Latest Access Knowledge Base Articles

Courtesy of KBAlertz.com:

Access 2000

• 913178 Description of the Jet 4.0 Database Engine post-837001 hotfix package: February 17, 2006
• 943509 Description of the Jet 4.0 Database Engine hotfix package for Windows XP SP2, for Windows Server 2003 SP1, for Windows Server 2003 SP2, and for Windows Vista: October 23, 2007

Access 2003

• 938792 Issues that are fixed in Office 2003 by Office 2003 Service Pack 3
• 923618 Description of Office 2003 Service Pack 3
• 943967 After you install Office 2003 SP3, you encounter various problems in an Access project when you work with a Bit data type column in a linked SQL Server table.
• 943509 Description of the Jet 4.0 Database Engine hotfix package for Windows XP SP2, for Windows Server 2003 SP1, for Windows Server 2003 SP2, and for Windows Vista: October 23, 2007.
• 945674 Description of the Access 2003 post-Service Pack 3 hotfix package: December 18, 2007.

Access 2007

• 946621 Security-related Group Policy settings in the 2007 Office system do not work as expected.
• 938888 Description of the 2007 Office hotfix package: June 17, 2007.
• 924739 Error message when you try to add an existing Windows SharePoint Services list to an Access 2007 database: "You do not have the necessary permissions to use the '. Describes a problem that occurs when you try to add an existing SharePoint list that contains a column name that has more than 64 characters to an Access 2007 database. Provides a workaround.
• 937999 Error message when you run a macro that calls a VBA function in an Access 2007 database: "Action Failed Error Number: 2950". Discusses a problem that occurs after you use the ADE 2007 Package Solution wizard to package an Access 2007 database application. After you install the packaged application, a potential security concern message appears when you open the application.
• 935370 Issues that you may encounter when you open or are using a Microsoft Office Access database on a computer that is running Windows Vista.
• 895456 How to change the product key for Office 2003 and for Office XP.
• 932994 You receive an error message when you run a query that includes a field name that begins with a double-byte Arabic number in Access 2007 or Access 2003.
• 937998 The Access 2007 Developer Extensions command is missing from the Microsoft Office Button in Access 2007 .
• 936748 Issues that are fixed in Access 2003 by Office 2003 Service Pack 1. Discusses a problem in which you receive error messages when you use wizards and Visual Basic for Applications commands in Access 2003 on a Windows-Vista based computer when the computer has both Access 2003 and Access 2007 installed.
• 938809 Error message when you try to install an Access 2003 add-in for all users by using the Add-In Manager on a Windows Vista-based computer: "There was an error adding to the registry" .
• 924460 How to manage templates in 2007 Office programs. Describes the different template categories and the locations of templates in 2007 Office programs. Also describes the registry settings that control where to find your custom templates.

Download SQL Server Compact

SQL Server Compact 3.5 Books Online and Samples SQL Server Compact 3.5 is a small footprint in-process database engine that allows developers to build robust applications for Windows Desktops and Mobile Devices.

Try SQL Server 2008

Try SQL Server 2008 Free for 180 Days Download the latest SQL Server 2008 Community Technology Preview and try out the latest features.

SQL Server 2008 Feature Pack Community Technology Preview - February 2008 Download the February 2008 Feature Pack Community Technology Preview - a collection of stand-alone install packages that provide additional value for SQL Server 2008.

SQL Data Services: Cloud Obscures Visibility

Microsoft has launched this new BETA product, which I guess you could liken to SQL Server for the Web.

This is how it is described in a post on the Access Team Blog (and I thought it was an Access blog):

Microsoft is now getting into the lightweight database game with SQL Server Data Services. It looks to follow a similar pattern to simpleDB and CouchDB with named, attribute pairs in a flat storage space and accessibility through REST. Some of the interesting things they are bringing to the game:

• Query data using LINQ
• Property support for simple data types (string, numeric, date, boolean)
• Paging management for data retrieval
• Rich client library in C# and VB with LINQ support
• SSL Security

It looks like a great cloud based simple storage system with some of the goodness MSSQL bring to the table. They are now signing up BETA testers and we will be putting some demos together to show how Access can work with these lightweight database systems.

