When a database is used on your local computer or on your
company’s network, it is not difficult to control who has access to
it. But if you send the database out into the world, on its own or as
part of a larger application, you lose that control. There is no way
you can know who is using the database or what tools they might have
available to hack into it. If this is of concern to you, consider
distributing your database as an Access Database Executable (ACCDE)
file.
Suppose you want to make a database available for use by several
organizations, but the organizations don’t want their members to be
able to change the database objects and perhaps "break" things. You
can save the database as an ACCDE file and distribute that file
instead of the ACCDB file.
Saving a database as an ACCDE file compiles and compacts the
resulting database. Users of the ACCDE file can view forms and
reports, update information, and run queries, but they cannot change
the design of forms and reports.
Tip
ACCDE files also restrict what can be done with macros,
modules, and VBA code.
You can’t save a database in ACCDE format back to the source
ACCDB format, so after saving a database as an ACCDE file, be sure to
retain the original ACCDB file in a safe place. If you need to change
a form or report in the database, you will need to make the change in
the original database and then save it as an ACCDE file again.
Important
When creating an ACCDE file for a database that is accessed by
multiple users, first make sure that no user has the database open.
In Windows Explorer, navigate to the location of the file, and
verify that there is no file of the same name with an .laccdb
(locked Access database) extension. If you attempt to create an
ACCDE file for an open database, you will be warned that the
database has already been opened by someone else (the username and
computer name are provided) and told to try again later.
In this exercise, you’ll create a secure database by saving it
as a distributable ACCDE file. You’ll then test the file.
Set Up
You need the GardenCompany12 database you worked with
in the preceding exercise to complete this exercise. Open the
GardenCompany12 database (not the GardenCompany12_split database),
and then follow the steps.
-
Display the Backstage view, and in the left pane, click
Save & Publish.
The Save & Publish page provides several options for
saving and distributing the database.
-
Below Advanced in the
right pane, click Make ACCDE,
and then click Save As.
-
In the Save As dialog
box, verify that the contents of your practice file folder are
displayed, and then click Save.
No message alerts you when the save process is
complete.
-
When the Save As
dialog box closes, close the database.
-
Display the Backstage view, and then click Open.
-
In the Open dialog box,
ensure that the contents of your practice file folder are
displayed.
Access has created a database executable file. (You might
need to turn off the Navigation task pane and adjust column widths
to see the file types in the practice file folder.)
-
Double-click the GardenCompany12 database executable file
that is identified as a Microsoft Access ACCDE Database.
Access displays a somewhat scary security notice.
-
Because you trust the source of this file (you!), click
Open.
-
In the Navigation pane,
right-click each object in the Garden
Company category, and notice that the Design View command is not
available.
Because Design view is inactive, you cannot make any design
changes to forms or reports.
Clean Up
If you want, delete the GardenCompany12.accde file. Retain the
GardenCompany12.accdb file for use in the last exercise.
