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Access Chapter 9 | Bulletproofing the Database
Concepts–At a Glance Summary
 KEY CONCEPTS (blue)–Most important concepts in this chapter
 TIPS (red)–Useful shortcuts and information for more productive use of Word
 STICKY POINTS (green)–Areas that might cause difficulty for students
DATA PROTECTION
SECURITY–Protection of assets from unauthorized access, change, or destruction
PHYSICAL SECURITY–Protecting assets you can touch such as computers, routers,
and vaults
LOGICAL SECURITY–Protection of nonphysical assets as databases and the rules of
that allow and restrict access to the data
COUNTERMEASURE–An action taken to protect your assets from threats
ENCRYPT AND PASSWORD PROTECT THE DATABASE
ENCRYPTION–Encodes a file so that unintelligible text appears if another program is
used to gain unauthorized access
PASSWORD –Security mechanism in the form of characters that prevents unauthorized
access or modification of a secured file
TIP–A password should use six to eight characters that combine upper and lower
case letters, numbers, and symbols. All passwords should be safeguarded from
discovery.
STICKY POINT– To encrypt or password protect a database, the database needs to
be opened with exclusive access. Exclusive access means that you have sole access
to the database and no one else can use it during this time. Exclusive access is set in
the open dialog box. First select the database to open, then click the Open dropdown menu, and select Exclusive.
HOW TO ENCRYPT AND PASSWORD PROTECT A DATABASE–Once a
database is open with Exclusive access, you encrypt and password protect the database by
clicking Encrypt with Password in the Database Tools Group on the Database Tools Tab.
The Set Database Password dialog box opens. Enter and verify a password and click OK.
HOW TO REMOVE ENCRYPT AND PASSWORD PROTECTION –Once a
database is open with Exclusive access, remove encryption and password protection by
clicking Decrypt in the Database Tools Group on the Database Tools Tab. The Unset
Database Password dialog box opens. Enter the password and click OK.
DIGITALLY SIGNING THE DATABASE
DIGITAL SIGNATURE–An electronic, encryption based, secure stamp of
authentication. It must be purchased from a qualified certification authority.
TIP–A digital signature can be applied to databases, documents, spreadsheets, or
macros.
STICKY POINT–A digital signature includes the date and time, called a
timestamp. It verifies that the file either has or has not been changed since the
signature has been applied.
CERTIFICATION AUTHORITY–A commercial company, like VeriSign, that issues
and validate digital signatures for a fee.
TIP–To view a Certificate of Authority on your computer, open the Internet
Explorer, display the tools menu, select Internet Options, and click the content tab.
Click Certificates to view all of the certificates currently installed on your computer.
SIGNING AND PUBLISHING A DATABASE–Click the Office Button, click publish,
and select Package and Sign. The database is packaged, or converted to the new ACCDC
file format, and digitally signed with your certificate.
SAVE THE DATABASE WITH AN .ACCDE FILE EXTENSION
ACCDE FILE TYPE–Access Database Executable (ACCDE) allows the user to execute
VBA code, but not to create new VBA code or modify existing code.
CREATING AN ACCDE FILE–The Database must be first open with Exclusive
Access. Click make ACCDE in the Database Tools group on the Database Tools Tab,
the Save As dialog box opens and the original name appears with the new ACCDE file
extension. Click Save.
STICKY POINT–Once a database has been converted to ACCDE format it can not
be converted back to its source form (ACCDB). So keep the original, ACCDB, in a
safe place, as the ACCDB version is where any editing will have to be done.
ANALYSIS TOOLS TO IMPROVE DATABASE PERFORMANCE
ANALYZING DATABASE DOCUMENTATION–A Database Documenter creates a
data dictionary that itemizes and lists the attributes for any objects in the database. It
provides the names of all fields in all tables and of all buttons in all forms.
LAUNCHING THE DATABASE DOCUMENTER–Click Database Documenter
in the Analyze group on the Database Tools tab. The Documenter dialog box
opens. Select the objects to include in the Documenter Report. Click OK to
generate a Documenter report.
ANALYZING DATABASE PERFORMANCE–The Performance Analyzer identifies
choices made during database design that will slow performance when the database is put
into production and recommends solutions.
TIP–Before implementing any analysis results, read the Analysis note and always
back up the database.
LAUNCHING THE PERFORMANCE ANALYZER–Click Analyze
Performance in the Analyze group on the Database Tools tab. The Performance
Analyzer dialog box opens. Select the objects to analyze. Click OK to generate the
analysis and possible solutions.
STICKY POINT–A frequent suggestion in the Result Analysis Pane is Add an
Index. This is a sorting method used to analyze the data in a table so that future
queries or reports take less time to generate. On large tables, more than two indexes
usually slow down the processes.
