workgroup

[mcgrcoAgain]

Hi there,

I'm trying to put in place a workgroup and I'm struggling with it at the moment. I created a seperate workgroup and have a command line short cut to it. When I try to add a user to the admin group permissions it works fine except that I can't open any of the forms in design mode. It says I do not have exclusive rights . I dont know what to do. I though that the admin password would be set to blank but It won't open the database either.

Any ideas, im pulling me hair out.

 

[The_Doc_Man]

Search this forum for the subjects "Workgroup Security" "Workgroups" "Admin Accounts" and the like. This topic is commonly addressed in much detail.

 

[mcgrcoAgain]

I have searched and searched and your right, Its all covered here. The trouble is I still can't get the thing to work and I'm going to fail an audit point tomorrow.

What I did was.

Create a workgroup (i lose the admin account when I do this as it defaults to my xp login)
Secure the database
Add users
Open with a command line. The trouble Im having is that i cant get a permissions group that works for my requirement. All I wasnt os for certain users to ber able to update/edit/delete data on forms but have no access to any of the database objects. I tried full data users and while it secures the tables and queries I can still change the form designs... I tried setting up a new group but I'm required to set the permissions at an object by object level. eg I have to set the permissions for each query, form. There doesn'y appear to be a way of seeting up a new user group and asigning permission at top level. i.e set ALL tables to read only.

I'm tearing my hair out and running out of time.

Any help is appreciated.

Thanks

 

[The_Doc_Man]

First, you can use standard windows multi-select techniques. Like click on the top item in the list of objects, then shift/click on the bottom item - to select them all. Or control/click to just add one item to the selection.

You didn't say this explicitly so I'll belabor a point just to be sure it is mentioned. It is not enough to create a workgroup. You must either join it or use the /WKG option in the command line of the shortcut. Otherwise you are in the wrong workgroup.

If you ever DID find that the Admin Password is blank, you probably DIDN'T set up security completely. That would be what you see for the default workgroup file created by installation of MS Access.

I'm not sure about what you are trying to do, but I'm going to take a guess so that you might be able to move off of ground zero.

To limit users in seeing DB objects, two approaches are commonly used.

1. NEVER show users a DB window pane (Tables, Queries, Forms, .... panes). Instead, always put them in a startup form/switchboard that never lets them see what is underneat it. Then they can only run the things that your buttons allow them to run.

2. Allow users to see the DB window but with no permissions to anything (except perhaps read, but even that is your call). HOWEVER, build some queries that have a particular owner that is unique on your system. Give this owner rights to update the objects. Now use the ByOwner option for running the queries underneath your forms. When you run the queries by-owner, the users temporarily get rights they otherwise would not have had.

I personally prefer #1 as a style issue, but it is tedious to set up.

 

[mcgrcoAgain]

Thanks Doc Man.

The reason i need to set up a worgroup is for the purpose of user recertification (SOx 404) . I need to assign only a small group of users who can access the database. Disablining features of the database without a workgroup means than anyone with access can open the database. As the data is considered sensitive this is not ideal. Thanks for your help. I will continue to search for a solution.

 

[apr pillai]

For setting up Workgroup effectively needs a few things in place correctly.

To effectively implement security:

1. Remove Admin user from Admins Group.

2. Remove Permissions to all Objects for Users group.

3. Create a New Group with whatever name you prefer and assign permissions to Objects (Tables, Queries, Forms etc. by selecting them as explained by The_Doc_Man) so that you can simply add Users to that Group and the permission setting will take effect automatically for those users. If any particular object that you prefer to set with different level of permissions then select them separately and assign. For example if you have Make-Table Queries, see that you are setting design change permissions to those target tables otherwise the users will not be allowed to create tables by running those queries..

There are two level of Full Authority on the Database.

1. The Owner of the Database (who created it, you can check the ownership setting by selecting Tool-->Security-->User and Group Permissions-->Change Owner Tab and select Database in Object Type Control ) has full authority to give Administrative authority to other Groups or Users in addition to himself.

2. Members of the Admins Group also has the same level of Authority.

The Login Dialouge control will come up only when you set a Password to the the Admin User.

If you are struck with the Current Database, try the following to re-claim the objects from the Database that you have trouble with:

1. Create a new Database.
2. Select File-->Get External Data-->Import and select your old database.
3. select All objects in Table, Queries, Forms, Reports, Macros & Modules and Import them into your new database. You can try now to set permissions by the guide lines given above.

When you create a new WorkGroup File see that you are noting down the File's Internal Name, ID etc. so that if you need to recreate the workgroup file you need these information.

If you need any more help e-mail me at aprpillai@yahoo.com

visit my site http://msaccessblog.blogspot.com

 

[mcgrcoAgain]

Thanks for all your help. I didn't subscribe to the thread so I dint think anyone had answered. Thanks I do appreciate your responses