How to protect my demo database?

Hi,

I have made a demo version of my database.
It's an mde so there's no peeking in VBA possible.
I made the Navigationbar unavailable, so when using the demo you can't peek
into the datastructure etc.
(Or you should know my special key.)

But
it is still possible to import the tables into another database and study
them there.
And that is what I would like to prevent.
However if I put a database password on it, also the ordinary use is
password protected.
That's not what I want: the ordinary user of the demo should not be
harrassed with a password..

How to prohibit the importing of the tables into another database?

Any help is appreciated.

Michiel

Re: How to protect my demo database?

"Michiel Rapati-Kekkonen" schreef in bericht =
news:sh0Lj.48$pf3.28@read4.inet.fi...
> Hi,
>=20
> I have made a demo version of my database.
> It's an mde so there's no peeking in VBA possible.
> I made the Navigationbar unavailable, so when using the demo you can't =
peek=20
> into the datastructure etc.
> (Or you should know my special key.)
>=20
> But
> it is still possible to import the tables into another database and =
study=20
> them there.
> And that is what I would like to prevent.
> However if I put a database password on it, also the ordinary use is=20
> password protected.
> That's not what I want: the ordinary user of the demo should not be=20
> harrassed with a password..
>=20
> How to prohibit the importing of the tables into another database?
>=20
> Any help is appreciated.
>=20
> Michiel=20
>=20

I don't think you can prevent users to 'see' or 'link' your tables.
What's so secret about your datastructure ??
Every skilled developer would 'know' the datastructure if he/she is =
granted permission to look at your screens I guess.

I am guessing the backend is called yourapp_data.mdb or another name =
with mdb extension.
You could try to obfuscate things and rename the backend to something =
like 'whatever' with a false extension like 'dll'.
This *could* prevent 'some' linking or importing, because users simply =
don't know what to look for.
But I am not so sure if this is a good idea at all... At least I never =
did it. =20

Arno R

Re: How to protect my demo database?

thanks for your advise.
The database itself is indeed divided in front and back end.
In the demo however they are combined.

What is so secret...
Well, it was quite a job to make it. To divide it into all those related
tables.
And I don't think that it is that easy to deduct the structure by having
access to the screens.
Partly, sure.
Anyway, better be safe, I thought.
So if anybody sees a possibility, I would be very pleased.

TIA

Michiel




"Arno R" wrote in message
news:47fc9d14$0$25476$ba620dc5@text.nova.planet.nl...

"Michiel Rapati-Kekkonen" schreef in bericht
news:sh0Lj.48$pf3.28@read4.inet.fi...
> Hi,
>
> I have made a demo version of my database.
> It's an mde so there's no peeking in VBA possible.
> I made the Navigationbar unavailable, so when using the demo you can't
> peek
> into the datastructure etc.
> (Or you should know my special key.)
>
> But
> it is still possible to import the tables into another database and study
> them there.
> And that is what I would like to prevent.
> However if I put a database password on it, also the ordinary use is
> password protected.
> That's not what I want: the ordinary user of the demo should not be
> harrassed with a password..
>
> How to prohibit the importing of the tables into another database?
>
> Any help is appreciated.
>
> Michiel
>

I don't think you can prevent users to 'see' or 'link' your tables.
What's so secret about your datastructure ??
Every skilled developer would 'know' the datastructure if he/she is granted
permission to look at your screens I guess.

I am guessing the backend is called yourapp_data.mdb or another name with
mdb extension.
You could try to obfuscate things and rename the backend to something like
'whatever' with a false extension like 'dll'.
This *could* prevent 'some' linking or importing, because users simply don't
know what to look for.
But I am not so sure if this is a good idea at all... At least I never did
it.

Arno R

Re: How to protect my demo database?

"Michiel Rapati-Kekkonen" wrote in
news:Df1Lj.60$pf3.4@read4.inet.fi:

> thanks for your advise.
> The database itself is indeed divided in front and back end.
> In the demo however they are combined.
>
> What is so secret...
> Well, it was quite a job to make it. To divide it into all those
> related tables.
> And I don't think that it is that easy to deduct the structure by
> having access to the screens.
> Partly, sure.
> Anyway, better be safe, I thought.

