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How to re-enable Shift key startup bypass after disabling Shift key in Access?

Anonymous
2024-05-03T20:02:15+00:00

I already read this help article on enforcing startup options (by disabling the shift key bypass) and copied the code into the VBA code editor. It worked. Problem is now I don't know how to re-enable the shift key. How do I get back to the VBA code editor for this file? I've turned off ribbons and menus so I can't open the code editor from the ribbon. I'm still learning so not very familiar yet, but it seems like an instance of the VBA code editor is tied to a particular Access file, meaning I can't just open a VBA window from another Access file and re-enable the shift key like that help article says to. Is there a workaround? This isn't the original database so I can recreate a copy if I've locked myself out of changing this one, but I feel like this shouldn't be irreversible until I've saved it as an ACCDE file.

After I've disabled the shift key bypass, disabled the use of special keys, hidden the navigation pane, turned off ribbons and menus, and saved the file as an ACCDE, is there still a way for users to access the tables directly and make changes that I haven't enabled through forms? I honestly don't care if people can see/open the tables and make select queries; I just want to turn off create, update, and delete permissions, but it seems Access doesn't have this capability like other RDBMSs do. So are there any more steps I need to take to complete this roundabout way of making the database read-only to external users?

Microsoft 365 and Office | Access | For business | Windows

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  1. George Hepworth 22,855 Reputation points Volunteer Moderator
    2024-05-03T21:41:45+00:00

    Try the mdb in the zip file at this link. It should be self-explanatory.

    https://www.gpcdata.com/downloads/AllowBypassKey2K.zip

    Open this mdb, use the search box to locate the file you want to change, and click the command button.

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  1. Anonymous
    2024-05-03T21:24:10+00:00

    I already disabled use of special keys in options, so no.

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  2. George Hepworth 22,855 Reputation points Volunteer Moderator
    2024-05-03T21:16:25+00:00

    You could open the accdb and press CTL-G. Does that open the immediate window for you?

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  3. Anonymous
    2024-05-03T20:50:36+00:00

    Yes, but I closed the database to test if it worked, and now that the shift key is disabled and I've also turned off the ribbon, I don't know how to reopen the VBA editor to re-enable the shift key. It's my first time trying this so not sure if I've done something wrong.

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  4. ScottGem 68,810 Reputation points Volunteer Moderator
    2024-05-03T20:13:07+00:00

    Did you follow these instructions?

    If you want to disable the SHIFT key, type ap_DisableShift in theImmediatewindow, and then press ENTER. If you want to enable the shift key, type ap_EnableShift in theImmediatewindow, and then press ENTER.

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