NORMALIZATION–A multistep process that, through repeated use of the
Performance Analyzer, improves database performance by redefining the design of
the database until all redundant data is eliminated. The end result is a design in
which every field within a table is functionally dependent on the primary key.
Normalization is done in three stages:
1. First, ensure each column contains only unique values, no duplicates. This
is the first normal form or 1NF.
2. Next, placing the duplicate data in another table. This is the second
normal form or 2NF.
3. The third step is where every column in a table depends on the table’s
primary key. This is the third normal form or 3NF.
SPLITTING A DATABASE–The processes separating the tables of a database
from the forms, reports and queries. The tables are placed on the back-end, which is
on the network. The forms, reports, and queries are placed on the front-end, which
is the user’s computer that needs to use the back-end tables. Thus there is only one
back-end set of tables with many front-end copies of the forms, reports, and queries.
LAUNCHING THE DATABASE SPLITTER–Click the Database Tools tab
and click Access Database in the Move Data group. Click Split Database to
simultaneously create a front-end and back-end. You are asked to name and save
the back-end. After you save the back-end, the database that remains open is the
front-end.
TIP–Access adds the acronym “be” to the name of the back-end.
TIP–In the Navigation pane, tables in the front-end of the database have a small
right-pointing arrow to the right of the table name. Additionally, when the mouse
is moved over the icon, a popup appears with the path to the physical table to
which the front-end is linked.
UPDATING FRONT-END TABLES–When the back-end table of a database
changes, the front-end items need to be updated to reflect the back-end changes. To
update the front-end objects, click the Database Tools tab and click Linked Table
Manager in the Database Tools group. The Linked Table dialog box appears. Click
Select All and click OK.
STICKY POINT –If the Linked Table Manager icon is dimmed then you are not
working in the frond-end database.
TABLE DESIGN GOALS AND SWITCHBOARDS
TIP–If your database needs security that comes from setting permissions and rights,
you may need to consider a more robust platform, such as Microsoft SQL Server
2005.
SWITHCBOARD–A menu or series of menus that ties the objects in a database together
so that the database is easy to use (especially for a nontechnical person).
CREATING A SWITHCBOARD –Click the Switchboard Manager in the
Database Tools group on the Database Tools tab. The Switchboard Manager
message box opens, and it was unable to find a switchboard in the database. Click
Yes to confirm that you want to create a new switchboard. Access creates a default
page. Click Edit to display the Edit Switchboard Page dialog box. Click New to
add an item to this page. The Edit Switchboard Item dialog box appears; then select
New Switchboard Command and enter the desired name for the new item. Select
the Command drop-down arrow and then Open Form in Add Mode. Click the
Form drop-down arrow and select Details. Click OK.
STICKY POINT –Modify a switchboard by using the Switchboard Manger or by
making changes directly in the underlying table of the switchboard items.
HIDING SWITCHBOARD ITEMS – Click the Office Button, and click Access
Options. In the left pane, click Current Database. Then clear the Display
Navigation Pane check box.
DISPLAYING HIDDED SWITCHBOARD ITEMS – Simply press F11
ACESS SPECIAL KEYS
F11–Displays and hides the Navigation Pane.
CTRL + BREAK–Stops Access from downloading records from a database server.
CTRL + G–Displays the VBA immediate window.
ALT + F11–Opens the VBA editor.
CONNECTIONS–Practical Projects for the Student Access User
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Password protect an existing database and use Access to provide documentation on its
design.
Change the file type of an existing database from ACCDB to ACCDE
Check to see if there are any security certificates installed on your computer.
Create several tables of related information in one database. Use the Performance
Analyzer to help normalize the database.
Create a Switchboard for a database that has several tables, forms, queries, and
reports.
Case Study Lecture Demonstration Document:
Projects Plusa
CONNECTIONS-Practical Applications to the Real World
In the following Case Study Demonstration Document, students learn about protecting
data and analyzing performance. In the future, your students may need to:
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Use the Performance Analyzer to normalize a database that contains tables
created by different designers.
Check the Certificate of Authority to make sure that it is still valid.
Change the file type of a database to ACCDE so that users can not edit or create
new VB code.
Create a Switchboard to make access to objects in the database easier for novice
Access users.
1. Copy the chap9_case_marketing.accdb file to your production folder, rename it
chap9_case_marketing_solution.accdb, and enable the content.
2. Close the Marketing Project Home. Open each table and become familiar with the data. Open the
Relationships window and examine the relationships among the tables and the fields contained within each
of the tables to become acquainted with this database.
3. Analyze Database Performance
STEPS:
To analyze database performance:

Click the Database Tools tab and click Analyze Performance in the Analyze group.
