Access 2003 shared database

[matthewR]

I have a database that I thought was designated a shared database so more than one person could open the database. Someone was in the database but I couldn't open it as long as they were in the database. I looked under tools/options/advanced and the Default Open Mode is shared. There is one thing different now - we just got updated to explorer 7. Would that cause this behavior and if so how can I get the database to be a shared database again?

[HansV]

If someone opens an Access database and starts modifying database objects, that user locks the database exclusively. Check whether that could be the cause.

Could you provide feedback on the replies to your recent questions? Thanks!

[matthewR]

No they were just opening reports. Could it be some security setting? I know before we got Explorer 7, multiple people could access the database. I have to check whether this is the case for other databases that are shared.

[HansV]

What exactly do you mean by Explorer 7? Do you have Windows 7 as operating system, or Internet Explorer 7 as browser, or ...?

[matthewR]

Internet Explorer 7 as browser.

[HansV]

That has no direct bearing on Access 2003.

Make sure that all users have full permissions (read/write/create/delete) on the folder containing the database (and if it's split into a frontend and backend, this holds for the folder containing the frontend AND the folder containing the backend). These are Windows-level permissions, not Access-level permissions.

[matthewR]

I could open the databases (in use) on the drive that is designated a secure site but the databases that are on my directory are the ones that can't be open by more than one person.

I get the attached security warning when opening databases that are not on a designated secure site. When I open databases on the secured sites, I don't get this security warning.

[Carol W.]

I would take Hans' advice one step further:

Make sure that all users have full permissions (read/write/create/delete) on the folder containing the database (and if it's split into a frontend and backend, this holds for the folder containing the frontend AND the folder containing the backend). These are Windows-level permissions, not Access-level permissions.

I have had good luck, in this kinds of issues, giving the "Everyone" Windows user group full control on the individual file(s) in question. To do this:

- Right click the mdb file(s) in question
- Click Properties
- Click the Security tab
- Click Edit
- Click Add
- Enter "Everyone" (no quotes) in the box labelled "Enter the object names to select".
- Click OK
- Highlight Everyone
- Click the "Full Control" checkbox. This will automatically check all the check boxes except "Special Permissions"
- Click Apply
- Click OK

Using this technique, I was recently able to give a user full control to an individual file in a protected folder.

Does this help?

[matthewR]

That probably would work if my company didn't control everything. The Add button is dimmed out.

[Carol W.]

Sorry!