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ACC97: Actions You Can't Perform Once MDB Saved as an MDE File

Article ID: 187690

Article Last Modified on 1/23/2007

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This article was previously published under Q187690
Novice: Requires knowledge of the user interface on single-user computers.

SUMMARY

Microsoft Access 97 includes a feature called Make MDE File, which you can use to keep database applications compiled and secure. The Make MDE File feature removes the text representation of your Visual Basic for Applications code and stores only the binary compiled p-code.

If your database contains Visual Basic for Applications code, saving your database as an MDE file compiles all modules, removes all editable source code, and compacts the destination database. Your Visual Basic for Applications code continues to run, but it cannot be viewed or edited, and the size of your database is reduced due to the removal of the code.

MORE INFORMATION

When you create an MDE file, the original MDB file is unchanged. However, saving your database as an MDE file prevents the following actions:
  • Viewing, modifying, or creating forms, reports, or modules in Design view.
  • Adding, deleting, or changing references to object libraries or databases.
  • Changing code using the properties or methods of the Microsoft Access or VBA Object models because an MDE file contains no source code.
  • Changing your database's VBA project name using the Options dialog box.
  • Importing or exporting forms, reports, or modules. However, tables, queries, and macros can be imported from or exported to non-MDE databases. Any tables, queries, or macros in an MDE database can be imported into another database, but no forms, reports, or modules can be imported into another database.

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