Network security using security wizard

[mlamont]

I have a database all setup with the proper Users, Groups, permissions etc which I created using the security wizard, however when I try to access my database using another computer on a network I get a 'You don't have permissions to use this database' error message.

However a username/password popup box never shows up when the database is loaded. Can anybody help me sort this problem out.

Mike

 

[Shep]

You don't mention whether you've joined the workgroup on the network machine in question. Could that be your problem?

 

[mlamont]

Possibly, however I am not entirely sure of what you mean by joining the workgroup to the network. Could you elaborate? Thank you very much for replying...I definitely appreciate it.

Mike

 

[Shep]

Ok, here goes...

Did you create a new Workgroup Information File for the database?

If not, did you use an existing one which is NOT the system default (system.mdw)?

If the answer to both is no, then you used the system default Workgroup Information File, normally found in the c:\windows\system folder (but not always).

If you can agree that this is what you did, then you must agree you did a bad thing. Not as bad as a carbuncle, but it's the wrong thing to do.

You can do one of two things:

1. Determine which .mdw you were attached to when setting up your permissions. Place a copy of this .mdw on the network server which your database resides. Run the Workgroup Administrator (wrkgadm.exe...search for it) on each workstation with which you will connect to said database and 'Join' the WIF which you copied to the server.

2. Your other option is to start over. Find a clean, unadulterated copy of system.mdw, place it on your machine and never edit it again. Use the Workgroup Adminstrator to create a new WIF. Join this new .mdw (I believe that the act of creating also Joins you to it, actually. You can verify by simply running wrkgadm.exe any time you like) and create a new blank database. Import everyting from your old database into it. You can go to Tools/Security to configure the new .mdw further. That's it in a nutshell. With that said, I should say that even after several years of jacking with it, I still get confused. Permissions issues may arise when exporting and importing objects to and from databases created under differing Workgroups. Sometimes it's tough to sort it out. For this reason you may wish to just make use of option #1 up there and carry on with life.

If you didn't do the bad thing, just read between the lines and take what you need to get your workstations connected to the correct .mdw

Shep

 

[ghudson]

I advise against joining a users PC to a workgroup. You should use a custom shortcut to define the security options for opening the db.

"C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office\msaccess.exe" /runtime /wrkgrp "C:\TestWorkgroup.mdw" "C:\TestDB.mdb" /user TestUser

Also, the Runtime switch is only good if you are using the Runtime version of Access.

Check the help files for Command Line Options for more startup details.

HTH

 

[Shep]

Oops...yes, I concur. What I offered was the quick and simple way out. If you anticipate your users will never use any other database, AND that they won't be creating databases of their own, it should be fine to attach their machines permanently to the workgroup.

Things can change, however...so ghudson's advice should be followed, just in case.