Translation please...

Critical MS Office Updates On March 11

In a security bulletin yesterday Microsoft announced it will issue four critical patches for Office on March 11 for:

• Excel 2000
  
  
• Outlook 2000, 2002, 2003 and 2007
  
  
• Remote code execution vulnerabilities in Microsoft Office 2000 (SP3)
  
  
• Web components for Office 2000

NEW V4.0 of Ezy Exporter Premium Edition
Add-In for Microsoft© Access

The functionality Microsoft forgot! My Ezy Exporter Premium Edition Access Add-In is the easy way to export unlimited Access objects and data in bulk.

In v4.0 you can now also export relationships, commandbars, import/export specs, and library references.

A best-seller at the Office Marketplace.

NEW NESTED TreeView MS Access Switchboard
for Microsoft© 2000/2002/2003/2007

Fully Nested with Unlimited Levels and Tree Menu Builder Add-In

Screenshot from Access 2000 in Windows XP: click on image to zoom

I have just uploaded my latest Access Switchboard: the NESTED TreeView Demo Database feature cutting-edge application navigation and the unique Nested TreeView Switchboard Builder, which lets you easily build complex windows-explorer like tree menus.

When you purchase the source code MDB, you get as a free bonus the Treeview Switchboard Builder Access Add-In, which allows you to automatically populate the TreeView Switchboard in your Access database with multi-level hierarchical switchboard menus and menu items.

Download the DEMO:

Convert your Access 2007 Application from Design to Runtime Mode by Changing its Extension

A useful tip from TechReplublic.com blogger, Mary Ann Richardson.

SQL Server Guides from SQL Server Magazine

Download these free pocket guides from SQL Server Magazine:

• SQL Server 2008 Memory and CPU Highlights
• The Top 10 things You Need to Know about Data Protection for SQL Server 2008
• 13 Things You Need to Know About SQL Server 2005

DreamSpark: Free MS Software for Students

Microsoft is offering free application development software to students world-wide. Go to Microsoft DreamSpark to get these applications free:

Access Data Projects Switchboards Triple-Pack


Click on image to zoom in...

Many Access developers have asked for ADP versions of my very popular Access Switchboards.

The wait is over.

I have just uploaded the Demos package for the Access ADP Switchboards with Access 2007 Black Theme Triple Pack. Source code is only US$49.95.

The three demo projects feature cutting edge application navigation:

• Native SideBar Switchboard Manager - uses only native Access controls
  
• SideBar Switchboard - flexible freeware 3rd-party OCX royalty-free
  
• TreeView Switchboard - uses the royalty-free mscomctl.ocx tree-view control
  

A SQL Server Connection is not required to run these demos: dummy forms and reports are used to demonstrate the operation of the Switchboards, which are populated by loading metadata from CSV text files at run-time.

When you purchase the source code ADPs, you also get the ADP SWB CSV Files Builder MDB Application, which is used to build the Switchboard Items table and automatically create the CSV files from that table’s records. The CSV files are then deployed with the ADP.


Click on image to zoom in...

Download the ADP Switchboard Demo.

Latest SQL Server 2005 FIXES

FIX: A stored procedure cannot finish its execution in SQL Server 2005.

FIX: Error message when you run a stored procedure that references a linked server that is linked to the local server itself in SQL Server 2005: "Transaction context in use by another session".

FIX: In SQL Server 2005 the "SQLMoreResults" function returns incorrect results when you use it to retrieve a result set.

NEW NATIVE SideBar MS Access Switchboard Demo
for Microsoft© 2000/2002/2003/2007


Screenshot from Access 2000 in Windows XP: click on the image to zoom in

I have just uploaded a new Access 2007 Black Themed Native SideBar Switchboard Demo, which features Outlook-style application navigation using only native Access controls.

There are now three themes:

• Windows XP
• Access2007 Vista Silver
• NEW Access 2007 Black

included in the package which is still only US$39.95.

