Help with protecting Access 2 DataBases

[ShaneBrennan]

I wish to give a copy of a Dbase to a potential customer, but I do not want them to get access to my source. Can anyone tell me how I can go about this, please!!<br>
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I have Office 4.3 with access version 2<br>
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I tried the encription/decryption - but this did not work.<br>
Can I produce a standalone executable, so the customer does not need Access 2 on their machine?<br>
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Thank you loads<br>
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Shane Bennan<br>
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seriously getting annoyed with security.

 

[Jonathan]

You can't create a standalone exe from an access database. As far as I know, your options are as follows:<br>
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Compile your database into an MDE file. Unfortunately, I am fairly sure this can't be done with Access 2 (I know it can be done in 95/97) If you could convert it to 97, creating an MDE file creates a database in which all the forms, macros, reports and modules are fully compiled and the design info is chucked, meaning that no one would be able to view your code or form/report defs, etc.<br>
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Get them a runtime version of Access. Unfortunately with this option they could still open it with a full version of access and get at your source.<br>
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Add user/group level security to your app, set yourself up as the only admin with full privileges, and everyone else as Users, with no access to design view for any of the objects. I never liked doing this, but if you get it right it would work (I don't know how secure it really is).<br>
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I don't know if there are any other options. Other opinions...?<br>
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Jon

 

[ShaneBrennan]

Thanks John<br>
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Since I plced this message, I managed to convert the my Access 2 Dbase into Access 97 then I compiled it to the MBE.<br>
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I still don't like this level, cause a user can still get in there and change the structure of the tables, and the macros.<br>
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Oh well never mind, thought I'm not giving up!<br>
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I found a little flaw with the user/group security with Access. IT DOESN'T WORK!! That is, simply copy the database onto another computer and you have full access!<br>
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The security, especially with access 2, sets the system.lbm and system.mdf(I can't remember the exact extensions) on that network, standalone. When you set group/user security Access checks these files, if the user is not present, well it assumes the user has admin status! Nice little flaw there!<br>
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Oh wouldn't it be nice if Microsoft got a few things right now and then.<br>
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Anyways <br>
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Thank you for you help, it is greatly appreciated.<br>
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