MDE, Linked Tables, and Workgroup file questions

[Guest]

I am finishing up an application and am getting ready to deploy. Consists of
a front-end (FE) mostly forms, etc. and a back-end (BE) containing data. I
just wanted to clarify a few things (Access 2003):

1) One of my books says an MDE is limited in that references to databases
cannot be changed. However, after converting the FE from an MDB to an MDE, I
could still bring up the Linked Table Manager and update the links to the BE
after changing the location of the BE. Is this a supported feature?

2) Related to 1), if I prevent users from getting access to the standard
Access menu items, will that prevent users from changing the link references,
or is there another way I can let the users do this? (I want the users to be
able to put the BE in a directory of their choosing.)

3) I have seen on this board and in one of my books an explanation to
associate a workgroup file with an existing application is to create a
workgroup file, log in as a user defined in the file, then create an empty
database and import all objects from an existing database into this new
database. However, with the MDE file I created, I was able to after the file
was already created, create a new workgroup file, define users, groups, and
permissions and join that file. That seemed to apply all the user
permissions. Will that work, or am I missing something?

Thanks,

John

 

[Rick Brandt]

I am finishing up an application and am getting ready to deploy.
Consists of a front-end (FE) mostly forms, etc. and a back-end (BE)
containing data. I just wanted to clarify a few things (Access 2003):

1) One of my books says an MDE is limited in that references to
databases cannot be changed. However, after converting the FE from
an MDB to an MDE, I could still bring up the Linked Table Manager and
update the links to the BE after changing the location of the BE. Is
this a supported feature?

Links to tables are not the "references" they are talking about. You can change
table links in MDE to your heart's content.

2) Related to 1), if I prevent users from getting access to the
standard Access menu items, will that prevent users from changing the
link references, or is there another way I can let the users do this?
(I want the users to be able to put the BE in a directory of their
choosing.)

That will work fine.

3) I have seen on this board and in one of my books an explanation to
associate a workgroup file with an existing application is to create a
workgroup file, log in as a user defined in the file, then create an
empty database and import all objects from an existing database into
this new database. However, with the MDE file I created, I was able
to after the file was already created, create a new workgroup file,
define users, groups, and permissions and join that file. That
seemed to apply all the user permissions. Will that work, or am I
missing something?

You're missing something. Applying security is complex and can only be
successfully done by following an EXACT process. In fact, most people that try
it the first time fail at it.

Try opening your file with another workgroup file. Chances are you will get in
and be able to do anything. That's not secure.

 

[Rick Brandt]

Rick,

Thanks very much for your reply. Regarding 3) I will check that out
further and follow your advice.

Not sure what you meant in your reply to 2). Specifically, if I
disable user access to the normal Access menus, how will the users be
able to change the links?

Well, as the developer you either have to expose the built in interface for
doing that or provide one of your own. I only meant that creating, deleting,
refreshing, etc., of Table Links are all perfectly possible in an MDE.

 

[Guest]

OK, understand. Thanks again.

Well, as the developer you either have to expose the built in interface for
doing that or provide one of your own. I only meant that creating, deleting,
refreshing, etc., of Table Links are all perfectly possible in an MDE.