Features include:

• Seamlessly use the native Switchboard Items table created by the Access Switchboard Manager
• Outlook-style navigation
• Custom Icons for each Switchboard Bar and Switchboard Item
• THREE Switchboards for the price of one!

You can use the demos as a Contacts Manager or buy the source code to use the GUI in your own Access applications. Native SideBar Switchboard Demos

NEW NOIR SideBar MS Access Switchboard and GUI Demo
for Microsoft© 2000/2002/2003/2007

Screenshot from Access 2000 in Windows XP: click on the image to zoom in

Get the cool Access 2007 Black Theme in old versions of Access!

I have just uploaded this new Access Demo Database featuring cutting edge application navigation. Maximize screen space by using these dynamic features:

• Uses the native Switchboard Items table created by the Access Switchboard Manager
• Outlook-style navigation
• Custom button graphics
• Users can hide the Switchboard to maximize form sizes
• Users can adjust the width of the Switchboard on the fly
• Access Menubar and Toolbars are optional
• Ribbon-style toolbar resides in a subform

You can use the demo as a Contacts Manager or buy the source code to use the GUI in your own Access applications. Ditch the tired and boring native MS Access Switchboard for only US$39.95!

NOIR SideBar Switchboard Demo (NOIRSideBarSWB_DEMO.zip- 500kb)

Latest SQL Server 2005 Fixes

FIX: Error message when you preview a SQL Server 2005 Reporting Services report that uses the Microsoft .NET Data Provider 1.0 for SAP NetWeaver Business Intelligence: "An error occurred during local report processing"

FIX: Error message when you run a maintenance plan that contains a Back Up Database task in SQL Server 2005: "Failed:(-1073548784) Executing the query 'BACKUP DATABASE"

What's New in SQL Server 2008

SQL Server 2008 Video Cast Series – Optimize Your SQL Server 2008 Randy Dyess, SQL Server MVP, discusses new features of SQL Server 2008 that help database administrators to optimize and tune their database environment, including a demo of Performance Studio, one of the new built-in automated features of SQL Server 2008 that allows performance auditing.

The video also covers other new features like:

• Dynamic Management Views
• Dynamic Management Functions
• Resource Governor

Using Access Menu Add-Ins Without The Windows Registry

Access menu add-ins require a registry entry to be available from the Access Add-Ins Menubar menu item.

In many corporate environments Access developers and users are unable to use 3rd-party Access add-ins, as users are not given permission to add entries to the Windows registry.

There is a way round this limitation, by referencing the add-in file in the database you want the add-in to be available in.

To illustrate this technique, I will use my free add-in Access SideBar Add-In for Access 2000/2002/2003, which provides an easy way to navigate objects in your Access MDB.

These are the steps to get the tool working as a library database in Access 97 or later, without the need for any changes to the Windows registry:

1. Copy the file sidebr2k.mda to a folder on your PC.
   
   
2. Open your MDB in Access and hit F11 to open the VBA Editor (VBE) window.
   
   
3. In the VBE, from the Menubar select Tools|References...
   
   
4. In the References dialog, click the Browse... button, and in the Add Reference dialog, select Add-ins(*.mda) in the Files of type drop-list, locate and select the file sidebr2k.mda, and click Open.
   
   
5. The MDA file will now appear as a reference in the References dialog:
   
   
   
   
6. Note the name of the library file in the Available references listbox, as you need the library name to call functions from the library. In my example the library name is: The Access SideBar.
   
   
7. Create a new VBA module and insert this public function:
   
   Option Compare Database
   Option Explicit
   
   Public Function pfnRunSIDEBAR()
   Call [The Access SideBar].aad_OpenLibraryDB
   End Function
   
   This code calls the function in the library database that invokes the add-in from the Access Add-Ins menu item: the syntax is [LibraryName].[FunctionName].
   
