I want to send a read-only version of my database to a group of people in 

another dept.



I turned my Access XP MDB file into an MDE.  I disabled the control boxes 

so that people cannot Min/Max/Close the form and expose the tables, 

queries, etc.  I can also customize the toolbar to prevent people from 

closing the form and, again, exposing the underlying tables and queries.  

I also locked the fields in the form so people can only read the data but 

not change it.



But Access XP also puts two icons in the task bar at the bottom of the 

screen: one for the form (good) and another for the database itself 

(bad).  Clicking on that second icon, again, exposes the guts of the 

database.



What I want is for people to open the MDE file and have zero access to the 

underlying tables, etc.  That is, they get the form that auto-opens... and 

that's it... period.  What you see is what you get.



Can this be accomplished?



BTW, the issue is not that I don't want them to alter MY data, because my 

dept. and I have our "pure" copy.  We're fine.  It's that if I give that 

other dept. a copy of our database, I don't want them damaging any info in 

there causing confusion in their own dept. and then blaming us for the 

misinformation.



Greg

I've not used XP but you can have the same problem in 97 and 2000 even with

an MDE.



Before creating it you need to lock down the startup options:



Tools/startup



make sure you prevent users from displaying the database window otherwise

all your tables etc are on show



Regards



Richard Gibson

Walkerpack Ltd

IT Manager

01604 760529



-----Original Message-----

From: Gregory Serrano [mailto:SerranoG@m...]

Sent: 21 February 2002 16:47

To: Access

Subject: [access] WYSIWYG... Period!





I want to send a read-only version of my database to a group of people in 

another dept.



I turned my Access XP MDB file into an MDE.  I disabled the control boxes 

so that people cannot Min/Max/Close the form and expose the tables, 

queries, etc.  I can also customize the toolbar to prevent people from 

closing the form and, again, exposing the underlying tables and queries.  

I also locked the fields in the form so people can only read the data but 

not change it.



But Access XP also puts two icons in the task bar at the bottom of the 

screen: one for the form (good) and another for the database itself 

(bad).  Clicking on that second icon, again, exposes the guts of the 

database.



What I want is for people to open the MDE file and have zero access to the 

underlying tables, etc.  That is, they get the form that auto-opens... and 

that's it... period.  What you see is what you get.



Can this be accomplished?



BTW, the issue is not that I don't want them to alter MY data, because my 

dept. and I have our "pure" copy.  We're fine.  It's that if I give that 

other dept. a copy of our database, I don't want them damaging any info in 

there causing confusion in their own dept. and then blaming us for the 

misinformation.



Greg

Richard,



> Before creating it you need to lock down the startup options:

> 

> Tools/startup

> 

> make sure you prevent users from displaying the database window otherwise

> all your tables etc are on show



The good news is that it worked!  But note:  you need to disable the 

default main menu bar as well.  If you don't, anyone can still get to 

Tools/Startup option and turn off the protection, even in the MDE.



Thanks.



Greg

Greg,

You could create a workgroup security file for the data and allow read only

access for those people who open access without using the security

workgroup.

That way all users that open the database without the workgroup file and

effectively log on as user admin will not be able to edit the data.

When you are compiling the data you will need to use the workgroup file you

created initially and log on with a user account that allows full access.





Regards

Richard Berry

Desktop Logic Limited

Crowland

Peterborough

PE6 0AG

Tel: 08707 486486

Fax: 08707 486487

Email: Richard@D...



 -----Original Message-----

From: 	Gregory Serrano [mailto:SerranoG@m...]

Sent:	21 February 2002 16:47

To:	Access

Subject:	[access] WYSIWYG... Period!



I want to send a read-only version of my database to a group of people in

another dept.



I turned my Access XP MDB file into an MDE.  I disabled the control boxes

so that people cannot Min/Max/Close the form and expose the tables,

queries, etc.  I can also customize the toolbar to prevent people from

closing the form and, again, exposing the underlying tables and queries.

I also locked the fields in the form so people can only read the data but

not change it.



But Access XP also puts two icons in the task bar at the bottom of the

screen: one for the form (good) and another for the database itself

(bad).  Clicking on that second icon, again, exposes the guts of the

database.



What I want is for people to open the MDE file and have zero access to the

underlying tables, etc.  That is, they get the form that auto-opens... and

that's it... period.  What you see is what you get.



Can this be accomplished?



BTW, the issue is not that I don't want them to alter MY data, because my

dept. and I have our "pure" copy.  We're fine.  It's that if I give that

other dept. a copy of our database, I don't want them damaging any info in

there causing confusion in their own dept. and then blaming us for the

misinformation.



Greg