Sharing an Access Database

[codeWarrior456]

I need help trying to setup a shared access database. The main problem that I am having is that I can setup security on one computer, test it, and it will work just fine. However, when I go to another computer on the network an open the database from the shared folder the database opens up without prompting for a username or password and therefore the appropriate security cannot be setup. I'm looking for an easy way to fix this.

I also need to figure out how to setup the security in a way that meets the following requirements:
1. The admin can do anything - obviously
2. All other users can only modify data in ONE table.
3. Users can add and modify reports
4. Users CANNOT add, modify, or delete ANY objects (except for reports)

Thanks for your help in advance!

 

[MazeWorX]

you have to distribute the workgroup information file that you created when you setup Access Security.

Check out Jeremy Wallace's site for a detail description of Access Security and how to impliment it

http://www.alphabetcitydataworks.com/Developers/Index.html

Remember amateurs built the ark - professionals built the Titanic

[flush]

 

[fellowtech]

Put your workgroup file in a shared file path and create a shortcut with a target line like the following:

C:\MSOffice\Access\MSACCESS.EXE "C:\WINNT\Profiles\example.mdb" /wrkgrp "C:\WINNT\Profiles\wrkgrp.mdw"
(This should be all on one line, each line separated by a space.)
*obviously you will substitute exmaple.mdb with the name of your .mdb file and wrkgrp.mdw with the name of your .mdw (workgroup) file.

If your PC's have multiple versions of Access running on them, you will need to specifiy the file path for the version you wish to run, then the file path of the mdb file, then the /wrkgrp parameter, followed by the file path of the workgroup file.

If your PC's only have 1 version of Access then you do not need to use the C:\MSOffice\Access\MSACCESS.EXE part of the shortcut.

Hope this helps.

 

[codeWarrior456]

MazeWorX... thank you for the link on Access security, I'll read through it and see what I can all glean from it.

fellowtech... thank you as well for your suggestion. One thing though... I understand the need for the shortcut and how it helps setup the correct workgroup information. However, what if the user opens the file from the shared folder without double clicking on the shortcut? Then there is no prompt for a password and the security does not work correctly. I don't remember off the top of my head, but I thought the user could change the data accessing the database this way which is not desired. Maybe I just have something setup incorrectly which I hope to determine by reading through the Access Security document.

 

[SgtJarrow]

To prevent unauthorized users from accessing the secured database without using your custom shortcut, you must enter the database as Admin, create a new user with admin rights, set a password for the admi account, enter the db as the new user you just created, remove the admin account from the admins group, and set a password for the new admin account.

Basically you are removing all rights for the admin user by giving his rights to some other user you create. Thsi is the key becuase if a user enters your db without using the shortcut to the custom .mdw file, the log in as admin. If the admin has full rights (as is default), the user gets full rights....

Let me know if you have any questions. Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former. (Albert Einstein)

Robert L. Johnson III, MCSA, Network+, A+
Access Developer/Programmer
robert.l.johnson.iii@citigroup.com