   To find out the name of the invoking function, open the add-in file in Access using the SHIFT key. From the Access Menubar select Tools|Options..., and in the Show section of the View tab of the Options dialog, ensure that the check-boxes for System objects and Hidden objects are both checked. In the Access Database Window open the USysRegInfo table. The invoking function will be the text after the = sign in the Value column for the record where the value "Expression" appears in the ValName column.
   
   
8. Save the module and call the function pfnRunSIDEBAR from anywhere in your MDB. In my work I create a custom toolbar for my development coding functions, and add a custom button to this toolbar to call a function.
   
   
   

New Free Access Database Templates

Over the past month I have made available a number of new free open-code Access databases:

1. Two of my new Access 2007 database templates , Advanced Issues Tracker and Meeting Tracker, are featured on the Official US Office 2007 Templates Site. Both these templates have 4-star user-ratings and are holding their own against the official Microsoft templates.
   
   
2. From my web-site, aadconsulting.com, you can also download:

• By popular demand an Access 2003 version of the Advanced Issues Tracker database,
  
• A new Case (Project) Manager Access 2003 database, and
• A new Donations database for Access 2000 or later.

All these databases have modern GUI's and enhanced functionality. All except the Donations MDB use only embedded macros and are aimed at introducing new users to the code-free capabilities of Access.

VB6 Security Update

Microsoft has today released Visual Basic 6.0 Service Pack 6 oleaut32.DLL Security Update to fix a security issue that could allow an attacker to compromise a computer running Microsoft Visual Basic 6.0 Service Pack 6.

Finding Dependencies in SQL Server 2005

Tim Chapman from TechRepublic.com shows you how to write a procedure that will look up all of the objects that are dependent upon other objects in a SQL Server database.

Latest SQL Server 2005 Fixes

FIX: Error message when you run a complex query after you install Cumulative Update 3 or Cumulative Update 4 for SQL Server 2005 Service Pack 2: 'The query processor ran out of internal resources and could not produce a query plan'

FIX: you receive incorrect data from SQL Server 2000 Analysis Services after you use the Page Heap tool (Pageheap.exe) to troubleshoot heap corruption issues

Scaling Access Forms

An open source VBA module for scaling Access forms for different display resolutions has been posted at SourceForge.

It is worth a look. I quickly tested the code in Access 2003, and for vanilla Access forms, it seems to work OK, subject to some tweaking(?):

• Comment out the first line in the module
  Attribute VB_Name = "modScaleForm"
  as it does not compile and appears redundant
  
  
• Change this line of code
  Dim fw As New clFormWindow
  to
  Dim fw As New Form
  as there is no such class module and using the Form object seems to work
  
  
• Font-scaling needs attention

In Access 2007, you can use the new native Anchoring property for form controls to achieve scaling, but don't use these techniques on complex forms with subforms or tab controls, as the result is less than satisfactory...

Useful Access 2007 Demos

Up to speed with Access 2007

Use control layouts on forms and reports

Collect data in Access 2007 by using e-mail

Bring your business data together in an Access database

Windows Vista and the 2007 Office system — better together

Find what you need faster with the redesigned Office Online

Meet the Navigation Pane

Office 2007 Ribbon XML File Reviewer Freeware

Click on the image to zoom in...

My new Access freeware tool provides advanced Office 2007 Ribbon XML file review features. Open your Ribbon XML file in the Reviewer to review the Ribbon's full menu hierarchy in a tree-view with all control attributes detailed in an adjacent panel. Extensive reference resources are also incorporated into the GUI.

Download (Requires Access 2007)

You can also try the free BETA 2 of Access 2007 RibbonX Reviewer and Builder Add-In

The Future of VBA?

A reading through this post, VBA in Office 14, on the Access Team Blog, seems to confirm that Office 14 will mark the beginning of the end for VBA.

This should be no surprise. Bill Gates in the months preceding the release of Office 2003, flagged that VBA would be demoted if not dumped in the version of Office after Office 12.

I have added my 2 cents to the debate in a comment to the post.

New Access Downloads Portal

Check out the new MS Silverlight Downloads Center. This is a link to the Access portal on the site.

