Custom Logon Form
Dave Ruhl
unsecured database as a custom login screen for a secured
database. Using the Search tool I'm unable to find that
post, but I don't think it had the details I need anyway.
Can anyone tell me
1) how to display a popup form without the main Access
window being visible ?
2) how do I pass the name & password from the custom
login form to the secured database so the default login
form is bypassed ?
Thanks!!!
Jeff Conrad
Are you talking about my post in the security newsgroup just a few days ago?
This one?
If you need a walk-through on how to set it up post back and I'll help.
--
Jeff Conrad
Access Junkie
Bend, Oregon
Install the latest Windows Updates:
http://www.microsoft.com/security/security_bulletins/200404_windows.asp
"Dave Ruhl" <anon...@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:1cff401c4227d$fa306af0$a101...@phx.gbl...
Dave Ruhl
appreciate hearing the details. Thanks!
>.
>
Jeff Conrad
In the code for the cmdLogin you need to specify the exact location to the Msaccess.exe file. So
double check that location on your machine against the code I gave you before proceeding.
You could also use code to find the location yourself. Something like so:
' Code Start
Private Sub cmdLogin_Click()
On Error GoTo ErrorHandler
If IsNull(Me.txtUserName) Then
' User Name box is empty
MsgBox "Please enter your User Name before continuing.", _
vbInformation, "Enter User Name"
Me.txtUserName.SetFocus
GoTo ExitPoint
End If
If IsNull(Me.txtPassword) Then
' Password box is empty
MsgBox "Please enter your Password before continuing.", _
vbInformation, "Missing Password"
Me.txtPassword.SetFocus
GoTo ExitPoint
End If
Dim strPath As String
Dim strAccDir As String
Dim strAccPath As String
strAccDir = SysCmd(acSysCmdAccessDir)
strAccPath = strAccDir & "MSACCESS.EXE"
strPath = Chr(34) & strAccPath & Chr(34) & " " _
& Chr(34) & "<Full Path To Database File Here>" & Chr(34) & " " _
& "/wrkgrp " & Chr(34) & "<Full Path To MDW File Here>" & Chr(34) & " " _
& "/User " & Chr(34) & Me.txtUserName & Chr(34) & " " _
& "/Pwd " & Chr(34) & Me.txtPassword & Chr(34)
Shell strPath, vbMaximizedFocus
Application.Quit
ExitPoint:
Exit Sub
ErrorHandler:
fncErrMessage err.Number, err.Description
Resume ExitPoint
End Sub
' Code End
(Again, substitute your own error handling)
This may not work, however, if more than one Access version (and/or a runtime) is installed on the
same machine.
Hope that helps.
--
Jeff Conrad
Access Junkie
Bend, Oregon
Install the latest Windows Updates:
http://www.microsoft.com/security/security_bulletins/200404_windows.asp
"Jeff Conrad" <je...@ernstbrothers.com> wrote in message
news:e0mGYf0I...@TK2MSFTNGP11.phx.gbl...
> Hi Dave,
>
> OK, here's the steps necessary.
>
> 1. Create a new blank, unsecured database.
>
> 2. Create a new form with the following properties:
>
> - Pop up: Yes
> - Modal: Yes
> - Auto Center: Yes
> - Allow Edits: Yes
> - Allow Deletions: No
> - Allow Additions: Yes
> - Scroll Bars: Neither
> - Record Selectors: No
> - Navigation Buttons: No
> - Dividing Lines: No
> - Border Style: Thin
> - Control Box: Yes (for now)
> - Min Max Buttons: No
> - Close Button: Yes (for now)
> - Shortcut Menu: No
>
> 2. Add a text box for the user name (txtUserName) and one for the password (txtPassword). Set the
> Input Mask for the password text box to "Password" (no quotes though).
>
> 3. Create a command button called cmdLogin and one called cmdExit.
>
> 4. Copy/paste this code into the click event for cmdLogin:
>
> Private Sub cmdLogin_Click()
> On Error GoTo ErrorHandler
>
> If IsNull(Me.txtUserName) Then
> ' User Name box is empty
> MsgBox "Please enter your User Name before continuing.", _
> vbInformation, "Enter User Name"
> Me.txtUserName.SetFocus
> GoTo ExitPoint
> End If
>
> If IsNull(Me.txtPassword) Then
> ' Password box is empty
> MsgBox "Please enter your Password before continuing.", _
> vbInformation, "Missing Password"
> Me.txtPassword.SetFocus
> GoTo ExitPoint
> End If
>
> Dim strPath As String
>
> strPath = Chr(34) & "C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office\MSACCESS.EXE" & Chr(34) & "
"
> _
> & Chr(34) & "<Full Path To Your Database Here>" & Chr(34) & " " _
> & "/wrkgrp " & Chr(34) & "<Full Path To Your MDW File Here>" & Chr(34) & " " _
> & "/User " & Chr(34) & Me.txtUserName & Chr(34) & " " _
> & "/Pwd " & Chr(34) & Me.txtPassword & Chr(34)
>
> Shell strPath, vbMaximizedFocus
> Application.Quit
>
> ExitPoint:
> Exit Sub
>
> ErrorHandler:
> fncErrMessage err.Number, err.Description
> Resume ExitPoint
>
> End Sub
>
> You will need to enter your full path to the database file and MDW file in the appropriate places.
