple of different ways that the above can be accomplished.

1) User Level Security. But I don't recommend it because it is difficult to maintain.

2) A combination of setting the Start Up options, tweaking the properties of the Forms, and making an mde file.

You will have to play around with option number 2 to get the desired results. But here are a few pointers.

From the menu bar, go to Tools / Start Up and un-check "Display Database Window". Next time the database starts, the database window will not be available. If you want to see it, then you would go to Window / Unhide and select the database window. If you choose to not see the database window, you would have to have some form that would serve as the main menu for your database.




Another thing that you could do is hide your database objects, but this is the least effective way, because in the Database Options there is the option to View Hidden Objects. But anyway, here is how you could hide them: Right Click on the object to arrive at the Properties window and check Hidden.




Another alternative is to allow Design Changes on Forms Only in Design View. And to not allow viewing the form any other way then you intended. Forms can be viewed as FORMS, DATASHEETS, PIVOT TABLES, PIVOT CHART. So make sure that in the Forms Format Properties you unselect the view types you do not want the user to use.







Finally, after you have implemented a combination of the tips above, make the database an MDE file. Go to Tools / Database Utilities / Make MDE file.