How do I… Transfer data from a Word form to an Access database?

This is an excellent article from TechRepublic.com blogger, Mark Kaelin, on how to use a Word form to collect data for an Access database, even when the user's PC does not have Access installed.

Support WebCast:
Introduction to the Access 2007 Outlook Add-in for Data Collection and Publishing

Friday, February 15, 2008 10:00 AM Pacific Time

This Support WebCast from Microsoft will help you understand the features and capabilities provided by the Microsoft Access Outlook Add-in for Data Collection and Publishing. Register

Collect Data for an Access 2007 Database Using Outlook Emails

TechRepublic.com Office blogger, Mary Ann Richardson, has posted a very useful article on how to use the new Access 2007 Collect Data Through Outlook E-mail feature to automatically log data submitted by email direclty into an Access 2007 table.

SQL Server 2005 Best Practices Analyzer (January 2008)

This download is the January 2008 release of SQL Server 2005 Best Practices Analyzer (BPA), which gathers data from Microsoft Windows and SQL Server configuration settings.

BPA uses a predefined list of SQL Server 2005 recommendations and best practices to determine if there are potential issues in your SQL Server database environment.

Access Team Blog: For the Latest on Access 2007

The Access Team Blog from Microsoft has over recent weeks been receiving
some serious attention from the Access team at Redmond. I highly recommend that all
Access 20007 developers subscribe to the feed for tips and sample code from the guys who build Access.

A sample of recent posts:

• VBA in Office 14
  17 January 08 12:27 PM


• Four new video demos about reports
  16 January 08 10:40 PM


• Rich formatted text that includes data from fields
  16 January 08 12:45 PM


• Easy Drill Through with Macros
  14 January 08 11:18 PM


• Interactive chart/form filtering code sample
  13 January 08 10:38 PM


• Tips and tricks designing forms and reports
  11 January 08 01:02 AM


• My favorite keyboard commands
  10 January 08 10:28 AM


• New Vehicle Maintenance and Expense Reports database available
  09 January 08 09:15 PM


• Using Hyperlinks in Access: Display As Hyperlink and Is Hyperlink
  09 January 08 08:47 PM


• New Ribbon Reference: RibbonX for Dummies
  06 January 08 02:12 AM

Access 2003 Post-Service Pack Hotfix

The Access 2003 Post-Service Pack 3 Hotfix Package (18-Dec-07) fixes issues that may arise in Access 2003 after installing SP3.

Access 2007 SP1 Problem: "This database is in an unrecognized format"

A user of Access 2007 without SP1 will get an error when trying to open an ACCDE or MDE made using Access 2007 SP1:

This database is in an unrecognized format. The database may have been created with a later version of Microsoft Office Access than the one you are using. Upgrade your version of Microsoft Office Access to the current one, and then open this database.

The only fix is to install SP1.

Details: http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx/kb/946205

SQL Server 2000/2005 Management Pack
12/21/2007 - updated version 6.0.6247.5

The SQL Server Management Pack monitors the availability and performance of SQL Server 2000 and 2005 and can issue alerts for configuration problems. Availability and performance monitoring is done using synthetic transactions. In addition, the Management Pack collects Event Log alerts and provides associated knowledge articles with additional user details, possible causes, and suggested resolutions. The Management Pack discovers Database Engines, Database Instances, and Databases and can optionally discover Database File and Database File Group objects.
Feature Summary:

• Active Directory Helper Service
• SQL Server Agent
• Backup
• Databases and Tables
• DBCC
• Full Text Search
• Log Shipping
• Clustering
• DB availability
• Replication monitoring
• Agent jobs
• Backup Query Engine
• Replication
• Web Assistant
• SQL XML

Access SideBar: New FREE Access Add-In
for Access 2000/2002/2003
Uses only native Access controls: no DLLs or OCXs to install.

I have just uploaded my latest free Access Add-In.

The Access SideBar is the easy way to navigate objects in your Access MDB.

After opening an object the SideBar is hidden, and pops-up again by moving your mouse to the left edge of the screen.

