Macros


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Access has a macro language. Macros and functions (see Modules below) can be executed in response to events generated by the user. A description of macros is beyond the scope of this document - refer to the Access User's Guide for more information.

Modules

Access has a programming language - Access Basic. A module (Database Object) is a collection of functions (and/or subroutines) which can be executed in response to events generated by the user or called from other functions or subroutines. A description of Access Basic is beyond the scope of this document - the interested reader should refer to the Access Building Applications and the Access Language Reference manuals for more information.

Concurrent Access to Data

An Access database can be accessed by a number of different users concurrently. Each user must have opened the database in shared mode (the alternative is exclusive mode). How a database is opened user is determined by the setting of the Exclusive check box in the Open Database dialogue box.

Security

The Access security scheme is built around Users, Groups and Permissions. Users and Groups can be created and users assigned to groups. Permissions can then be given to users or groups permitting certain types of access to database objects. The permissions that can be applied to a given database object is given in the table below.

Object ®
Permission ¯

Table

Query

Form

Report

Macro

Module

Open/Run

    

Y

Y

Y

  

Read Design

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Modify Design

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Administer

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Read Data

Y

Y

        

Update Data

Y

Y

        

Insert Data

Y

Y

        

Delete Data

Y

Y

        

Figure 45 Database Object/Permission Matrix

In addition there are:

· Database privileges Open/Run and Open/Exclusive.

· The ownership of database objects can be changed.

· Externally the Access database file can be encrypted using the File Menu item Encrypt/Decrypt Database (before opening a database).

For a full explanation of Access security refer to the Help system and search for topics starting with the word Security.

Locked Records

When a database is being accessed by more than one concurrent user, records may, whilst they are being changed by one user, appear locked to another user. The locking strategy employed by Access is determined by the setting of a multi-user option Default Record Locking - see Options below. A locked record is visible but cannot changed. When an interactive user attempts to change a locked record a no-go sign appears in the record selector and no changes can be made. Similarly, if an action query is run which attempts to alter a locked record, it will not succeed - the user will be given the option of cancelling the query.

Deleting Database Objects

To delete an object (Table, Query, Form, Report, Macro or Module), display the list of such objects in the Database Window, highlight the object in question and press the Del key or select Delete from the File menu.

Renaming Database Objects

To rename an object, display the list of such objects in the Database Window, highlight the object in question, select Rename... from the File menu and enter the new name in the dialog box which displays.

Options - Changing Access's Behaviour

Many aspects of the behaviour of Access can be changed to suit individual users. For example, the default database sort order, whether a user is prompted to confirm deletions or action queries, how Access locks records in a multi-user environment, what fonts and font sizes are used by default, and aspects of the screen display. For more information search for Options command under the Help menu. To change an option, select Options... from the View menu.

Converting from Access 1

To convert a database from Access 1, start Access 2 and select the Convert Database... item from the File Menu. You will be prompted for the name of the database to be converted and a new name and/or location for the converted database. Once converted the database cannot be used with Access 1 and it cannot be converted back.

Documentation

This document is intended to give the reader an idea of what Access can do and how to do some of the commoner tasks. It is not intended to document the system or indeed to mention everything that can be done. Access is documented in the following manuals:

· Microsoft Access: Getting Started.

· Microsoft Access Users Guide.

· Microsoft Access: Building Applications.

· Microsoft Access Language Reference.

· Microsoft Graph User's Guide.

All of the information in the manuals is available through the Help menu.

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Last Updated Wednesday, 16-Jul-1997 09:47:52 PDT