Access Security over a network 2

[corner40]

Hi guys n gals
I have an access 97 database that I'm about to convert to 2000. It is broken up so that it has a frontend and backend, the backend having all the tables frontend with quieires, forms, linked tables, etc...the backend is located on a server with each user having a copy of the frontend on their machine. Each machine has it's own copy of office installed. I had never used the security features in access before and started playing around with it...I didn't know to make a two copies of the mdw and ended up screwing myself because I affected all of the databases I had on my machine. I ended up getting everything back to normal and things are fine now. I read a whole lot of posts on here about access and security and what not. One thing I didn't find much info on is the whole backend on the server issue. What I was wondering is how do I make it so that the people with access to the secure database use the mdw that is the secure one and not the default one on their machine. But at the same time they all have other databases that the use that I don't want to be affected by the security. How do I get it seperated. I have about 6 DB's and only want the one to be secure. All of the databases except this one are in 2000. But I don't foresee any issues converting it though although aparently their are issues and that's why they haven't converted it yet, but no one is sure what the issues were. Should I wait to add security or should I do it before I convert.
I know it's kinda two or three questions all in one post but the biggest one is the security with the backend on the server issue while only having one db affected by the security.
thanks everyone in advance
Jeremy

 

[Rick39]

I have a similar situation....I've kept the backend in 97 and used the 97 mdw while using secured 97 & 2000 frontends (without a problem)...I set up the users with a shortcut that goes through the mdw on the LAN:

 

[corner40]

Hey Rick
thanks for the response. what do you mean you kept the frontends in 97 and 2000. Leaving the backend in 97 isn't a big deal. Doesn't really matter which it's in does it? If need be i can certainly leave it in 97. But how do you get the users to go through the mdw on the lan? is it a batch file you created or something access can provide? When you do this, it doesn't affect other databases starting up does it?
thanks again
Jeremy

 

[Rick39]

A 97 frontend will not be able to read a 2000 backend (the reason for separate frontends)....the shortcut bypasses the default mdw on their pc and directs them to yours on the LAN:

"C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office\MSACCESS.EXE" /wrkgrp "YourNetworkPath\your.mdw" "YourNetworkPath\your.mdb"

 

[Lightning]

Should I wait to add security or should I do it before I convert.

Wait until you have converted the database, and then add the security.

The reason for this is that you cannot convert an mdw file from a previous version to a later version. You must recreate it using the later version. This is certainly fiddly and definitely error-prone, so if you can avoid it, do so.

here are a couple of links to MS Knowledge Base articles on this topic:

http://support.microsoft.com/defaultasp?scid=kb;en-us;282357

http://support.microsoft.com/defaultasp?scid=kb;en-us;355253

HTH
Lightning