The SideBar window size is independent of the size of the Access application window, so you can locate all objects without resizing the application window. A custom right-click pop-up menu gives easy access to useful Access Menu commands that are otherwise in disparate locations.

Office 2003 Developer Content on MSDN

Microsoft MSDN staffer, Erika Ehrli in her Adventures in Office Development and .NET blog has published a very useful image map of all the Office 2003 Developer content on the MDSN portal in this post: Where in the World is all the Office 2003 Developer Content?.

This is a screenshot of the image map:

Tips On Using Office 2007 Help

Video: Quick Tips on using VBA Help with Office There are some quick and easy things you can do to make sure you are getting the optimal VBA Developer Help experience when working with the 2007 Office System. Watch this three minute video to learn more. From the Office Client Developer Content and Resources portal.

Guide to Migrating from Microsoft Access to SQL Server 2005

This white paper from Microsoft covers migrating Access databases to SQL Server 2005, and discusses the differences between the two platforms.

SQL Server Migration Assistant for Access (SSMA Access) is recommended as the best tool for this type of migration, and the paper tells you how to use it to mitigate potential problems in database conversion. For additional information, also see the white paper Microsoft Access or SQL Server 2005: What's Right in Your Organization?

Access Files Security Warning

From www.infoworld.com:

Online criminals are exploiting a flaw in the Microsoft Office Access database to install unauthorized software on computers, the United States Computer Emergency Readiness Team (US-CERT) warned Monday.

In its brief warning, US-CERT offered few details on the attack, saying simply that the organization is "aware of active exploitation" of the problem by criminals who have sent specially crafted Microsoft Access Database (.mdb) files to victims.

These files are "designed for the sole purpose of executing commands," so they should not be accepted from untrusted sources, Microsoft said in a note on its Web site.

Run by the U.S. Department of Defense, US-CERT is charged with coordinating the nation's response to cyberattacks.

Companies typically block the use of .mdb files, but criminals could be using this attack in a targeted strike against an organization that is known to use this particular file-type, said Ben Greenbaum, senior manager for Symantec security response. Symantec itself has seen no evidence of the .mdb exploitation that prompted the US-CERT alert.

Office 2007 Service Pack 1 (SP1) Now Available

You can now download the just released Office 2007 SP1. Get more information from Description of the 2007 Microsoft Office suite Service Pack 1.

I recommend you go to the Microsoft Update site to get all updates required for Windows, IE, and all Office versions, as MS has today also released a swathe of updates for Windows, IE, and other Office versions.

Also Secunia Site Inspector will provide direct links to security updates it identifies as being needed.

Windows XP Service Pack 3 Overview

Microsoft has released a white paper summarizing what is new in Windows XP SP3.

Access Junkie: THE Access 2007 Portal

Jeff Conrad, MVP Alumni and Software Development Engineer at Microsoft, has recently updated his uber cool Access 2007 portal, Access Junkie, with a swathe of new resources:

• Access 2007 FAQ Page
• Access 2007 Help Articles Page

For anything Access 2007, this site must be your first stop.

Office 2007 Office SP1 to be released Tuesday December 11th

Next Tuesday, December 11th 2007, the Office System team at Microsoft expects to announce the availability for download of the 2007 Microsoft® Office System Service Pack 1 (SP1). This is sooner than previously announced.

SP1 is said to deliver significant stability and performance improvements to Office applications.

The use of Automatic Update (AU) Deployment has been an issue for MS customers in recent months, and SP1 will not be released to AU immediately.

For more information go to the Office Download Site.

SQL Server 2005 Books Online (September 2007)

SQL Server 2005 Books Online (September 2007) Download an updated version of the documentation and tutorials for Microsoft SQL Server 2005. See the "Additional Information" section for an update on SQL Server Express Books Online.

Virtual Lab: What's New in SQL Server 2008 for Database Administrators

What's New in SQL Server 2008 for Database Administrators Sponsored by Microsoft. In this lab, you will be introduced to some of the new features for database administrators in SQL Server 2008, including how to work with the new date data type, implement a Declarative Management Framework (DMF) policy, and more.

