Ian Baker said:
Hi Joan
The Owner of the <Current Database> is myself when opened by my mdw. I
deleted the system.mdw, opened a new db to create a new system.mdw and I
still could open the db by the system.mdw which incidentally shows the Owner
of the <Current Database> as <Unknown>
I'm thinking perhaps that your mdw is the same as the system.mdw. How did
you create your mdw in the first place?
I have a FE/BE db (mde) that is secured by a mdw which is distributed with
the db.
Did you actually secure the FE and BE separately? If you secured first, and
then split, the BE will not be secure. You have to secure each.
There are only myself as the db owner and the only member of the
Admins group. There is one other user who is a member of the Users group
only.
If you want to secure your db but allow them to use it with the standard
system.mdw, then you wouldn't create an 'other user'. If you were planning
to ship a mdw, then you wouldn't make any users (other than Admin) a member
of the Users group. The Users group wouldn't have any permissions.
That user has the minumum rights to only link the backend, Read design
only on tables and queries and only open each form. The db has its own login
form and permissions for each form object are stored in a table. Each form
On_Open checks my permissions table and sets the AllowEdits, AllowDeletes
etc properties for the form.
If you implement security, then this is totally unnecessary.
I use RWOP queries and the backend is secured
that no one other than myself can get in. I remember you told me of a way
that users didn't need to use the mdw. It started off as a question on
whether the mdw could reside on each users PC. Does this all make sense?
Can you go back to square one and start over with a pristine unsecured copy,
or undo what you have.
If you are using Access 2002...
Open your FE mdb using the standard system.mdw.
Run the security wizard.
At step 1, ensure you choose to create a new workgroup file.
At step 2, click browse and a suitable location for the mdw, and be sure to
give it a name (but don't name it system.mdw).
Also choose 'make a shortcut', rather than 'make it the default'
At step 3, select all objects
At step 4, do not choose any groups
At step 5, choose 'yes, I would like to assign permissions to the Users
group', and assign the permissions that you want the world to have. From
your description, you are using RWOP queries, so in the frontend, Open the
database, full permissions on the tables (links), read data on the queries,
open forms, and open reports.
At step 6, do not add any users at all (you should see one user i.e. you).
You can set a password for the one user if you like.
At step 7, there should be nothing for you to do. It will have your
username selected and show that you are a member of the Admins group
At step 8, verify that the location/name of your backup is suitable and
click Finish.
It should preview the security wizard report, which you should print.
Read the messages that pop up at this point - it's not the time to get click
happy.
Close Access, and use the desktop shortcut to launch your mdb, logging in
with your username (and password if you set it at step 6).
Go to Tools, Security, Permissions as you need to modify the permissions on
your queries. You set them to read data during the wizard, but you will
need to modify them. Click on Groups and choose Users. For each of your
RWOP queries, modify the permissions depending on what you want - update,
insert, delete.
Now test it.
You should still be joined by default to the standard mdw. Use Windows
Explorer to open your mdb. You should not get a login screen; you'll be
logging in as 'Admin'.
Now, to secure the BE. Open your FE via the shortcut.
Choose File, Open and open your BE. Run the security wizard
At step 1, choose to modify your existing mdw.
At step 2, select all objects
At step 3, do not choose any groups
At step 4, choose to assign the the Users group and give them Open
permission on the database
At step 5, don't add any users
At step 6, click next
At step 7, verify the backup location
Print the wizard report
Close Access. In your folder you will have
Your secure mdbs:
SomeDB.mdb
SomeDB_be.mdb
Your unsecure backups:
SomeDB.bak
SomdDB_be.bak
Your secure mdw
secure.mdw
Ship to your user(s) only the SomeDB.mdb and SomeDB_be.mdb
If you need to make changes, use your desktop shortcut, and log in as you.