> (Also adjust your error handing instead of mine.)
>
> 5. Add this code to the click event for cmdExit:
>
> Private Sub cmdExit_Click()
> On Error GoTo ErrorHandler
>
> DoCmd.Quit
>
> ExitPoint:
> Exit Sub
>
> ErrorHandler:
> fncErrMessage err.Number, err.Description
> Resume ExitPoint
>
> End Sub
>
> (Again, adjust your error handing instead of mine.)
>
> 6. To hide the Access Window go to this link:
>
> http://www.mvps.org/access/api/api0019.htm
>
> - Copy/paste all the code to a new standard module.
> - Compile the code, save the module and name it modHideAccessWindow.
> - Open your login form and go to Design View.
> - Open the code behind the form and copy this code into the Form's Open event:
>
> Private Sub Form_Open(Cancel As Integer)
>
> Me.Visible = True
> fSetAccessWindow (SW_HIDE)
>
> End Sub
>
> (Add in some error handling code)
>
> 7. Make all the formatting changes you wish to the form. Don't make it the Startup form yet!
>
> 8. Compile the code, save and close the form. Then open it up to test. The Access window should be
> hidden and only your form should be showing. Test entering a valid user name and password and then
> hit the Login button. You should see a bit of screen flickering and then your secured database
> should open followed immediately by the unsecured one closing. I have pretty slow processors and
> this happens really quickly. On faster processors it should be almost instantaneous.
>
> 9. Close everything and then re-open the login database. Open the form and test with an invalid
user
> name/password combination. You will be presented with the default Access login form. To me it's no
> big deal nor to my users. When they ask what it is I simply say it's the "gatekeeper." "You must
> have entered your information incorrectly." They completely understand and don't even give it a
> second thought. No problems at all.
>
> 10. Once you're sure everything is working properly and you are happy with the layout go back to
the
> Form's Properties and make the following changes:
>
> - Control Box: No
> - Close Button: No
>
> Save and close the form.
>
> 11. Make a backup of this MDB file. Now make an MDE file from this MDB. Open up the MDE file and
> make it the Startup form by going to Tools--Startup. Close the database and the re-open.
> Double-check to make sure everything is working properly one more time. Close everything. Now hold
> down the Shift key and open the MDE file again to bypass the Startup. Go back to Tools-Startup and
> uncheck everything. Probably not really needed, but let's do it anyway. Close the MDE file.
>
> 12. Download MVP Albert Kallal's nifty database utility that will turn off the Shift key bypass:
>
> http://www.attcanada.net/~kallal.msn/msaccess/msaccess.html
>
> Look for: "By Pass Shift Key Code"
>
> If set up properly using the DDL argument only users who are members of the Admins group will be
> able to turn off this feature. Details on that can be found here by the Mighty MichKa:
>
> http://www.mvps.org/access/general/gen0040.htm
>
> 13. Disable the shift key bypass on the MDE file using the utility. Open the MDE file one last
time
> and you should not be able to stop the form from displaying. Only the form should show in the
middle
> of the screen with no Access Window. The Exit button to completely close the database is necessary
> because you will see NOTHING in the Task Bar for this database!
>
> 14. Pat yourself on the back for a job well done. I hope I didn't miss any steps.
>
> I'm sure I'm going to get yelled at for this (...head ducking...), but I attached a screen shot to
> demonstrate. A picture is worth a thousand words (although I appear to be getting close to that!).
>
> This setup solved several problems for me:
> - I needed a way to log into not only the main program, but a sample database as well.
> A simple checkbox on my custom login screen accomplishes that.
> - I needed an easy way to back up the BE tables (this is single workstation setup).
> A simple button on the form copies the whole BE to a folder and date stamps it.
> Since they're not accessing the tables from this unsecured database I don't have to worry
> about corruption. Even if by chance the tables are being accessed my error handling
> stops the process and flashes up a nice message box.
> - I needed a way for the users to enter a Product Code before using the program.
> - I wanted to have a EULA form pop up first and have them agree to it before accessing
> the main database program.
