Well, since the users only ever run the front end part, then usually they
are never aware, or even knowledge about the back end part
(this information does not need to be any concern of he end users).
So, I guess the question would be how, and why do this know about the back
end?
The fact of splitting, or not splitting does not really fix this problem (I
do think that splitting does make things a bit more secure, since then users
never have to browse to where the actual data is, but only browse to the
front end which is on their pc.
However, ms-access is a file based system. If you put a word document, or
Excel document, or in this case a ms-access file on the server and share it,
then users can grab a copy and take it with them.
I generally do put a startup routine the in back end file, and if a user
does browse to the BE file, and opens it, my code simply gives them a
message that you don't have permissions to open the file, and when they
click ok...it exits. The code I use is:
Public Function NoAcc()
MsgBox "You do not have permissions to open this file", vbCritical, "No
Permissions"
DoCmd.Quit
End Function
I then create a macro called AutoExec (this will run at startup), and in the
macro, I go:
RunCode
And the parm is
NoAcc()
That way, if a user browses to the back end file, and opens it, they get a
message that tells them they don't have permissions.
I also assume that you as a general rule hide all the menus, and distribute
a mde to your users. Not only does this keep them out of the form designs
etc, it also looks a lot better. There is a blurb of mine here about user
friendly stuff, but note how those screen shots are in fact of ms-access,
and how users don't need to even know, or realize that the application is in
ms-access!
http://www.members.shaw.ca/AlbertKallal/Articles/UseAbility/UserFriendly.htm
However, at the end of the day, a file based system like ms-access is NOT
secure, as uses can make a copy of the data file. If you need a truly secure
system, then you have to put the data in sql server. You can continue to use
ms-access as the front end to the sql server, but then users will at least
not be able to walk out with the actual data files...
