How do I suppress warnings when using an Access MDB as a runtime?

[Tim Petlock]

I have an Access mdb file that works perfectly in the full version of MS
Access. The purpose of the mdb is a log parser - it simply looks for a tab
delimited text file, and imports it into a table. Bits of the file get
spread across three other "work" tables using update, append and delete
queries and ultimately the interpreted version of the log is appended from
one of the "working" tables to a history table. The program then deletes all
records from the work tables, calls a VB function to see if its monday and if
so, outputs reports as html to a directory. Finally, it exits, compacting
the database on exit.

As I developed it, I suppressed the "you are about to make changes"-type
warnings you get when you run an update or delete query. I have macro
security set to low and as such my mdb file starts, processes, creates
reports if necessary, compacts the database and then exits, all without any
intervention.

I need to deploy this on a server. What's the most painless way of
re-suppressing all these warnings when using this mdb with the run-time
version of access? The program works in the run-time version of access, but
the execution starts with "Security Warning: unsafe expressions are not
blocked" and for every query that modifies a table it throws up another
warning.

I have tried digitally signing the original project and that doesn't
suppress the first warning, although it should. But how can I suppress the
other ones?

Thanks.

 

['69 Camaro]

Hi, Tim.

I need to deploy this on a server. What's the most painless way of
re-suppressing all these warnings when using this mdb with the run-time
version of access? The program works in the run-time version of access, but
the execution starts with "Security Warning: unsafe expressions are not
blocked" and for every query that modifies a table it throws up another
warning.

The destination computer can have the macro security settings set to Low to
avoid the three warning messages. One may do this by changing the Windows
Registry settings or with code that can be saved in a module in Microsoft
Access and later run on the computer. The necessary steps for the Registry
changes and the code (in both English and Spanish) are located on this Web
page:

http://www.Access.QBuilt.com/html/vba.html#SetMacroSecLvl

I have tried digitally signing the original project and that doesn't
suppress the first warning, although it should.

Does the destination computer have the digitial certificate's key in the
computer's root store? If not, the digital certificate won't be recognized.
Does the destination computer have the macro security setting on high? If
so, then a self-certifying digital certificate is not acceptable, and the
level will need to be set at medium or lower. Does the destination computer
have Jet 4.0 SP-8 installed? If not, unsafe expressions cannot be blocked.

As I developed it, I suppressed the "you are about to make changes"-type
warnings you get when you run an update or delete query.

But how can I suppress the
other ones?

The Access Runtime version lacks the built-in menus, so the user is unable
to change this Windows Registry setting from the Access interface. The
Access developer needs to do extra work when distributing the application as
a Runtime version. One can create a custom menu that allows the user to
change this setting, or one can use the DoCmd.SetWarnings False method in
VBA code to suppress the warnings before the action query is run and
DoCmd.SetWarnings True method in code to turn the warnings back on
afterwards. One can also use the DAO.Database.Execute( ) method with
dbFailOnError in VBA code to execute the action queries.

HTH.

Gunny

See http://www.QBuilt.com for all your database needs.
See http://www.Access.QBuilt.com for Microsoft Access tips.

(Please remove ZERO_SPAM from my reply E-mail address, so that a message
will be forwarded to me.)

 

[Tim Petlock]

Thanks, between the registry edit for the security key and a little added VB
function to suppress the warnings, that did the trick.

I've attached the VB function in hopes that it helps future searchers. You
just have to add a module to your access project and call the function just
like any of the built in (i.e. string manipulation) functions.

Function shut_up() 'suppress the darn warnings
DoCmd.SetWarnings False
End Function

-Tim

 

['69 Camaro]

Hi, Tim.

a little added VB
function to suppress the warnings, that did the trick.

And you added a public VBA function to turn the warnings back on, which is
called from every error handler (or at least the relevant ones) in your
application. Correct? If you don't turn the warnings back on and there's
an error, Access will either crash or hang and give no error message. The
user, oblivious as to why this happened, will just sit there cursing about
what lousy software he's using. These aren't the customers who will
immediately think of your name the next time they need a database solution.

HTH.

Gunny

See http://www.QBuilt.com for all your database needs.
See http://www.Access.QBuilt.com for Microsoft Access tips.

(Please remove ZERO_SPAM from my reply E-mail address, so that a message
will be forwarded to me.)