Is it possible to force a Linked Table to be Read-Only?

[Brad]

I would like to use Access 2007 to link to a number of older Access 2003
tables.

The catch is that I would like to force these tables to be “Read Onlyâ€.

Is this possible?

Thanks,

Brad

 

[Banana]

I would like to use Access 2007 to link to a number of older Access 2003
tables.

The catch is that I would like to force these tables to be “Read Onlyâ€.

Is this possible?

Thanks,

Brad

The best way to do this is to set up the security/permissions on the
backend database accordingly.

 

[Jeff Boyce]

Brad

That depends ...

Are you looking for a fool-proof security system, guaranteed not to allow
unauthorized entry? (if so, consider using a more robust back-end, like
SQL-Server or ...)

Are you looking to prevent casual lookie-lou's from messing with the table
structure? (if so, don't tell them where the back-end is...)

Are you looking to prevent data editing directly in the underlying tables?
Don't let your users ever see a table! Access tables store data, Access
forms (and reports) display data. You can make a FORM read-only, without
ever touching the back-end table...

More info, please...

--

Regards

Jeff Boyce
Microsoft Access MVP

Disclaimer: This author may have received products and services mentioned in
this post. Mention and/or description of a product or service herein does
not constitute endorsement thereof.

Any code or pseudocode included in this post is offered "as is", with no
guarantee as to suitability.

You can thank the FTC of the USA for making this disclaimer
possible/necessary.

 

[Brad]

Jeff,

Thanks for your assistance.

We have a number of users who use Access 2003 to work directly with a number
of “old†Access tables (read and update).

I am in the process of starting the transition to Access 2007 (Runtime) for
these folks. I was hoping to start this transition with some simple “read
only†access to these old tables (for the current users and for some
additional users who only need to read the data.

I thought that there was perhaps a setting on the “Linked Table Managerâ€
that could be set to “read onlyâ€, just to keep things simple. It looks like
there is no such setting at this level.

Thanks again for your help,

Brad

 

[Jeff Boyce]

Brad

Even the experienced developers who post/respond here will point out that
working directly in the tables is risky business. Folks all too often
confuse an Access table with an Excel spreadsheet, and do things with the
data that they probably shouldn't.

Working through forms (and getting your users to work through forms) is much
safer for the data and does provide that read-only capability you're
seeking.

Good luck!

--

Regards

Jeff Boyce
Microsoft Access MVP

Disclaimer: This author may have received products and services mentioned in
this post. Mention and/or description of a product or service herein does
not constitute endorsement thereof.

Any code or pseudocode included in this post is offered "as is", with no
guarantee as to suitability.

You can thank the FTC of the USA for making this disclaimer
possible/necessary.

 

[Brad]

Jeff,

Thanks for your insights/assistance.

Our “Old†Access system was set up several years ago, before my time.

I appreciate your thoughts on the issues related to working directly with
tables.

From my somewhat limited understanding, I can see why this is not a good
idea. I will employ queries and forms as I migrate the users from Access
2003 to Access 2007 Runtime. I am confident that the final product will be
much better and less risky.

Thanks again for your help. I work for a small company with only one “IT
person†(me). It sure is nice to be able to obtain input from others in
situations like mine where there are no other technical people onsite.

Sincerely,
Brad

 

[Jeff Boyce]

Brad

You're welcome.

Quite of few of us here got our start in Access just the same way...

Good luck!

Regards

Jeff Boyce
Microsoft Access MVP

--
Disclaimer: This author may have received products and services mentioned
in this post. Mention and/or description of a product or service herein
does not constitute endorsement thereof.

Any code or pseudocode included in this post is offered "as is", with no
guarantee as to suitability.

You can thank the FTC of the USA for making this disclaimer
possible/necessary.

 

[David W. Fenton]

I would like to use Access 2007 to link to a number of older
Access 2003 tables.

The catch is that I would like to force these tables to be “Read
Onlyâ€.

Is this possible?

One way would be to remove the linked tables, and create queries to
replace them (you could use the same name for the query as the
corresponding linked tables), and use a connect string in the query
and set the recordset type to snapshot, which will be read-only by
default.

 

[Brad]

David,

Thanks for your ideas. I appreciate the help.

Brad~