Protect Database From Accidentally Being Deleted

  • Thread starter Thread starter Pamela J. via AccessMonster.com
  • Start date Start date
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Pamela J. via AccessMonster.com

I created a database on the network. The users started using it this morning.
Well, someone accidentally deleted the Access Database. Luckily, I made a
backup version, but the two records that were entered are now lost.

Is there a way to prevent anyone from deleting a database from the network
drive??

Thanks,
Pamela
 
This is unfortunately a problem, and not much you can do.

However, if you build a shortcut on each users desktop and the "click" on
the shortcut, then you eliminate the difficulty, and potentially "harmful"
possibly of deleting the data file.

In fact, in word, excel, and ms-access if you go file->open, while browsing
you can actually DELETE files in the file open dialog if you hit the delete
key. If you are in a hurry, then often you hit "yes" to the delete. So, that
file open dialog is quite dangerous, be it excel, word, or ms-access.

Perhaps what is even more troubling is that in word, or excel, people are
*used* to going file - > open for each NEW document. With a database system,
you are as a general rule NOT create a new document (file) each time you use
the program. So, to keep confusing down to a mim, you should ALWAYS provide
a shortcut to the application part. (so, the users can just click on a
icon...and the application runs). And, if you spend a bit of time, then you
also can hide all of the ms-access stuff (tables, extra options, ability to
design/modify forms etc).

Last but not least, you really want to "split" the database into two parts,
and the application part should be installed on EACH workstation.

I explain why, how, and what splitting is about here:

http://www.members.shaw.ca/AlbertKallal/Articles/split/index.htm
 
You will need to get with your network administrator and have him/her/it set
the permissions for the users to not allow deletes in the folder where the
mdb is.
 
You will need to get with your network administrator and have him/her/it set
the permissions for the users to not allow deletes in the folder where the
mdb is.
Click to expand...

Unfortunately, that will have the side effect of making the database
read-only. Each user must have Delete and Create permission to the
folder, so that Access can create and then delete the .ldb locking
file!

John W. Vinson[MVP]
 
Hi,
I created a database on the network. The users started using it this
morning. Well, someone accidentally deleted the Access Database.
Luckily, I made a backup version, but the two records that were
entered are now lost.

Is there a way to prevent anyone from deleting a database from the
network drive??
Click to expand...

You can try:

- create a invisible network-share like DB$.
It's invisible in Explorer and you're able
to link tables via \\server\db$\backend.mdb

or

- create a network-share and set permissions
only for a User DBUser.
Start your Access-Application from a starter
application (may be a vb-exe) with a user account
'DBUser'. (CreateProcessWithLogonW API)
The normal logged-on User must be another one
who has no permissions to read.

Both is not real secure, depending on the level of knowledge
of your users.

Acki
 
Unfortunately, that will have the side effect of making the database
read-only. Each user must have Delete and Create permission to the
Click to expand...

Read only if you don't have CREATE permission.

Delete permission is required to compact the database, and to
delete the ldb file. Deletion of the ldb file is required if
it becomes corrupted, or if database Exclusive Access is
required.

So for a shared database, you can reserve delete permission
for an administrator.

(david)

PS:
The ldb file is created when the first user enters the database,
and deleted when the last user leaves, if permission is allowed.
So after being deleted the first time, the ldb file picks up
whatever permission is assigned to new files

Can you just remove delete permission for the database file?
Yes, but compact will fail, so before and after compacting you
need to reset the permission.
 
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