backing up secured databases?

[kevin531]

i Have a database that has been secured through access so that there are user levels of security. my problem is that when i do this it locks the original database and creates a shortcut to run it though. Now the original database is locked, and i can't backup the database. is there anyway to back up the database when it is secured?

kevin

 

[JeremyNYC]

Kevin,

What do you mean you can't back it up? Ctrl-C, Ctrl-V still works in windows explorer no matter how you've instituted user-level security. How are you attempting to back this up?

Jeremy =============
Jeremy Wallace

http://www.AlphaBetCityDataworks.com

Designing, Developing, and Deploying Access databases since 1995.

 

[Mturner]

if you are on a network check with your admin, he/she should be doing regular dat tape backups of the system, if he/she is you database will be on the tapes, safe and sound!. Marc Turner
Network Manager

E-Mail: Mturner@turnerm3.fsnet.co.uk

 

[JeremyNYC]

Marc,

I see you're a network manager, so I'll try to be gentle, but have you ever tried to get a backup from tape? In the two major corporations where I've spent time it took an average two phone calls and an e-mail plus 3 hours to get a backup. That's fine if you're recovering after a critical failure. But it's pretty common practice to back up a database, try out some code, have it fail, and then go back to the original.

I backup my front end every hour or so when I'm doing hardcore development. I backup my back end every time i run an ad hoc query or code to change data.

Jeremy =============
Jeremy Wallace

http://www.AlphaBetCityDataworks.com

Designing, Developing, and Deploying Access databases since 1995.

 

[Mturner]

well im a kind network manager, if anyone askes me for a backup back off tape i will happily do it for them!, as long as they log a support call i will eventually get round to doing it, i do all myu calls in order they were posted, no matter how importent of less importent, unless there is a SERIOUS system failer in which i will drop everything and fix it, but that never happens because im in charge!. seriously i usally get round to restoreing backups in about 20 minutes depending on the kind of day im having, it is allways a good idea to back it up yourself, never know if you sysadmin is doing his job!.

Marc Turner
Network Manager

E-Mail: Mturner@turnerm3.fsnet.co.uk

 

[mp9]

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[kevin531]

I've tried the copy and paste method but the shortcut still points to the original, not the copied version. i've tried to change the target of the shortcut but then i get an error when i try and use the program saying that i do not have the necessary permissions to use it, and that the system administator should give me the oppropriate permissions. i've looked and he has looked, i do have the correct permissions but is still doesn't work. any help would be great. thanks.

-Kevin

 

[JeremyNYC]

Kevin,

What's the problem with the shortcut pointing to the original? Maybe we need some more information on exactly what you're doing, and why. When I make a backup I make a copy of the original and I archive the copy. The original stays where it is. It sounds like you're trying to do something else, but I'm not sure.

Jeremy =============
Jeremy Wallace

http://www.AlphaBetCityDataworks.com

Designing, Developing, and Deploying Access databases since 1995.

 

[kevin531]

Okay, here is exactly what i am doing:
i have a database that is secured. when it was secured, access locked the database and created a shortcut to use. the shortcut works fine but that is the only way to access the database. the problems occur when i try to copy the database, burn it to a disk, or try and open it without the shortcut. i can create copys no problem, but i am unable to create a copy that i can access. i receieve an error stating that i do not have the correct permissions to open the file. even though i do have the correct permissions, at least as far as my knowledge.
so even though i have this copy on a disk, if something were to happen to my database i would not be able to use the backup copy to restore the database because i am locked out of any copys of the database.
i hope all that makes sense. if you have any questions, let me know.
thanks

 

[mp9]

Have you tried creating your own shortcut for your "backed up" database from scratch? The target line should have the form:

[Location of Access] [Location of db] /wrkgrp [Location of MDW] /user [Username]

e.g.

"C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office\msaccess.exe "C:\my dbs\db1.mdb" /wrkgrp "c:\my dbs\system.mdw" /user kevin

Note the quotes around filenames are required if they are 32-bit filenames.

http://www22.brinkster.com/accessory/

 

[JeremyNYC]

Ahhhhh. Now I see. The issue isn't the backup, it's knowing what goes into that shortcut. Here's how it works: when you secure a database, you create a separate mdw file, which stores all the security information. The shortcut points not just to your database, but also to that mdw file (and also to the correct locations of msaccess.exe). This means that in order to open the database, you'll also need the mdw file on your cd. No problem. Now here's the deal with how you build a proper shortcut: the "target" line should be in this format:
"Path/msaccess.exe" "Path/yourDatabase.mdb" "Path/YourWorkgroupFile.mdw"

You'll of course want to replace "Path" with the full path to each of these files, and replace the mdb and mdw file names with your own.

There are two alternatives to shortcuts: You can just type all this into a dos window if you want or you can create a batch file with just that one line in it (a batch file is just a text file you make with notepad and save with a .bat at the end).

Hope this helps.

Jeremy

Or you can =============
Jeremy Wallace

http://www.AlphaBetCityDataworks.com

Designing, Developing, and Deploying Access databases since 1995.

 

[kevin531]

Okay, everything makes sense with the secured file (.mdw). however, when i try to change the "target" of the shortcut, i get an error saying, "unable to make changes to the shortcut, access is denied" what is this all about? any help would be greatly appreciated. thanks.

-Kevin

 

[mp9]

Can you create a new shortcut from scratch, rather than trying to modify the existing one?

http://www22.brinkster.com/accessory/

 

[JeremyNYC]

Yeah, I'd either create a new shortcut (just right click on the file, drag and drop it to a blank spot in the same directory and you'll get the menu to do this), OR I'd use a batch file. A batch file is a little more straight forward and your operating system won't mess with you in some of the ways it does with a shortcut. It will either work or not, dependant only on whether or not you've gotten the path and file names correct.

Jeremy =============
Jeremy Wallace

http://www.AlphaBetCityDataworks.com

Designing, Developing, and Deploying Access databases since 1995.