SQL Server Compact 3.5 Tools: Replicate SQL Server 2005 Data

SQL Server Compact 3.5 is a small footprint, in-process database engine that allows developers to build robust applications for Windows Desktops and Mobile Devices. SQL Server Compact 3.5 Server Tools installs DLL's on the IIS server enabling replication of data with SQL Server 2005.

NEW: Office Live Add-in for Microsoft Office

Open and save documents directly from Microsoft Office Word, Office Excel, and Office PowerPoint to Microsoft Office Live Workspace Beta.

The Office Live Add-In will install new menu options allowing you to open and save documents directly from Microsoft Office Word, Office Excel, and Office PowerPoint to Microsoft Office Live Workspace Beta.

The Office Live Add-in will install new menu options in Microsoft Office 2007 and a toolbar in Microsoft Office XP and Microsoft Office 2003. You will be able to open documents located in Office Live Workspace directly from Microsoft Office Word, Office Excel, and Office PowerPoint. You will also be able to save files directly from Microsoft Office Word, Office Excel, and Office PowerPoint to your Microsoft Office Live Workspace.

You can pre-register for Microsoft Office Live Workspace at http://workspace.officelive.com.

SQL Server Compact 3.5 Updates

SQL Server Compact 3.5 is a small footprint in-process database engine for Windows Desktops and Mobile Devices.

SQL Server Compact 3.5 and Synchronization Services for ADO.Net v1.0 for Windows Desktop This download contains the files for SQL Server Compact 3.5 and Synchronization Services for ADO.Net v1.0 for Windows Desktop platform.

SQL Server Compact 3.5 Books Online and Samples This download contains the Books Online and Samples for SQL Server Compact 3.5.

SQL Server Compact 3.5 for Windows Mobile This download contains the CAB files and DLL’s that are used to install SQL Server Compact 3.5 on the Windows Mobile Devices platform.

Microsoft Visual Studio Tools for the Office 2007 (v3.0 Runtime) (x86)

This free download (1.9mb) installs the Visual Studio Tools for the Office system 3.0 Runtime, which is required to run VSTO solutions for the 2007 Microsoft Office system built using Microsoft Visual Studio 2008.

Latest SQL Server News

Download the SQL Server 2008 July CTP

Now Available: SQL Server Compact 3.5 Beta SQL Server Compact 3.5 Beta 2 introduces a host of new features, including LINQ to SQL support, Microsoft Synchronization Services for ADO.NET, plus enhanced support for T-SQL statements

SQL Server 2005 Driver for PHP CTP

FIX: SQL Server 2005 may send error information for the same problem many times when a fatal error occurs

FIX: Some events are not logged correctly when you enable SQL Server event forwarding on a SQL Server Agent of SQL Server 2000 to forward events to SQL Server 2005

New Office 2007 Security Tool

Microsoft is scheduled to release a software tool to better tweak the security settings of Office 2007. The application offers detailed documentation of the security settings in Office 2007, as well as a free Group Publish PostPolicy Object Accelerator that allows administrators to change and set security policies across users through Active Directory. Full story

BETA 2 of Custom RibbonX Reviewer for Access 2007

Click on the image to zoom in...

Download the just released free BETA 2 of my Access 2007 RibbonX Reviewer and Builder Add-In

BETA 2 provides advanced Access 2007 RibbonX review and build features, and is now deployed as an Access 2007 Add-In. You can create new Ribbons, copy/paste controls, and add new controls and delete controls on-the-fly. Extensive reference resources are incorporated into the GUI.

The next update will add the editing of control attributes.

Installation is now via a SetUp.exe file which includes the required DLL's and OCX's. The XML Preview Pane requires IE v 6.x or later. Make sure you read the readme.txt file.

Office 2007 Security Guide

The 2007 Microsoft Office Security Guide (9Nov07) provides prescriptive Group Policy setting and security configuration recommendations to help strengthen the security of computers running the 2007 Microsoft Office release on computers that run Windows Vista or Windows XP in domain–based environments.

