[AccessD] Hacking MDE (was Creating a demo Access app?)

MartyConnelly martyconnelly at shaw.ca
Sat Feb 25 12:46:36 CST 2006


It is not that hard to do with an mde.  Here is a utility.
Michael Kaplan pointed me here about 3 or 4 years ago for password cracks.

 MDE forms/reports extractor v2.2 MS Access 2000 add-in 
  This utility is designed to allow you to extract the forms, reports 
and macros from an mde file to mdb (without the form/report class module 
code). 
It wont get the code behind the forms.

http://accesstools.narod.ru/index.html

Serge Gavrilov seems to be in your backyard.


Shamil Salakhetdinov wrote:

>All,
>
>Here is a Friday puzzle on subject I suppose:
>
>Have a look at this screenshot
>
>http://www.code-vb.com/help/dlg_frmProcedure.htm
>
>and now on this one:
>
>http://www.smartvba.com/methods_builder.htm
>
>The first (http://www.code-vb.com/help/dlg_frmProcedure.htm) - was first
>time released in the beginning of the last year and the latter - in the end.
>
>These are not related companies.
>
>I know the history of the first and how it was created.
>
>Question: How it comes that the design of the latter company's software is
>sometimes literally the same? (and many other forms are like that).
>
>My guess: The designs of the first were replicated  manually or
>decompiled (there is good VB6 decompiler - the info about it was
>published here) then adjusted and published by the second company.
>
>Anybody believes that designs can be so similar if the second company didn't
>know anything about the software products of the first?
>Am I getting paranoid?
>
>If not, then one who publishes MDE apps may expect to see their GUI
>designs (and good GUI designs is a lot of work) be published within other
>companies' software...
>
>Shamil
>
>----- Original Message ----- 
>From: "Charlotte Foust" <cfoust at infostatsystems.com>
>To: "Access Developers discussion and problem solving"
><accessd at databaseadvisors.com>
>Sent: Friday, February 24, 2006 7:08 PM
>Subject: Re: [AccessD] Hacking MDE (was Creating a demo Access app?)
>
>
>  
>
>>I think the threat is the same as any other knockoff, from Vuitton bags
>>to Rolex watches to custom software, the customer gets something cheap
>>and the original manufacturer gets ripped off.
>>
>>Charlotte Foust
>>
>>
>>-----Original Message-----
>>From: accessd-bounces at databaseadvisors.com
>>[mailto:accessd-bounces at databaseadvisors.com] On Behalf Of Rocky Smolin
>>- Beach Access Software
>>Sent: Friday, February 24, 2006 6:51 AM
>>To: Access Developers discussion and problem solving
>>Subject: Re: [AccessD] Hacking MDE (was Creating a demo Access app?)
>>
>>
>>I've got two products which I send out as mdes.  And I worry about the
>>product being knocked off, especially in China where we are beginning to
>>
>>make some sales with the manufacturing system.
>>
>>For both of them the primary intellectual value is in the code - The
>>Sleep Advisor's diagnostic engine is about 7000 lines and the decision
>>tree on the input side, which guides which questions to ask is about
>>half that.
>>
>>The manufacturing system like any system could be knocked off pretty
>>much by copying the design and features of the forms and reports.  No
>>magic there.  The MRP calculation and cost-roll up program have some
>>tricks in them.
>>
>>Nevertheless, it's not rocket science, and I suppose someone could
>>duplicate the whole thing.
>>
>>But if a product can be duplicated pretty much by looking at the
>>outside, I wonder what the real threat is here?  I'm probably missing
>>something.
>>
>>Rocky
>>
>>
>>Bryan Carbonnell wrote:
>>    
>>
>>>On 2/24/06, Rocky Smolin - Beach Access Software <bchacc at san.rr.com>
>>>wrote:
>>>
>>>      
>>>
>>>>But does it decompile the code?
>>>>
>>>>        
>>>>
>>>Not acording to the page.
>>>
>>>"*You cannot alter or gain access to the original VBA code - you must
>>>use Macros instead."
>>>
>>>--
>>>Bryan Carbonnell - carbonnb at gmail.com
>>>Life's journey is not to arrive at the grave safely in a well
>>>preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, totally worn out,
>>>shouting "What a great ride!"
>>>
>>>      
>>>
>>-- 
>>Rocky Smolin
>>Beach Access Software
>>858-259-4334
>>www.e-z-mrp.com
>>
>>
>>    
>>
>  
>

-- 
Marty Connelly
Victoria, B.C.
Canada






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