Database Reference
In-Depth Information
Securing databases for distribution
When a database is used on your own computer or on your company's network, it is not
difficult to control who has access to it. But if you send the database out into the world,
on its own or as part of a larger application, you lose that control. There is no way you
can know who is using the database or what tools they might have available to hack into
it. If this is of concern to you, consider distributing your database as an Access Database
Executable (.accde) file.
Suppose you want to make a database available for use by several organizations, but you
don't want the organizations' members to be able to change the database objects. You can
save the database as an .accde file and distribute that file instead of the .accdb file. Saving
a database as an .accde file compiles and compacts the resulting database. Users of the
.accde file can view forms and reports, update information, and run queries, but they can-
not change the design of forms and reports.
TIP
ACCDE databases also restrict what can be done with macros, modules, and VBA code.
These topics are beyond the scope of this topic.
You can't save a database in ACCDE format back to the source ACCDB format, so after sav-
ing a database as an .accde file, be sure to retain the original .accdb file in a safe place. If
you need to change a form or report in the database, you will need to make the change in
the original database and then save it as an .accde file again.
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When creating an ACCDE database that is accessed by multiple users, first ensure that
no user has the database open. In File Explorer or Windows Explorer, navigate to the loca-
tion of the file, and verify that there is no file of the same name with an .laccdb (Locked
Access Database) extension. If you attempt to create an .accde file for an open database,
you will be warned that the database has already been opened by someone else (the user
name and computer name are provided) and told to try again later.
In this exercise, you'll create a secure database by saving it as a distributable .accde file.
You'll then test the file.