I wish I could create something worth stealing.

Re: How to protect my demo database?

Michiel Rapati-Kekkonen wrote:
> thanks for your advise.
> The database itself is indeed divided in front and back end.
> In the demo however they are combined.
>
> What is so secret...
> Well, it was quite a job to make it. To divide it into all those
> related tables.

Digging a ditch is also difficult. That doesn't mean that anyone is
interested in stealing my ditch.

> And I don't think that it is that easy to deduct the structure by
> having access to the screens.
> Partly, sure.
> Anyway, better be safe, I thought.
> So if anybody sees a possibility, I would be very pleased.

About all you can do with a file that you are distributing to people is
obfuscate. Different file names, different locations, etc.. When it's all
in one file your options are pretty limited.

Honestly though I wouldn't put a lot of effort or concern into this. People
who want to steal will do so. Most people don't. Try to do business with
the latter.

--
Rick Brandt, Microsoft Access MVP
Email (as appropriate) to...
RBrandt at Hunter dot com

Re: How to protect my demo database?

Have you thought about another way of demoing the app? Perhaps a
screen video or interactive flash demonstration?

Cheers

The Frog

Re: How to protect my demo database?

I second that opinion. A good developer can reverse engineer your
data structure by looking at how you organize things in the reports
and forms. A smart buyer will want that organization - the forms and
reports are much more important than the tables.

When I evaluate applications for clients (I recommend a buy v build
analysis prior to writing code for someone) I always look for
accessability of the data structure early in the process. If I can
make an ODBC connection to the data the application gets extra points
added to its score. No matter how well the application's query/report
interface is built there will always be unanticipated needs to do
something else - often via Excel pivot tables or Access queries/
report. As an aside, I gave up on Crystal Reports a number of years
ago because of Access's ability to put together a top notch report
interface so quickly.

You may want to pitch the ability to query tables directly as a
feature.

hth,

Tim Mills-Groninger
..
>
> Honestly though I wouldn't put a lot of effort or concern into this. =A0Pe=
ople
> who want to steal will do so. =A0Most people don't. =A0Try to do business =
with
> the latter.
>
> --
> Rick Brandt, Microsoft Access MVP
> Email (as appropriate) to...
> RBrandt =A0 at =A0 Hunter =A0 dot =A0 com

Re: How to protect my demo database?

>
I tend to add logic that limits the number of records that can be added
to key tables. Then I create a MDE of that and distribute the MDE. so
far that has worked well for me.

Bob

Re: How to protect my demo database?

lyle fairfield wrote:
> "Michiel Rapati-Kekkonen" wrote in
> news:Df1Lj.60$pf3.4@read4.inet.fi:
>
>> thanks for your advise.
>> The database itself is indeed divided in front and back end.
>> In the demo however they are combined.
>>
>> What is so secret...
>> Well, it was quite a job to make it. To divide it into all those
>> related tables.
>> And I don't think that it is that easy to deduct the structure by
>> having access to the screens.
>> Partly, sure.
>> Anyway, better be safe, I thought.
>
> I wish I could create something worth stealing.

Oh, you have my friend. You have.

Re: How to protect my demo database?

On Apr 9, 11:11=A0am, Bob Alston wrote:
> I tend to add logic that limits the number of records that can be added
> to key tables. =A0Then I create a MDE of that and distribute the MDE. =A0s=
o
> far that has worked well for me.
>
> Bob

I like this idea, Bob.

- Limit to one User
- Limit some tables as a maximum number of something. (Clients,
Products, Warehouses, etc)
- Have a hardcoded Date. and have a 30 day trial.

You do want your Demo to get distributed, but you want to limit what
the users can do with it, so as to "Force" (If they are interested) in
buying the full version.

- GL

Re: How to protect my demo database?

"Michiel Rapati-Kekkonen" wrote

> I have made a demo version of my database.
> It's an mde so there's no peeking in VBA possible.

