What is the purpose of making a database an MDE file?

I'm trying to prevent users from deleted my database by simply right-clicking it and choosing delete.

How can I keep users from doing this?

A million thanks,
jesuely

From the MS Access help file If your database contains Microsoft Visual Basic code, saving your Microsoft Access database as an MDE compiles all modules, removes all editable source code, and compacts the destination database. Your Visual Basic code will continue to run, but it cannot be viewed or edited, and the size of your Access database will be reduced due to the removal of the code. Additionally, memory usage is optimized, which will improve performance.
Saving your Access database as an MDE file prevents the following actions:
Viewing, modifying, or creating forms, reports, or modules in Design view.
Adding, deleting, or changing references to object libraries or databases.
Changing code using the properties or methods of the Microsoft Access or VBA Object models — an MDE file contains no source code.
Importing or exporting forms, reports, or modules. However, tables, queries, data access pages, and macros can be imported from or exported to non-MDE databases. Any tables, queries, data access pages, or macros in an MDE file can be imported into another Access database, but no forms, reports, or modules can be imported into another Access database.

One of the great abilities of an MDE file is to be able to have many users on a db at the same time. There are a few down sides to splitting the db. As far as preventing users from deleting your db you may want to look into restricting access to where you keep your db on the server.

Converting to an MDE compliles the code in all module in a way where the code can not be accessed or modified.

The only way to keep a user from deleting the database is to not let them have access to the file.
This is almost impossible to do ...
You can set the database file's attribute to "Hidden" .. but this can be undone by anyone who knows a little about computers.

RDH

An MDE file has no advantages over an MDB file when it comes to .. "able to have many users on a db at the same time".

RDH

The short answer is that there is really no practical way to prevent users from deleting a database, whether it is an .mdb or an .mde file.

First, deleting the database itself is a Windows function, not a database function. If the user can delete any file on the PC, they can delete the database. The only way to prevent that would be to prohibit the user from getting to the database.

Second, if the database is in a shared folder on a network, you have to give users read/write permissions on that folder in order to permit sharing of the database (required to create or add to the .ldb file), including the right to create and delete files--i.e. the database. So you can't even prevent them from accidentally deleting a database they have the right to use.


George

You can share the folder on the server using the "$" option (I think that's the one) .. and the folder will be shared .. but the user can not physically access the folder to do anything.
I am no network expert .. but I'm sure someone such as Jerry Dennison can explain how this in done in an NT Domain environment.

RDH

I wasn't aware of that option. I thought it was "all or nothing". Good to know about; maybe someone can fill in more details?

George

If you add $ to the sharename on the server the folder will not be visible when browsing the network.

The folder can still be accessed though by typing in the UNC though.

Permissions can be set such that you can have modification privileges but not delete privileges at the folder (even file) level.

Thanks. I've learned something new again today.

It must be naptime now.

You're welcome!

g'night