Here is some information about sandbox mode in Jet 4.0 and how it works with Access. This information is mostly intended for Access 2003, however since Access 2000 and 2002 also use Jet 4.0, the majority of this information applies as well.

What is sandbox mode?

The Jet sandbox mode is designed to block unsafe functions such as Shell from running in expressions. The #Name? error is given when a function is blocked. To workaround this, you can create wrapper functions in modules or class modules that invoke the blocked function.

The following KB article describes it in more detail:

HOW TO: Block Unsafe Visual Basic for Applications Functions in Microsoft Jet 4.0 Expression By Using Sandbox Mode

How do I know if I am running in sandbox mode

Check the following value in the registry. If it is set to 3, sandbox mode is enabled for Access:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESoftwareMicrosoftJet4.0EnginesSandBoxMode

Setting this to 2 will disable sandbox mode for Access, but you'll need to restart Access if it is already running.

Sandbox mode and Access

Since Jet 4.0 is used by Access 2000 and later, you could experience unexpected behavior if you are running in sandbox mode, but do not have Jet 4.0 Service Pack 7 or later. You can verify this by checking the version of msjet40.dll in the system32 directory on your machine. (c:windowssystem on Windows 98, ME). Some of the behavior you might see is:

• Wizards may not run
• Switchboards created with the Switchboard Manager will fail
• The RunCode macro action that calls a user-defined function (UDF) in VBA will fail
• Event handlers that call UDF's will fail
• UDF's called in queries will fail

Access 2003 articles related to sandbox mode

About Microsoft Jet Expression Service sandbox mode

About Microsoft Jet 4.0 SP8

Enable or disable sandbox mode

Hide the Unsafe Expressions security warning message in Access 2003

Functions and properties that are blocked in sandbox mode

The content of this Access Wiki article was migrated from the UtterAccess FAQA forum and cannot be edited at this time. If you are the original author and would like the article unlocked as a standard wiki article, which enables editing by others, or you are a reader and have identified errors that warrant the removal of this article, please notify the Access wiki moderators.

Original article by Rob Cooper