I have a 2003 .mde file that is packaged with the 2003 Developer Tools Packaging wizard.
(I haven't tried the 2010 packaging tool yet, nor the 2007 one (if there IS one for 2007).

It uses "user level security" (with a "secured" workgroup) for whatever security that provides as well as navigation.

Anyway we are having trouble getting it to run under Windows 64 Access 2007 (haven't tried 2010 yet on Win 64).
(Runs fine under Windows XP, using Access 2003 or 2007)

Under Win64 it keeps opening up the mde file as "read only. You can only change data in linked tables. To make design changes, save a copy..." (but of course that doesn't work either).

The shortcut has, under [Advanced] the option to run as administrator, which I checked first. Did not change the result.
The shortcut has, under [Compatibility] the option to run in compatibility mode for XP AND another setting to run as admin, which I checked next. Did not change the result.
The shortcut has, under [Compatibility] the option to run in compatibility mode for XP SP3 AND change for all users. Did not change the result.
The shortcut has, under [Compatibility] the option to run in compatibility mode for XP SP2 AND change for all users. Did not change the result.

Any ideas on how to get this to run under Win64 , Access 2007?

While waiting for response, I'm going to try "packaging" it using Win64 and Access 2010 packager.

Thanks in advance,
Rob

Further info:

The .mde gets installed in: C:\Program Files (x86)\MyAppFolder

on the Win 64 machine:
It runs fine using 2003.
Using 2007, it opens in Read-only mode, as described above.
Using 2010, it won't open at all. Get a message "Could not Lock file."

By the way, I have set the above folder (and subfolders) to be "TRUSTED" in both 2007 and 2010, with no effect.

It looks to be related to the install folder. If I run it from a different location (not under C:\Program Files (x86)\)
it works fine using 2003, 2007, 2010.
Can anyone tell me how to "run" under C:\Program Files (x86)\ ?
I guess I could try a different install location, but I'm not familiar enough with the differences between XP and Win64
folder locations and availability to pick one that would work for all.

Thanks for any help.
Rob

Tricky one, Rob. Microsoft did away with the built-in User Level Security with Access 2007. One of the things that you can try, which I've encounted is doing a "Save As" and then you're able to open it and it's not "Read Only"

So I went back and made the install folder:
C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\MyAppFolder

(on XP) which translates to:

C:\ProgramData\MyAppFolder

on Win7 (64 bit).


And now, as long as I say "run as administrator" in the shortcut, it will run under Windows 7 (64) using either 2007 or 2010.
Also, still have to make the install folder a "trusted location" to get rid of the initial security warning.

Hope this helps others, but would still like to hear the "correct" way to package apps like this...

I guess Microsoft will continue to make it harder and harder to use 2003 and coerce us to 2010... (I'm going to 'skip' 2007 where possible, I think).

Rob

That is only true with the new ACE (.accdb) format. Access 2007/2010 still support User Level Security using the JET 4 (.mdb) database format.


I have several Access 2003 applications that i deploy as a MDE. One uses a work group (.mdw). They run fine Windows XP or later (32/64 bit) using Access 2003 or Access 2007. The full or runtime versions. I do not support Access 2010 at this time due to all the issues (bugs). Still waiting for SP2 or a fix to SP1.




This is doe by user. You can't set it once for all users.

I use a launcher app that handles all of this.


You should not install an data file under the Program File folder on any version of windows. Even with XP. All my clients have the Program Files folder set to read only even under XP.

Note: The All Users profile is should read-only for standard users. At least on all my client's networks. This is done for security reasons.

I have always placed my front ends in the %AppData% (Environment Variable) folder. This woks great in Windows XP or latter.

Rob,

I have not found that to be true.

It is my experience that Access 2003 is used more than Access 2007 and 2010 combined. I have no clients hat use Access 2010 at this time.

I find Access 2003 SP3 still to be more stable and faster than Access 2007 in all version of Windows XP and later. In my experience Access 2010 SP1 is still not stable enough for production use.


The new security model in Vista and Windows 7 has caused issues for all software developers. Not just with Office/Access/VBA developers.

When Vista first can out it exposed a lot of poorly design software from a security stand point. Windows 7 is not really that much better. By the time Windows 7 can out most software companies had upgraded their software. So when people migrated from Windows XP to Windows 7 it appeared as if Windows 7 was much better than Vista. I found that it really took most software companies until Windows 7 came out to get their software updated to handle Vista.

If software end user software requires you to have admin permissions to run then it has a serious security issue. Like Older versions of Quickbooks requires admin permissions to run. This caused a major security hole. The ID theft people loved Quickbooks. It made it really easy to still your identity.


"Microsoft will continue to make it harder and harder". It is not really caused by Microsoft. Microsoft is just trying to protect you from security threats. If it were not for all the people trying to invade your PC and steal your ID and money then it would be easier for everyone. Even the MAC has become a target. The ID Theft people have found security holes even in the MAC.

Thanks for the feedback.
I am aware of 2007/2010 support for workgroup security (All of my db's use it still) and so haven't "officially" moved to 2007 or 2010.
I am really bummed that native 2007/2010 do not support workgroup security (I use it for navigation and whatever "security" it provides).

Last I checked native 2007 and 2010 do not have a way to keep a user out of the "database window".
Even if we can keep them out of the code with an .ACCDE file, the thought of my users going into the tables directly gives me heartburn.

What have you done to get around that for users running 2007/2010?

What app laucher do you use to make a location "trusted?"
Also, do you use an installer package, or the access 2003 developer tools "packaging wizard?" (That's what I'm currently using).

Thanks,
Rob

Rob,

I run all my Access apps (front ends) with Access in runtime mode. This completely disables the database window/navigation pane.


I have not used any version of Access's Package and Deployment wizard with a application in production.

I have developed my own app launcher that is an EXE. It make sure the trust location is set up. It launches the app (front end using the /runtime switch to force the full version of Access into runtime mode.


This previous post may help: http://www.utteraccess.com/forum/Force-Acc...m-t1434285.html

HiTech,

Thanks for some of the explanations on the user-level security. I should have re-phrased that. You're right, it will support previous versions.

Question for you more out of curiousity sake. You said that you find most users using 2003 whereas I find the complete opposite. If you would've asked me 2 years or even a year and a half-ago, I would've said the same with most databases being in 2003 but now probably about 80 to 90% of my projects are in 2007 or 2010. It seems in many cases that clients just completely bypassed 2007 and went straight to 2010. Do you work primarily for a specific industry or region?