ACC2000: How to Open a Password-Protected Database Through Automation

• Microsoft Access 2000

SUMMARY

By using the OpenCurrentDatabase method, you can programmatically open a Microsoft Access database within the Microsoft Access user interface. However, the OpenCurrentDatabase method does not provide a parameter for specifying a password for password-protected databases. Therefore, the user is automatically prompted to enter the database password if one exists.

This article describes how to programmatically open a password-protected database in the Microsoft Access user interface without user intervention.

MORE INFORMATION

Data Access Objects (DAO) allows you to specify a database password when opening a password-protected database. By using the DBEngine property of the instance of Microsoft Access that your code creates, it is possible to use DAO to specify the password of the database. After the database password has been validated by the Microsoft Jet database engine, you can use the OpenCurrentDatabase method to open the database in the Microsoft Access user interface without user intervention.

Step-by-Step Example

1. Start Microsoft Access 2000.



2. Open the sample database Northwind.mdb for exclusive use. To open the database for exclusive use, click Northwind.mdb in the Open dialog box, click the arrow next to the Open button, and then click Open Exclusive.



3. On the Tools menu, point to Security, and then click Set Database Password.



4. Type nwind in the Password and Verify boxes, and then click OK.



5. Close the sample database Northwind.mdb.



6. Open the sample database Northwind.mdb to verify that you receive a prompt to enter the database prompt.



7. Click Cancel to prevent the database from opening.



8. Create a new, blank database.



9. Open a new module in Design view.



10. On the Tools menu, click References.



11. Add a reference to the Microsoft DAO 3.6 Object Library, and then click OK to close the References dialog box.



12. Add the following code to the module:




Option Compare Database
Option Explicit

Sub OpenPasswordProtectedDB()

   'Define as Static so the instance of Access
   'doesn't close when the procedure ends.
   Static acc As Access.Application
   Dim db As DAO.Database
   Dim strDbName As String
   strDbName = "C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office\Samples\Northwind.mdb"
   Set acc = New Access.Application
   acc.Visible = True
   Set db = acc.DBEngine.OpenDatabase(strDbName, False, False, ";PWD=nwind")
   acc.OpenCurrentDatabase strDbName
   db.Close
   Set db = Nothing
End Sub 

13. Run the OpenPasswordProtectedDB subroutine in the Immediate window.

1. Start Microsoft Access 2000.



2. Open the sample database Northwind.mdb for exclusive use. To open the database for exclusive use, click Northwind.mdb in the Open dialog box, click the arrow next to the Open button, and then click Open Exclusive.



3. When prompted for the database password, type nwind, and then click OK.



4. On the Tools menu, point to Security, and then click Unset Database Password.



5. When prompted for the database password, type nwind, and then click OK.



6. Close the database.

Additional query words: inf

Keywords : kbdta
Version : WINDOWS:2000
Platform : WINDOWS
Issue type : kbhowto