Stuck trying to secure both front and back-end

[jonefer]

I know I've done it before, but I must have mixed up the steps.

What I'm trying to do is:
1. Take an application and split it
2. Secure both the Front and Back end
3. Turn the back end into a Design master (replicable)
4. Turn the front end into an MDE.

I'm stuck with step two. I can only secure the front end
When I try to secure the back end - it tells me I'm not the owner
Tried to change the back end owner from Admin to something else... but I
can't.

I must have mixed up the steps. Luckilly the Database pieces I'm working on
have no data in them yet. So they are small and don't take up any resources.
Could someone help me with getting the steps right so I can accomplish the
above 4 steps?

Thank you

 

[Joan Wild]

One option is to import the backend into the frontend. Secure the single
mdb and then split it, but split it manually as the splitter wizard will
leave you with an unsecure backend.

Otherwize, once you've secured the frontend, ensure you are using the same
secure mdw when you secure the backend.

You can ensure you are using the same mdw by
1. Use the workgroup administrator to join it by default (but don't forget
to rejoin system.mdw when you're finished.
OR
2. Create a desktop shortcut with the following in the target:
"path to msaccess.exe" "Path to backend" /wrkgrp "path to secure.mdw"
OR
3. Open your frontend logging in, and then hit Ctrl-O and open the backend.
You'll still be using the secure mdw in that session and can proceed to
secure it.

 

[jonefer]

Step 3 seems to make the most sense for what I'm trying to do -
It's essentially the same as 2 - which I also tried.


Both give me the following error when I try to encrypt:
"You can't encrypt a database that you didn't create or don't own."

All I can think of is that I need a patch or something - because this
doesn't happen on my other computer.

Any ideas?

 

[Joan Wild]

You aren't using the correct mdw file. You need to ensure that it's the one
used to secure the mdb with, and also that you are logging in as the owner.

 

[jonefer]

I'm using the exact same MDW file.
All I do is update shortcut to point to the database I want to encrypt.
-

So I tried logging on with that workgroup and creating a NEW database.
- I was able to encrypt it - but now - that "encrypted" database doesn't
prompt for a user and password - it just opens.

I'm thinking it maybe the way my settings are as a user at my business
network.
This doesn't happen when I'm working solo on my personal laptop.

I have never experienced this before when encrypting.

 

[Joan Wild]

I'm using the exact same MDW file.
All I do is update shortcut to point to the database I want to
encrypt. -

So I tried logging on with that workgroup and creating a NEW database.
- I was able to encrypt it - but now - that "encrypted" database
doesn't prompt for a user and password - it just opens.

Well there's more to it than just creating a new mdb. If you imported
objects from your old one, those objects won't come with the permissions
they had. You have to reset them. If you mean just a blank mdb, you still
have to set permissions and remove permissions from the Users Group/Admin
user, etc. That's why you can open it without a login prompt.

I have never experienced this before when encrypting.

I've never bothered to encrypt a database - what do you hope to gain here?

 

[jonefer]

Excellent! - That was the answer - I mistakenly thought that encrypting was
securing the database - you actually need to go through the security wizard
for each database you want to secure.

My thinking was that you only needed to do the Security wizard initially to
create the MDW, but that you could just login with the MDW shortcut and
encrypt each additional database and they would automatically get protected
under the login.

So what is the encrypt menu item for?

 

[Joan Wild]

Encryption is weak in Access, but it's supposed to prevent someone from
opening/reading the mdb in a hex editor. The security wizard automatically
encrypts the database. I generally don't use the wizard, securing manually,
so I've not paid too much attention to encryption.

Also when a database is encrypted, you will find that zip utilities such as
Winzip don't result in a file of reduced size.