Open Locked Database

  • Thread starter Thread starter Andibevan
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Andibevan

Hi All,

One of my colleagues who has now left produced an access database that we
use at work.

He "Locked" the database in such a way that you can't open it (to access the
code) unless you press a particular sequence of keys. Otherwise access runs
but no menus are loaded.

I am quite new to access so can't think of how to open the document up so I
can look at the code. I can extract the actual data but I can't manage to
get at the code - anybody got any ideas on how this might be possible?

Thanks in advance

Andi
 
Andi,

If the original developer has just hidden the database window / is
running a macro or some code at startup, then you should be able to
bypass all that just by keeping the Shift key pressed while you open the
database (unless he has used code to disable the Shift key - not very
common).

If, on the other hand, what you have is an .mde file (rather than an
..mdb), then I'm afarid there's nothing you can do with the code unless
you get your hands on the original .mdb, from which the .mde was
produced. The reason is there is no source code at all in an .mde, just
compiled code which you can run but not see.

HTH,
Nikos
 
Thanks Nikos - I have tried what you mention and that does open the
database. This is a MDB file that is used to generate the mde file used.

When I open up the database I can only see the tables - is there a way of
hiding the code so that people can't see it once they have got into the
database?
 
That's exactly what .mde's are for! Create an .mde from the .mdb and
distribute the .mde. Just make sure you store the original .mdb safely,
in case you need to make changes - most changes are difficult, and some
absolutely impossible in an .mde.

Nikos
 
It could be that the author has set the properties of the forms and modules
etc to Hidden, and your system is set to do not display hidden objects.

'Tools' 'Options' 'View' 'hidden objects' ensure is checked.

If the forms etc appear but greyed out, left click and deselect 'hidden' but
you can edit them without this step if the prog is .mdb and not .mde.
Thanks Nikos - I have tried what you mention and that does open the
database. This is a MDB file that is used to generate the mde file used.

When I open up the database I can only see the tables - is there a way of
hiding the code so that people can't see it once they have got into the
database?
Andi,
Click to expand...
[quoted text clipped - 12 lines]
HTH,
Nikos
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
 
I think the MDB file is actually got no code in it at all and just the data
with the database code having been converted to an mde file.

Does anyone know of a freeware MDE to MDB converter?



ZH875 via AccessMonster.com said:
It could be that the author has set the properties of the forms and modules
etc to Hidden, and your system is set to do not display hidden objects.

'Tools' 'Options' 'View' 'hidden objects' ensure is checked.

If the forms etc appear but greyed out, left click and deselect 'hidden' but
you can edit them without this step if the prog is .mdb and not .mde.
Thanks Nikos - I have tried what you mention and that does open the
database. This is a MDB file that is used to generate the mde file used.

When I open up the database I can only see the tables - is there a way of
hiding the code so that people can't see it once they have got into the
database?
Andi,
Click to expand...
[quoted text clipped - 12 lines]
HTH,
Nikos
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
 
In an .mde you can make changes to table and query design. In theory you
can't make changes to forms, reports or macros, but there are third
party tools out there to allow you some changes (as long as you don't
need to make changes in forms' or reports' code); not sure if there are
any free ones, but a google search should do it. I saved the best for
last: there is absolutely no whay you can do anything with the code in
an .mde, simply because no source code is stored in an .mde, just the
compiled (executable) which is out of reach.

Nikos
 
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