Restricted design but not .mde

[David Seeto via AccessMonster.com]

Hello there,

Although I'm not a VBA expert, I know enough to get simple things done, but I've inherited an Access 2000 database that I'd really appreciate some help understanding. It's a .mdb file that, when you open it up, presents a single screen that the users enter their selections in before hitting the "Go" button. There is a small Menu bar with only a few options, like "Exit", "Report -> Close" and "Print -> Page Setup" and "Print -> Print".

My initial fear was that it was really an mde file, in which case I could forget about making any changes to it. But it's not, because I can hit F11 and it brings up the Database window. I can click on the various objects - tables, queries, forms, reports, etc - and can Open them, modify in Designer mode, or create New ones.

But to do any of this, I have use the icons on the Database window, because the right mouse button doesn't bring up the usual short cut menu for anything. In fact, it doesn't bring up any short cut menus at all. Furthermore, I don't get back the usual Access menu bar at the top.

I've been able to make the changes I've needed to, but it's been much slower and more difficult without the usual design time options. For example, because I don't have the "Tools" option on the menu, to compact the database I have to close it, open up Access by itself, go to "Tools -> Database Utilities -> Compact and Repair Database", choose the .mdb file and then choose a new filename for the compacted database, and then rename the new database afterwards.

I'd just like to understand what the previous developer may have done to restrict access to the design time options in this database, as I'd like to undo it and deploy mde files to the users instead. It feels a bit half baked at the moment, and I'm worried that there may be some changes that can't be done at all with the database in its current state.

Thanks!

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[Albert D. Kallal]

Most ms-access developers do setup the options in the tools->startup.

For your end users, the above settings are all that is needed to keep users
out of the "ms-access" part.

So, when you develop a ms-access application, right before deployment, you
then setup the tools->startup options. Things like what form will display
when the program starts, and things like disable ms-access keys etc. So, all
of the nuts and bolts standard stuff you need to set for your users can be
found in the tools->startup.

In fact, even if you are going to use a mde, the above idea of hiding the
ms-access tuff, and keeping users out of places where they should not go is
a obvious step thing that most developers do with ms-access.

So, I would suggest that even if you do start using mde, you might as well
keep these menus and options that the previous developer built. I mean, why
torture users with a zillion confusing ms-access menus and design stuff?
Note that if you do use a mde..you likely have to use a split database,a nd
again this split idea is standard fair for developers.

Anyway, to by-pass those tools->startup options, and get into "normal"
developer mode, you can usually hold down he shift key during program
startup.

You thus then develop, test etc. When you are done, you might do a quick
exit..and then re-enter the program without using shift key. You are now in
"user" mode..and can test things from user perspective. When you get it all
just right..you then create your mde for your users. However, using the mde
does not change the issues of correctly setting and using the tools->startup
options to hide everything and keep users out of trouble.

If the shift key don't work, the original developer locked out this key. I
have some code here that would un-do the shift key..and you can also use
this code for your mde...

http://www.attcanada.net/~kallal.msn/msaccess/msaccess.html

 

[Dirk Goldgar]

Hello there,

Although I'm not a VBA expert, I know enough to get simple things
done, but I've inherited an Access 2000 database that I'd really
appreciate some help understanding. It's a .mdb file that, when you
open it up, presents a single screen that the users enter their
selections in before hitting the "Go" button. There is a small Menu
bar with only a few options, like "Exit", "Report -> Close" and
"Print -> Page Setup" and "Print -> Print".

My initial fear was that it was really an mde file, in which case I
could forget about making any changes to it. But it's not, because I
can hit F11 and it brings up the Database window. I can click on the
various objects - tables, queries, forms, reports, etc - and can Open
them, modify in Designer mode, or create New ones.

But to do any of this, I have use the icons on the Database window,
because the right mouse button doesn't bring up the usual short cut
menu for anything. In fact, it doesn't bring up any short cut menus
at all. Furthermore, I don't get back the usual Access menu bar at
the top.

I've been able to make the changes I've needed to, but it's been much
slower and more difficult without the usual design time options. For
example, because I don't have the "Tools" option on the menu, to
compact the database I have to close it, open up Access by itself, go
to "Tools -> Database Utilities -> Compact and Repair Database",
choose the .mdb file and then choose a new filename for the compacted
database, and then rename the new database afterwards.

I'd just like to understand what the previous developer may have done
to restrict access to the design time options in this database, as
I'd like to undo it and deploy mde files to the users instead. It
feels a bit half baked at the moment, and I'm worried that there may
be some changes that can't be done at all with the database in its
current state.

Thanks!

It sounds like the developer has turned off the default Access menus and
created his own. Try holding down the Shift key as you open the
database. Then, if the full menus reappear, click Tools -> Startup...,
and put check marks back in the various "Allow ..." check boxes.

If holding down the Shift key makes no difference, that bypass key may
have been turned off. There's a way to turn it back on again, but let's
take one thing at a time.

 

[David Seeto via AccessMonster.com]

Thank you very much, Albert and Dirk - holding down the Shift key while double clicking on the mdb file has indeed started it up in the Access design environment that I am familiar with - HOORAY! This forum is SO much easier to search and get answers from than the Microsoft web site

I will take your advice about retaining this even when deploying an MDE file on board - thank you very much!

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