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Click the All Object Types tab, click Select All, and click OK to start the Performance Analyzer.
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Click the Recommendation (denoted by a red exclamation mark preceding it) in the Analysis
Results list to select it. Click Optimize to implement this fix. Click Close to exit the Performance
Analyzer.
4. Create a Data Dictionary
STEPS:
To use the Database Documenter:

Click the Database Tools tab and then click Database Documenter in the Analyze group.
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Click the Tables tab of the Documenter dialog box.
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Click Select All and then click OK.
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When the report displays, click Landscape in the Page Layout group.
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Click the Last Page button at the bottom of the window to display the last page.
CAUTION: Instructing all students to print the same file at the same time can cause
chaos in a lab, so you might want them simply to view the results and skip printing
or print at a later time.
 Print the last page as desired and then close the data dictionary.
5. Create a Switchboard
STEPS:
To create a switchboard
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Click the Database Tools tab and click the Switchboard Manager in the Database Tools group.
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Click Yes to confirm that you want to create a new switchboard.
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Click Edit to display the Edit Switchboard Page dialog box. Click New to add an item to this
page, which in turn displays the Edit Switchboard Item dialog box.
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If the text New Switchboard Command is not selected, select it and type Add Employee Details.
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Click the Command drop-down arrow and select Open Form in Add Mode.
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Click the Form drop-down arrow and select Employee Details.
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Click OK to create the switchboard item.
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Click New in the Edit Switchboard Page dialog box to add a second item to the switchboard.
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Click in the Text list box and type Open Projects List. Click the Command drop-down arrow
and select Open Form in Edit Mode. Click the Form drop-down arrow and select Open
Projects List. Click OK.
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Click New in the Edit Switchboard Page dialog box to add a third item to the switchboard.
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Click in the Text list box and type All Open Projects Report. Click the Command drop-down
arrow and select Open Report. Click the Report drop-down arrow and select All Open
Projects. Click OK.
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Click New in the Edit Switchboard Page dialog box to add a fourth item to the switchboard.
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Click in the Text list box and type Deliverables by Assigned to. Click the Command dropdown arrow and select Open Report. Click the Report drop-down arrow and select
Deliverables by Assigned to. Click OK.
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Click New in the Edit Switchboard Page dialog box to add a fifth item to the switchboard.
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Click in the Text list box and type Exit Database. Click the Command drop-down arrow and
select Exit Application. Click OK.
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Click Close to close the Edit Switchboard Page dialog box. Then click Close to exit the
Switchboard Manager.
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Double-click the Switchboard form to open the Main Switchboard.
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Click the Add Employee Details button. Click Close to close the Employee Details form.
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Test the remaining items on the switchboard. Click the Exit Database button; you will reopen the
database in the next step.
6. Password Protect the Database
STEPS:
To protect a database with a password:
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Click the Office button and click Open to display the Open dialog box.
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Select the chap9_case_marketing_solution file in the list.
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Click the Open down-arrow and click Open Exclusive.
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If necessary, click Options on the Security Warning toolbar, click Enable this content in the
Microsoft Office Security Options dialog box, and click OK.
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Click the Database Tools tab and click Encrypt with Password in the Database Tools group.
CAUTION: If a warning box displays stating that the file can not be password
protected, you must close the database and follow the previous steps in this section
to open the database.
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Enter the password P@ssw0rd in the Password box and enter the same password in the Verify
box. Click OK to set the password and encrypt the database.
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Close the chap9_case_marketing_solution database and then open it again normally.
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Type P@ssw0rd in the Enter database password box and click OK and Enable the content.
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Save the file as chap9_case_marketing_password_solution.accdb.
7. Split the Database
STEPS:
To split the database into a front- and back-end:
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Close all database objects.
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Click the Database Tools tab and click Access Database in the Move Data group to open the
Database Splitter dialog box.
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Click Split Database to open the Create Back-end Database dialog box.
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Select the location where you save your files, and then accept the default database name shown in
the File name box because Access keeps the original name and ads be to the name. Click Split and
click OK.
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The front-end copy of the database is open so to test it, double-click the Vendor List form to
open it and click New to add a new vendor to the database. Enter data on the form by simply
typing ABC Enterprises in the Company field.
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The record was added to back-end; to prove this, point to the Vendors table. A popup appears that
provides the path to the physical table to which you are linked
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Save the file as chap9_case_marketing_solution_fe.accdb and close it.
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Click the Office Button and click Open. Locate the chap9_case_marketing_solution_be.accdb
back-end database you created and open it.
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Double-click the Vendors table in the chap9_case_marketing_solution_be.accdb database to
open it. Notice that the record you entered through the front-end copy of the database is in the
Vendors table.
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Close any open database files and exit Access.