Access Security Oopps

[mdahlor]

To anyone who can help:

I have a database I've developed to track tool usage in a machine shop. I wanted to also track which users input what data, so I added a hidden text box with a default value of =CurrentUser(). I was trying to set up users in the security settings of Access and did something I shouldn't have apparently. Access now requires a login and password for everything, even just starting the program. I sitting on Win NT 2000 Pro and Access is apparently a network share some how (I don't have the C:\Documents and Settings\...\Application Data\Microsoft\Access available anywhere). Can someone help me sort this out? Security is not an issue as far as visibility, I just wanted to be able to track data input. I don't even care if I lose the database right now, I just have to get Access to open without asking for a username and password. Thanks!

 

[jsteph]

You should first find the Access Security FAQ here in the faq's section and study it. My guess is that if you set up the security on this (and don't take this the wrong way) it's probably not completely secure, which is a good thing--it means you can probably get in.

And if all you want is the identity (or reasonable facsimile thereof) of who's entering stuff, use =Environ("username") for that purpose--then they don't need Access security to log in in order to differentiate users--you always get the network login name.

But to get back in in the first place--how are you opening Access? Via a shortcut directly to the .mdb? Or does the shortcut specify on the 'Target' command line a /wrkgrp or /user argument? If the shortcut specifies a /user, and that user isn't in whatever .mdw is the 'current' one, then you'll always get the pwd prompt. Or, if you created a pwd for 'Admin', you'll get the prompt as well.

First make copies of your system.mdw and any other .mdw's and put them in a temp folder, just in case. Did you join or create a new workgroup? If so, you've probably got other .mdw's out there.

If you still couldn't get in after fiddling with the shortcut options, then try to open the .mdb on another machine--one with the default system.mdw.

You could also try creating a new .mdb and importing all objects from the original and starting over that way.

If that won't work, try opening the original .mdb, trying each .mdw on the command line. To do this, create a shortcut to Access itself (not the .mdb), and put the /wrkgrp "C:\somefolder\somemdw.mdw" on the commandline right after the "C:\Progra...\Microsoft Office\Office\msaccess.exe" (or whatever the path to msaccess.exe is).

Try each of your .mdw's, and if you recall what user you may have created try that. You should be able to get in somehow.

Once you get in, go to the Tools|Security|Permissions, and for each object type in the dropdown, do a shift-select of all objects in the list and give Admin 'administrator' rights for all if it, including the Database object.

Then if you want security, re-read the Security FAQ and start over, otherwise just use Environ("Username").
--Jim

 

[mdahlor]

I will take a look at the steps you've laid out. The only thing that is different clarification I have is that, as far as I can tell, Access is asking for the pw/username even just to start the program. I attempted to create a new .mdb and import the data, but wound up in the same place as before. It seems that this pw/username isn't related to the .mdb as much as it is to using Access, if that makes sense.

 

[jsteph]

mdahlor,
The user/pwd prompt is related to the .mdw, the .mdb has no part in that. There is a 'database password' that's related to the .mdb, but there is no username associated with that and it's really separate from the actual Access
Security.

Try going to the Start button, click on Run, and type wrkgadm.exe.

This will display the current 'workgroup'--which is essentially the .mdw file--that any 'default' opening of the Access programe itself is linked to. If it says "C:\windows\system32\system.mdw", and if you're opening access from a standard shortcut (with no /wrkgrp on the command line) , then you've set a password for Admin which is causing the prompt.

If you don't know the Admin pwd, then make a backup of that system.mdw, delete the original (or rename it), and create a new one by clicking 'Create' and follow the dialog and it'll ask you for Name,Company, and WorkgroupID. For this purpose I'd just make them all the same, say, your computer name, or anything. Then the dialog will prompt to create the filename, just make it System.mdw in the windows\system32 folder. If you have no other databases that have security that have specific users in that original, renamed system.mdw, then this new one will be a keeper and you'll just use that for your 'default' Access instances.

Once you do this, then try to open Access--it should absolutely open with no prompt. Then browse to find the .mdb in question, and try to open that. My guess is you'll be able to, since an often overlooked thing is to remove permissions from the default Users group, and the Admin user is often left in the Admin group as well.

If this is the case, just make sure that Admin is the owner of all objects and then start over with the security.
--Jim

 

[assets]

There is a FAQ it may be in access forms area, on recording changes made to all fields i.e date and user also what the field was before the change. I use it and it works fine.

Never give up never give in.

There are no short cuts to anything worth doing

 

[mdahlor]

Jim,
That sounds like the fix for me. I am not in again until Wednesday, but will give it a go then and let you know how it turns out. Thanks for the tip.

M