As you said, if someone guesses the hidden folder name correctly, it's game over. Using nested hidden folders might make it somewhat safer. Also, some PCs shorten long folder/file names to 8.3 characters, making it easier for someone to guess. I did some testing with this tool, and VBA commands do seem to behave correctly with this tool. For instance, Dir() can't find hidden folders, but it can find files inside those folders. Windows command prompt also seems to behave correctly: the DIR command can't find hidden folders, but it can list content in those folders. One thing to watch out for is applications leaving behind recent file history, such as the ones on the Windows task bar. If there is any trace of file paths left behind by an application, someone who is determined to break in will find it. P.S. When I started using Access in the 1990s, tools like this didn't exist; so I had to use SQL Server in the early going. The free version of SQL Server was adequate for the company I worked for.
Thanks for sharing your research. I agree that the best thing to do is to use SQL Server, but for those who don't want to invest a lot of time in learning it, hiding multiple nested folders is probably the best solution.
I also make individual folder in the navigation panes. You can right click on the top of the navigation pane and then you can go and uncheck the tables queries etc. this hides it for everyone. I give my staff their individual folder with certain reports to look at in the navigation pane without access to tables, queries and forms. Works really well.
Hello. I noticed that when you creat a query the insert table tab show as tab. But my acess 2021 show as menu like in 2016 edition. Why that? Thanks for replay.
Actually Richard, you can hide a folder within Windows Explorer. Select the folder, right click on it and select Properties. On the General tab check Hidden then OK. To see it again, you need to enable View Hidden Items on the View tab in Explorer. Unless the individual knows how/where to look, they'll not be able to find it. Thanks for all your videos BTW, they're very helpful and informative and I've learned a lot from following you. Regards Don
Yes, I'm well aware that you can mark files and folders hidden in File Explorer. ANY user can select "show hidden items" and see them. This app prevents that.
@@599CD Thanks for the clarification Richard. I wasn't aware that the app disabled the view hidden files in explorer. Keep the videos coming! Regards Don.
I'm running the trial version on the FSPro Labs hide folder and it works very well except for certain computers on the network. The front end doesn't seem to find the back end. "Could not find file "Z:\BackEndFilePath.mdb". This is of course probematic but I can't think why this would be happening. Can anyone advise where to start looking for a solutuion?
To add to this, all the remote desktops on the server work fine, as do the desktops with access to the shared network drive. It only seems to be one workstation so far but have had to disable the hiding until I get a chance to test again so there ma be more.
I get a ton of questions every day, and I don't have time to answer them all here on TH-cam. Feel free to submit your question on my website at: 599cd.com/AskYT
So does the hiding software only work if the software is running ? And can it hide a folder on a network such that even people without the hiding software can’t see it ?
Well, you can't easily encrypt the backend file because then the frontend file won't be able to read it. So, you can either put a password on it, in which case the user will need the password when they connect to it, or you can encrypt and scramble the data in the tables. I do cover this in my encryption seminar, available at 599cd.com/encryption.
Wokstations have all MS Access installed as part of Office 365. Is it still possible to also install and run the Runtime instead of Access in the workstations ? I would prefer users to use Runtime instead of Access. Great videos Richard !!!!!!
As you said, if someone guesses the hidden folder name correctly, it's game over. Using nested hidden folders might make it somewhat safer. Also, some PCs shorten long folder/file names to 8.3 characters, making it easier for someone to guess. I did some testing with this tool, and VBA commands do seem to behave correctly with this tool. For instance, Dir() can't find hidden folders, but it can find files inside those folders. Windows command prompt also seems to behave correctly: the DIR command can't find hidden folders, but it can list content in those folders. One thing to watch out for is applications leaving behind recent file history, such as the ones on the Windows task bar. If there is any trace of file paths left behind by an application, someone who is determined to break in will find it. P.S. When I started using Access in the 1990s, tools like this didn't exist; so I had to use SQL Server in the early going. The free version of SQL Server was adequate for the company I worked for.
Thanks for sharing your research. I agree that the best thing to do is to use SQL Server, but for those who don't want to invest a lot of time in learning it, hiding multiple nested folders is probably the best solution.
I also make individual folder in the navigation panes. You can right click on the top of the navigation pane and then you can go and uncheck the tables queries etc. this hides it for everyone. I give my staff their individual folder with certain reports to look at in the navigation pane without access to tables, queries and forms. Works really well.
Yep. That works just fine if they don't know Access well.
What's the difference between hiding with this app and with the native Windows Explorer interface?
You can't "unhide" the folder using File Explorer.
@@599CD interesting I didn't know that.
Hello. I noticed that when you creat a query the insert table tab show as tab. But my acess 2021 show as menu like in 2016 edition. Why that? Thanks for replay.
I don't understand
Actually Richard, you can hide a folder within Windows Explorer. Select the folder, right click on it and select Properties. On the General tab check Hidden then OK.
To see it again, you need to enable View Hidden Items on the View tab in Explorer. Unless the individual knows how/where to look, they'll not be able to find it.
Thanks for all your videos BTW, they're very helpful and informative and I've learned a lot from following you.
Regards
Don
What’s to stop a malicious user just selecting view hidden folders from windows explorer ?
Yes, I'm well aware that you can mark files and folders hidden in File Explorer. ANY user can select "show hidden items" and see them. This app prevents that.
@@599CD Thanks for the clarification Richard. I wasn't aware that the app disabled the view hidden files in explorer.
Keep the videos coming!
Regards
Don.
I'm running the trial version on the FSPro Labs hide folder and it works very well except for certain computers on the network.
The front end doesn't seem to find the back end. "Could not find file "Z:\BackEndFilePath.mdb". This is of course probematic but I can't think why this would be happening.
Can anyone advise where to start looking for a solutuion?
To add to this, all the remote desktops on the server work fine, as do the desktops with access to the shared network drive. It only seems to be one workstation so far but have had to disable the hiding until I get a chance to test again so there ma be more.
I get a ton of questions every day, and I don't have time to answer them all here on TH-cam. Feel free to submit your question on my website at: 599cd.com/AskYT
So does the hiding software only work if the software is running ? And can it hide a folder on a network such that even people without the hiding software can’t see it ?
You run the software on the server. It will hide the folder. People on remote workstations can't see it, browse it, or "unhide" it.
Hello Richard, can we encrypt that backend file?
Well, you can't easily encrypt the backend file because then the frontend file won't be able to read it. So, you can either put a password on it, in which case the user will need the password when they connect to it, or you can encrypt and scramble the data in the tables. I do cover this in my encryption seminar, available at 599cd.com/encryption.
When you use runtime it’s not office compatible anymore so you can’t spell check anything from within your database and autocorrect doesn’t work
Correct. You lose some functionality with the Runtime.
Wokstations have all MS Access installed as part of Office 365. Is it still possible to also install and run the Runtime instead of Access in the workstations ? I would prefer users to use Runtime instead of Access. Great videos Richard !!!!!!
599cd.com/QQ
all thumbs up to the best Richard
Thanks
Nice!
Thanks!