Securing Your Project as an .ade File

When you distribute Access projects to users, the only security you can apply on the client side is compiling the project to an encoded .ade file. Like .mde files, projects stored in .ade format prevent users from making design changes to the front end and gaining access to your VBA source code. When you use the default integrated Windows authentication for the back-end SQL Server database, which is the recommended configuration for SQL Server, you can't apply password protection to the project. Windows authentication prevents users who haven't been assigned server logins and database permissions from opening the project's connection to the server.

To learn how to use OSQL to add logins and database permissions to MSDE, see "Adding User Logins with the OSQL Utility," p. 776.

Note

The Database window's Design and New shortcuts for tables and queries are enabled for all .mde users. Users need SQL Server permissions to create or alter tables, views, functions, and stored procedures. Like .mde files, macros aren't protected from design changes in .ade files.

To create an .ade version of your .adp file, follow the same procedure as described in Chapter 19 for creating a .mde from a .mda file:

1. Create an archive of the .adp file on removable media and then make a backup copy with a different name. Most .adp files fit on a high-density diskette.

2. If your .adp file uses Access 2000 format, you must convert the backup copy to Access 2002 format before creating the .ade file. Only users with Access 2003 or 2002 installed can open the file.

   Tip

   Use Access 2000 to create .ade files for Access 2000 users. You can't create an Access 2000-compatible .ade file in Access 2003.

3. Open the backup copy, and then choose Tools, Database Utilities, Make ADE File to open the Save ADE As dialog.

4. Type the name of the .ade file to save in the File Name text box, and click Save to create the .ade file.

Note

Database Creations, Inc. offers an Access Project Security Manager (APSM) add-in to enable user-level security for ADP application objects forms, reports, and controls on forms. APSM has features similar to the User-Level Security Wizard for Jet-based front-ends. For more information on APSM, which requires enabling SQL Server security for server logins and database permissions, go to http://www.databasecreations.com/.