There is crack code availble, verified by MVPs whose opinion I trust, to
recreate editable modules from an MDE. It is not, as far as I know, FREE.

Further, if you follow discussions on Access Workgroup Security, you'll know
that it is not difficult to search the Internet and find software that will
completely "de-secure" a secured Access database. And, there are versions
for Access 97 and every following version through 2003 that can be obtained
for FREE. (The reason none is available for Access 2007 is that, for the new
ACCDB file format, Workgroup Security is no longer supported.)

Finally, no matter how strongly you believe otherwise, there are few Access
database applications that a really experienced Access developer/consultant
cannot reproduce far more rapidly than the original was created, just by
observing the application in use -- they will not HAVE TO examine either
your design view nor your tables. In fact, it is the business knowlege in a
particular area on which the application is constructed, that is vital to
success... much more so than a particular approach to implementing the
solution.

Larry Linson
Microsoft Office Access MVP

Re: How to protect my demo database?

On Apr 9, 5:48=A0am, "Michiel Rapati-Kekkonen"
wrote:
> Hi,
>
> I have made a demo version of my database.
> It's an mde so there's no peeking in VBA possible.
> I made the Navigationbar unavailable, so when using the demo you can't pee=
k
> into the datastructure etc.
> (Or you should know my special key.)
>
> But
> it is still possible to import the tables into another database and study
> them there.
> And that is what I would like to prevent.
> However if I put a database password on it, also the ordinary use is
> password protected.
> That's not what I want: the ordinary user of the demo should not be
> harrassed with a password..
>
> How to prohibit the importing of the tables into another database?
>
> Any help is appreciated.
>
> Michiel


Use code (I believe available on Dev's site) to disable the bypass key
(F1 on start up). Make all objects (tables, macros, forms, etc)
hidden. You cant link to a hidden table I dont believe! A few minor
things will keep out the 'access gurus' who think they know a lot more
than they really do. However someone who really knows what they are
doing, has enough resources, and is pretty determined can get into
ALMOST any Access DB.

Re: How to protect my demo database?

And that is what this is about: the business knowledge.
I have made databases for companies, where people could reflect on what they
were doing
and could inform me, instruct me in a clear straightforwarded way.
In this area, I meet people who are surprised that you could think about
what you're doing.
Hence have difficulties in communicating their stuff to an outsider
programmer.
(I was called in, because an insider tried to make a database...)
It is a rather complicated bussiness with lots of idiosyncrasies.
And it has taken me a lot of effort to mould it into a smooth and flexible
datastructure.
I agree that I don't have to be overly worried,
but one does agree that if this kind of 'leak' (in a demo) would be easy to
close, one
would do it.
Better safe than sorry.

But fun thread, I must say.
Thanks!

Michiel



"Larry Linson" wrote in message
news:Qf9Lj.8396$BT1.2486@trnddc04...
> "Michiel Rapati-Kekkonen" wrote
>
> > I have made a demo version of my database.
> > It's an mde so there's no peeking in VBA possible.
>
> There is crack code availble, verified by MVPs whose opinion I trust, to
> recreate editable modules from an MDE. It is not, as far as I know, FREE.
>
> Further, if you follow discussions on Access Workgroup Security, you'll
> know that it is not difficult to search the Internet and find software
> that will completely "de-secure" a secured Access database. And, there are
> versions for Access 97 and every following version through 2003 that can
> be obtained for FREE. (The reason none is available for Access 2007 is
> that, for the new ACCDB file format, Workgroup Security is no longer
> supported.)
>
> Finally, no matter how strongly you believe otherwise, there are few
> Access database applications that a really experienced Access
> developer/consultant cannot reproduce far more rapidly than the original
> was created, just by observing the application in use -- they will not
> HAVE TO examine either your design view nor your tables. In fact, it is
> the business knowlege in a particular area on which the application is
> constructed, that is vital to success... much more so than a particular
> approach to implementing the solution.
>
> Larry Linson
> Microsoft Office Access MVP
>