[AccessD] 2003 "permissions" - the other part

A workgroup file (an MDW file) is a file that access uses for Access
security at object level.

It contain all users and passwords you would create when using Access
security.
It is always present but by default u use the administrator account with
no password so at that moment it is transparent for the user.

If your database is secured with Access Security then overwriting this
file, or joining another workgroup, or opening the database on another
computer, would block your access to that database or to certain object
depending how the security was set.

There is a bug?!, I would call it that way, in A2K3 maybe also A2K2 that
overwrites the workgroup file when it is maintained in the default
location when reinstalling/repairing. This way you lose all your users
and passwords from that file and could lock you out of any secured
database.
When using Access security the workgroup file should be place on the
fileserver (in my opinion).

But in my opinion Access security should never be used due to to the
fact that it can be easely broken by some cheap passwordfinder tool.
I can only be used to make changes or deletes somewhat more diffucult.
For example my splashscreen form and my license text in one specific
module are always protected.

There have been some thread here that explain how to protect your mdb
with access security but I dont know if somenone had proven to be
unbreakable (if such a thing exists).

To conclude.
If you don't now what access security is, and don't want to loose time,
then just forget about it.

But that's my opnion.

Erwin






 

-----Original Message-----
From: accessd-bounces at databaseadvisors.com
[mailto:accessd-bounces at databaseadvisors.com] On Behalf Of Kathryn
Bassett
Sent: Sunday, March 20, 2005 9:44 PM
To: 'Access Developers discussion and problem solving'
Subject: RE: [AccessD] 2003 "permissions" - the other part

Erwin Craps said:
> When upgrading/installing  A2K3 your MDW file get overwritten by the 
> default one of Office 2K3.
> Or in case the MDW file was not in the default location, The MDW
> (workgroup) file path has been set to the default one.
> You will need to join the corrept MDW (workgroup) file before you will

> be able to do what you want to do.
> When it's overwritten you will need to restore from backup.

I've not a clue what you said. I don't know what a workgroup is, and I
don't know what MDW is. I have only an MDB. However,...

MartyConnelly said:
> 1 the database could be corrupt,
> 2 or  this implies that there is an mdw file and you don't have 
> permission to use something.
> 3 Right-click the mdb  file and mdw file if there is one in the 
> Windows Explorer.

I had despaired because of what Erwin said about restoring from backup,
because my nightly backup had already been done, so it would also be
corrupted. But when I got to this point, I noticed that at the same
date/time, there was ABC.bak as well as my ABC.mdb - so I renamed the
.bak to filename.mdb and opened it and it worked fine! So I deleted the
corrupt one, and renamed filename.mdb to ABC.mdb and I'm back in
business (ABC is Altadena Baptist Church, not the tv network).

So, now that my problem is solved, would you explain (in real simple
terms) what the workgroup is/does? Is it something I should be doing
that I've never done before?

--
Kathryn Rhinehart Bassett (Pasadena CA)
"Genealogy is my bag" "GH is my soap"
kathryn at bassett.net
http://bassett.net   

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