Should We convert to Access 2007

[WPW07]

Hello,

We have several complex applications developed in Access 2003 by
various outside consultants. These applications link to a variety of
Oracle tables and are used only for Access reports. User level
security is also built in via the mdw workgroup file for all
applications.

I've been asked to research how viable it is to convert all of these
applications to Access 2007. I understand 2007 discontinued user
level security via the mdw file. On one hand, I see that Microsoft
advises NOT to convert to 2007 if you need user level security:

http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/access/HA102345611033.aspx

But then it also says that you can use the Workgroup Administrator
Utility in Access 2007:

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/918583

Which is a little confusing.....But the bottom line is we definitely
need to continue with user level security. I'm interested in getting
some feedback and opinions on what we should do. Also, we do not own
SQL Server, but do have MySQL installed.

Thanks for any and all feedback.

 

[NetworkTrade]

one can maintain the .mdf format in 07 and thus the User Level Security. It
is the native new 07's .accdb that does not have it - and it is not
obligatory to convert.

there were issues for an Access97 move to 07...various aspects needed to be
fixed....but frankly for that big of jump it is to be expected...

had no problem with an 03 move to 07 that stayed in .mdf but it did not
include any links to Oracle....

am very neutral on 07. It is fine. I would neither go to it nor avoid
going to it. Companies upgrade for a wide variety of reasons involving their
overall office systems....and one just deals with it.

 

[WPW07]

one can maintain the .mdf format in 07 and thus the User Level Security. It
is the native new 07's .accdb that does not have it - and it is not
obligatory to convert.

there were issues for an Access97 move to 07...various aspects needed to be
fixed....but frankly for that big of jump it is to be expected...

had no problem with an 03 move to 07 that stayed in .mdf but it did not
include any links to Oracle....

am very neutral on 07. It is fine. I would neither go to it nor avoid
going to it. Companies upgrade for a wide variety of reasons involving their
overall office systems....and one just deals with it.

Thanks for your reply.

This means then, that if a developer wanted to create a new report,
they would have to do that in Access 2003, even though other users
will have Access 2007...is that correct?

 

[Allen Browne]

This means then, that if a developer wanted to create a new report,
they would have to do that in Access 2003, even though other users
will have Access 2007...is that correct?

No: that's not correct. You can modify the objects in an MDB using A2007.
It could be wise to decompile before you update everyone's front end.

Here's the reply I posted to your original question in
comp.databases.ms-access:

<quote>
Hopefully someone else with Oracle experience will comment too.

As far as Access goes, 2007 has a new file format (ACCDB), and you cannot
use security (MDW) with that. But if you keep your MDB format file and use
it in A2007, you can continue to use Access security. You can fire up the
interface from within A2007 (in an MDB) with this kind of thing:
RunCommand acCmdWorkgroupAdministrator
RunCommand acCmdUserAndGroupAccounts
RunCommand acCmdUserAndGroupPermissions

Other info on converting to A2007:
http://allenbrowne.com/Access2007.html
</quote>