Security - too much info to decifer 1

[TigerNoire]

Hi,

I've come across so much information on Microsoft Access and how to implement security, I'm all sorts of confused on where to even start with my problem.

The general idea: I have built a database that I need to define user-level security for. The database will be located on a network.

Problem 1: I have full user level security complete and implemented within my network logon (ie: finance) but right now I am the only one able to access the database. No other logon names can open the file. (ie: I can open and use the database while logged onto the network as "finance" and logged into the database with my username but my supervisor is unable to access the database from his network logon as "jherbert". An error occurs saying that he needs to be given permissions by the system administrator. I have given him permissions within the database but he can't get to that point.)

Problem 2: Now that I have "implemented" security on this database, all other Microsft Access databases are prompting for user name and password information before opening them. I only need the one database password protected.

I have no problems starting from scratch... I just want this to work, naturally. I've looked at the microsoft access help page from microsoft and I haven't been able to find my problem within it. All help is appreciated!!!

TigerNoire

 

[RickSpr]

There are so many FAQs, threads, etc. available on Access User-Level Security that I figured one day the information glut would become overwhelming. It looks like that day is arriving.

Your Problem 2 is easy enough. You probably used the User-Level Security Wizard to build your workgroup file, and it automatically switched your default workgroup to be your secured workgroup (.mdw) file. The default workgroup is used whenever you open any database (unless you've created a custom shortcut--more on this later).

Note: Secured workgroup files are best stored in the folder with the database, so they are available to the database's users. If yours is located elsewhere, this is a good time to move it.

To fix the problem, run the Access Workgroup Administrator program to rejoin the workgroup file that was installed with Access. It's called system.mdw, and it can be in several places depending on your Access and Windows versions. Try C:\Windows (or WinNT)\System and C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office.

Once you do this, you won't get the logon prompt any more, but that means you won't be able to enter your secured database, either. One solution is to use the Workgroup Administrator to switch back and forth as needed. Another is to create a shortcut for your secured database:
1. Right-click on the desktop to get the context menu.
2. Choose New > Shortcut.
3. In the Command Line box, type &quot;C:\Program Files\<Microsoft Office>\Office\msaccess.exe&quot; &quot;<UNC path to your secured database>&quot; /wrkgrp &quot;<UNC path to your secured workgroup file>&quot; (Replace the <bracketed> items as needed.)
4. Name the shortcut whatever you like. (Typically, the name of the database is used.)

It's a good idea to put a copy of the shortcut with the database as well, to make it easy for users to copy it to their desktops. However, your shortcut will only work for other users if they installed Office in the same folder as you.

Now, on to Problem 1. Part of the problem is that other users haven't joined your secured workgroup. They, too, need to use either the Workgroup Administrator or a custom desktop shortcut.

However, it may also be that they don't have permissions on the network share that contains the database. They need to be able to create and modify files in this folder. It's good if they can also delete files (to clean up the .ldb lock file that Access creates whenever the database is open), but this isn't required. (If they can't delete the .ldb file, Access will just leave it there, but it won't cause a problem.) See your network administrator if you need these permissions changed.

Since you've apparently gotten your database secured already, you probably only need the Access help file from now on. One topic you might want to reread is the description of the Workgroup Information File. It and its related topics cover most of the information I've given here.

Rick Sprague
Want the best answers? See faq181-2886
To write a program from scratch, first create the universe. - Paraphrased from Albert Einstein

 

[TigerNoire]

Rick,

The shortcut worked!!! I put the shortcut in the network file with the database and as long as that shortcut is used to open the database, no problems! Thank you!!!

Val