this level
child level
UPDATED:
01/18/04
from Roy Busdiecker, www.busdkr.com
Finishing the
Access Database
© Feb 2000 by Roy Busdiecker, Woodbridge, VA, USA
The following information is a compendium of various actions that a development might choose to implement prior to distributing a Microsoft Access database to users. Some of the actions may be combined with others as appropriate.
PROTECT CODE FROM VIEWING (Access 2000)
1. Switch to VB Editor window.
2. Click Tools | <ProjectName> Properties and select the Protection tab.
3. Check the "Lock project for viewing" checkbox.
4. Add password and verification then click OK.
CREATE MDE VERSION OF DATABASE (no source code, no Form or Report design)
1. You must have Office Developer Edition installed.
2. In the VB Editor select Debug | Compile. If you need to correct errors, recompile.
3. Make a backup copy of the MDB.
4. Click Tools | Database Utilities and select Make MDE...
5. Follow instructions.
1. Make a backup copy of the MDB and secure it under lock and key.
2. In Access, click on Tools | Security and select Set Database Password.
3. Enter and verify password.
4. Close database and reopen it. Password will be required.
ENCRYPT DATABASE (cannot be read from disk file, not otherwise protected)
1. Make a backup copy of the MDB and secure it under lock and key.
2. Close MDB.
3. In Access, click on Tools | Security and select Encrypt Database.
4. Navigate to desired MDB and click OK.
5. Enter desired name for encrypted version and click OK.
SECURE THE DATABASE (Access Security)
ACCESS 2000 VERSION (Help topic "Running the User-Level Security Wizard)
1. Make backup copy of database
2. Click Tools | Security | User-Level Security Wizard
3. Follow directions.
ACCESS 97 VERSION (Help topic "Microsoft Access User-Level Security")
1. Open WRKGADM.EXE and create a new system database (SYSTEM.MDW) with a unique name, organization and Workgroup ID.
2. Start Access and open any database.
3. Click Security | Change Password. Assign a password to the Admin user account.
4. Click Security | Users. Create a new user account, and then add the account to the Admins group.
5. In the Users box, select the Admin user. Remove the Admin account from the Admins group.
6. Click File | Exit. Restart Access and log in as the new user you created.
7. Create a new database.
8. Click Security | Permissions. Remove the default Users group permissions for Current Database, New Tables/Queries, New Forms, New Reports, New Macros and New Modules.
9. Import all objects from your original database into the new database.
10. Create other group and user accounts as necessary.
11. Assign group and user permissions to your objects as appropriate.
12. Close the database, and then encrypt the database if desired.
1. Right-click on any menu or toolbar and select Customize.
2. Select Toolbars tab and click New and name the toolbar.
3. Click Properties and select Menu Bar as Type, then Close.
4. Switch to Commands tab on Customize dialog box and add desired entries to new menu.
1. Create Macro that performs desired startup actions.
2. Save the macro with the name AutoExec.
3. Macro will run when MDB is opened.
SET STARTUP PROPERTIES FOR MDB
1. Make backup copy of MDB.
2. Make another backup copy of MDB.
3. In the Access window, click on Tools | Startup...
4. Select desired options.
5. Save MDB.
6. Make backup copy of MDB.
7. Make another backup copy of MDB.
8. Close MDB and reopen, test for expected operation.
PACKAGE AND DEPLOYMENT (requires Office Developer Edition)
1. Develop tables, queries, forms, reports, macros and modules.
2. If desired or required, apply security
3. Create Help files
4. Run application with /runtime command-line option
5. Create Setup program and disks using Package and Deployment Wizard.
In VB Editor select Add-In Manager | VBA Package and Deployment Wizard
6. Install and test application on PC that does not have Access installed.
7. Distribute disks and documentation.