>
> It works really, really nice for me.
>
> WHEW!!! I should be a Microsoft Tech writer!
>
> Good luck and I hope it helps!
>
> --
> Jeff Conrad
> Access Junkie
> Bend, Oregon
> Install the latest Windows Updates:
> http://www.microsoft.com/security/security_bulletins/200404_windows.asp
>
> "Dave Ruhl" <anon...@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> news:1d23701c42321$62af8720$a401...@phx.gbl...
Dave Ruhl
leaving for vacation in a few minutes so I won't be able
to try this out for about a week, but I'm sure it will
work just fine. Thanks again!
>--
>Jeff Conrad
>Access Junkie
>Bend, Oregon
>Install the latest Windows Updates:
>http://www.microsoft.com/security/security_bulletins/2004
04_windows.asp
>
>"Dave Ruhl" <anon...@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote
in message
>news:1d23701c42321$62af8720$a401...@phx.gbl...
Jeff Conrad
You're welcome, hope you find it useful.
--
Jeff Conrad
Access Junkie
Bend, Oregon
Install the latest Windows Updates:
http://www.microsoft.com/security/security_bulletins/200404_windows.asp
"Dave Ruhl" <anon...@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:1ac9601c423d2$d51d2d60$a601...@phx.gbl...
Joan Wild
>
> 1. Create a new blank, unsecured database.
>
>
> Look for: "By Pass Shift Key Code"
>
> If set up properly using the DDL argument only users who are members
> of the Admins group will be able to turn off this feature. Details on
> that can be found here by the Mighty MichKa:
Using the DDL property is only useful in a secured database; you're doing
this in an unsecured database, which means anyone can use Albert's utility
to set it back - i.e. everyone using the standard system.mdw is a member of
the Admins group.
--
Joan Wild
Microsoft Access MVP
Jeff Conrad
You're not going to believe this Joan. but I KNEW you would catch that!!!!!!
I copy/pasted that part of the message from another post of mine without really thinking about it
too much. On the drive in this morning it dawned on me the same thing. "Stupid!" I thought to
myself.
I was going to post a corrected message, but I actually said to myself, "Surely either Joan, Albert,
or Lynn is going to correct me on that one. They won't let me get away with that."
Bingo!! You win!!
:-)
I know you guys all too well!
Yes, the DDL argument is not needed in this situation.
But, it's no big deal anyway, all you'll find is one form!
--
Jeff Conrad
Access Junkie
Bend, Oregon
Install the latest Windows Updates:
http://www.microsoft.com/security/security_bulletins/200404_windows.asp
"Joan Wild" <jw...@nospamtyenet.com> wrote in message news:ed8yDR$IEHA...@TK2MSFTNGP09.phx.gbl...
Joan Wild
>
> Yes, the DDL argument is not needed in this situation.
> But, it's no big deal anyway, all you'll find is one form!
Well, if you wanted to be sneaky, you could secure the login database such
that it doesn't require a login, and then the DDL argument could be used.
Jeff Conrad
Can you describe how to set that up?
I would imagine it would be something like creating another MDW file, but not completely locking up
everything on the permissions. Correct?
--
Jeff Conrad
Access Junkie
Bend, Oregon
Install the latest Windows Updates:
http://www.microsoft.com/security/security_bulletins/200404_windows.asp
"Joan Wild" <jw...@nospamtyenet.com> wrote in message news:u8lLfp$IEHA...@TK2MSFTNGP11.phx.gbl...
Joan Wild
> Ok, I'll bite.
> Can you describe how to set that up?
> I would imagine it would be something like creating another MDW file,
> but not completely locking up everything on the permissions. Correct?
>
Yes. Secure it using another mdw file. Create a new user to be a member of
Admins. Just assign permissions to the Users Group. You won't need to ship
the mdw and they will log in silently as Admin (member of Users Group),
using their default system.mdw.
Normally you'd deny all permissions to the Users Group, but in this case you
assign limited permissions, and anyone can use it.
Jeff Conrad
Simple, yet effective. Very nice!
I'll have to play with this sometime to see how it looks, but for now I'm heading out of town.
Thanks for the info Joan!
--
Jeff Conrad
Access Junkie
Bend, Oregon
Install the latest Windows Updates:
http://www.microsoft.com/security/security_bulletins/200404_windows.asp
"Joan Wild" <jw...@nospamtyenet.com> wrote in message
news:%23QemjHA...@TK2MSFTNGP09.phx.gbl...
Joan Wild
> Ahhhh I see.
> Simple, yet effective. Very nice!
> I'll have to play with this sometime to see how it looks, but for now
> I'm heading out of town. Thanks for the info Joan!
It's covered in the FAQ, fyi.