My application stores its data in an Access 2010 database (accdb) file. It's password protected, which means it's encrypted w/ AES-128.
I'd like to add some meta data to the file that's publically available. This way older verisons of my application can investigate the file to see if it's even worth trying to open. Otherwise, they'll just get the dreaded "Unrecognized Database Format" error, which is usually associated with file corruptions.
In Windows, you can right-click on a file, click "Properties" and see attributes under the Details tab. I'd love it if I add attributes like the version of my application that last touched the file, and maybe other details. I'd like to avoid having a different file extension for each version of my app!
Is it possible to add some public meta data to an encrypted Access 2010 database?
You can add custom database properties : http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;q178745
You can change the file extension of an encrypted Access database and change the properties for that extension. The extension .enc is fairly descriptive and does not seem to be widely used.
The file will open normally when clicked and ask for the password. The icon will be recognizably Access and the description, "Encrypted MS Access" in this case, will appear under Type in a directory listing.
With NTFS, you can add an alternate data stream (ADS):
notepad.exe z:\docs\testde.enc:Extra.txt
Reading the stream:
more < testde.enc:extra.txt
More information: http://www.think-techie.com/2010/04/alternate-data-streams.html
http://www.irongeek.com/i.php?page=security/altds
This is a tough nut to crack! An application must read information about the ACCDB, but that information can't be stored in the ACCDB because you want the read without opening the ACCDB. And you can't use the suggested file system methods because this must work under Wine on Mac (I assume from another of your questions).
The only solution I can see is to create a companion file (with same base name but different extension) to hold the metadata. So if your application wants to know about SomeDb.accdb, it would look for a file named SomeDb.metadata and read that instead.
I suggested a kludge for your earlier question ... unfortunately this is another. :-) However, it's a simple kludge and it should work ... even on Mac.
Related
I would like to save an Access database as an ACCDE and also have it trusted. The reason being every time I open ACCDE I keep receiving the message:
"A potential security concern has been identified..."
I know that I can sign a ACCDC file with SelfCert.exe but thats not what I need.
I want the Access File to end with ACCDE and have the message:
"A potential security concern has been identified..." not show up.
You can create a registry key that will add the directory as a trusted location and will not show the warning anymore. What's nice about this method is that you can easily automate this to happen on the computers where you deploy your app. See method #2 or #3 in this blog: http://www.accessrepairnrecovery.com/blog/fix-microsoft-access-security-notice
And in case the blog ever gets removed, here is the important bits: [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\14.0\Access\Security\Trusted Locations\Location20] “Path”=”C:\Database\” “Description”=”My Database location”
Explanation about the key: – The number “14.0” is the version of MS Office. You can change the numbers that represent the version you are executing.
– The “Location20” is a unique name that you assign. 20 can be any number that is not previously used. Other programs include default MS Access wizards, already have used other numbers. But if you want to make more than one path as trusted location, then each location must end up with different number.
– The “C:\Database\” is the physical path that you want to set to be as Trusted Location. You can place any path that you choose here.
By copy and pasting the above coding into a text file and save it with a name such as RemoveSecurityWarning.reg, you can then run the file into your PC’s registry just by making double click on the file.
I need to make something in the database. It was saved as .accdb files. I copied this from my workplace and now I want to edit it on my home computer, but when I've open these files and tried to see already made commands I got an error message that I have not a valid path. This error occurs while I want to open command forms for adding and deleting, which need to use other databases.
How can I change the path so my Access will know, where these files are stored on my computer?
Go to band option (Database) Tools.
Select Linked Table Manager (label is localized).
Mark the checkbox down-left: Always as for new location.
Click Mark All, then OK.
Input the folder name where the data file exists.
I am currently using an access DB with front and back end. When I want to allow new users to access the DB I add the user to the folder in which the DB is housed. Essentially if they determined the path of the DB they could copy it ect.
Is there anyway to still allow access to the DB through the Access front end yet still prevent the user from actually getting to the directory of the file.
Thanks in advance for all your help.
No there isn't access is a file based dbms. For the app the user is running as to see the file, the user has to be able to.
This is the sort of need that says access cannot be used. Well not directly , you could use access as a backend, ie you park it behind some sort of service and your front end hits that.
yo keep an integral copy for you in case of changes then with the pblic copy, for example
with Access 2007 you click files -> Options -> active data base -> Navigation Options.
then you hide all the elements...
I'm trying to open a form from an url. This ms access database will be hosted on a shared folder in an network, and the costumer has asked me if it's possible to open an database form (i'll have to pass an ID).
If this were in web environment i would do this without any problem, but honestly in ms access i have no idea how to do this.
Can someone help me?
Have a look at Register protocol and Registering an Application to a URL Protocol. They have a example registry file on how to register a protocol:
REGEDIT4
[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\foo]
#="URL:foo Protocol"
"URL Protocol"=""
[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\foo\shell]
[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\foo\shell\open]
[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\foo\shell\open\command]
#="\"C:\\Program Files\\Application\\program.exe\" \"%1\""
You can change the last line to something like:
#="\"C:\\Program Files\\Office\\access.exe\" \"C:\\path\\to\\your\\db.mdb\" /cmd \"%1\""
If you URL is foo:241245, the following command is called:
"C:\Program Files\Office\access.exe" "C:\path\to\your\db.mdb" /cmd "241245"
In Access, the commandline arguments are returned by the Command function:
In the direct window:
?Command
241245
The database can be opened from a URL like any other file:
file://server/share/path/database.mdb
This won't work if the database has user-level security on it though. I've only ever done that by using a windows shortcut.
If you're not using user-level security and the URL works, you can set the desired form to open automatically on load by going to the Access Options screen and the Current Database tab, then selecting the desired form from the Display Form drop-down list.
Oops - I just noticed that you said you'd need to pass an ID. I don't know if that's possible using a URL.
Open your Access database from the network location (i.e., with a UNC path, not from a drive letter, or locally).
Navigate so you can see the form listed in your database.
Drag the form to your desktop. A shortcut directly to the form will be created there.
I don't think this is a good idea, though. It's a substitute for a user interface in your Access application. Additionally, your description of the problem sounds like you're intending to have multiple people opening the same database file. This is a really bad practice -- best practice is for the database to be split (back end with data tables only on the server, and individual copy of the front end with forms/reports/etc. on each user's workstation), and more than one user should never be opening the same front end at the same time.
I just switched from Access 2003 to Access 2007. In the very first "dev" copy (as I call it) pre-split, pre-front end, I need to import some data that are text files. I try to use the ribbon to do this, and after I walk through the steps I get this little pop up box that states
Microsoft Access has determined this to be a potential security risk. You shouldn't accept....
Then I Click OK to accept (open the file)... and nothing happens...no import, no file.
So I tried making a new table on import, creating a table in access then importing, coverting the data file to xls & web before importing, using a completely different data file. Nothing seems to change the outcome of Access not firing off some type of import event (which I think is supposed to be a wizard or something??)
So does anyone have any ideas what is going on with this?
I would just code the data import but I don't know how (without using the wizard to at least create the specification).
Is the folder where the database resides configured as a Trusted Location? I know VBA code won't run if it's not. I wasn't aware those types of restrictions extended to file import from the Ribbon. However, your error message sounds similar to a Trusted Location issue, so it may be worth checking.
See Create, remove, or change a trusted location for your files for detailed instructions on managing Trusted Locations.
Access was formerly very fussy about extensions and would stop working if, for example, a text file did not have an expected extension. It used to be necessary to modify the registry to get around this. It seems that the problem may still exist.