Web Seminar Series on Office 2007 Open XML

Microsoft Web Seminars 2007 Microsoft Office System Open XML
Sponsored by Microsoft December 10-20, 10:00 AM PST (USA)

Open XML builds on the original vision of XML, where broad inter-operability allows documents to be archived, restructured, aggregated and re-used dynamically. This Web seminar series will cover Open XML Architecture, programming with the Packaging API, WordprocessingML, SpreadsheetML, DrawingML Fundamentals, and PresentationML.

Free Web Seminar On SQL Server Security

On October 30, 2007 Windows IT Pro Magazine is presenting a free web Seminar on SQL Server Security: How to Secure, Monitor and Audit Your Databases. Register

Most companies remain focused on the security of the perimeter and ignore the database. This seminar will discuss the basics of database security and best practice for securing, monitoring and auditing SQL Server.

Other topics to be covered:

• The three layers of security in most systems today
• Why secure the database layer?
• Challenges securing the database layer
• Best practices for securing, monitoring & auditing SQL Server databases
• Tools to help secure SQL Server

Latest SQL Server 2005 Hotfixes

FIX: Error message when you run a query that references a column of the XML data type in SQL Server 2005: "The XML data type is damaged".

FIX: Error message when you try to delete some stored procedures concurrently in SQL Server 2005: "Temp table deferred drop doesn't scale for certain workloads".

Latest SQL Server 2005 Resources

• Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Service Pack 2 SQL Server 2005 SP2 includes significant enhancements to maintenance plans, including an enhancement that lets users specify the cleanup interval in hours. SQL Server 2005 service packs are cumulative, and this service pack upgrades all service levels of SQL Server 2005 to SP2.
  
  
• How To: Determine the version of SQL Server 2005 Integration Services
  
  
• How To: Use Excel Services as a data source in Microsoft Office PerformancePoint Server 2007 Monitoring and Analytics

Latest Office 2007 Resources

• 2007 Office System Sample: Setting Up a Development Environment This code sample accompanies the MSDN technical article Setting Up a Development Environment for the 2007 Microsoft Office System.
  
  
• 2007 Office Sample: Using the Office Open XML Formats to Support Electronic Health Records Portability and Health Industry Standards
  
  
• 2007 Office Document: Open XML Markup Explained

Automatically Schedule Access Reports For Printing

If you say need to print an Access report by 10:00 every Friday morning, you don’t have to do it manually. Follow this great tip from Tech Republic's Mary Ann Richardson.

Add Addtional Files to Access 2007 Deployment Packages

This How To shows you how to add an add-in to an Access 2007 deployment package using the Package Solution Wizard, containing your application, the Microsoft Office Access 2007 Runtime, and additional files.

Additional links:

• Deploying Access 2007 Runtime-Based Solutions

• Access Developer Portal

• Introducing the Access 2007 Developer Extensions and Runtime

• Microsoft Office Developer Center

Office Business Applications Developer Portal

This Microsoft Office 2007 Portal provides a comprehensive set of servers, clients, and tools to make it easier for enterprises, software vendors, and developers to build and deploy a new class of business applications called Office Business Applications (OBAs).

Latest SQL Server 2005 Fixes

. FIX: An access violation may occur intermittently when you run an Integration Services package that contains a Data Flow task in SQL Server 2005

. FIX: On a computer that is running SQL Server 2005 and that has multiple processors, you may receive incorrect results when you run a query that contains an inner join

NEW: Access 2003 to Access 2007 Interactive Command Reference Guide

Download a visual interactive reference guide to help you find Access 2003 commands in the new Access 2007 Ribbonbars.

You can also download the Access Ribbon mapping workbook, an Excel file that lists the commands on each tab of the Access 2007 Ribbon and the menu/toolbar location in previous versions of Access. Instructions on the first tab of the workbook provide tips for customizing, finding, and printing data.

Protect Your Access MDE's

I was reminded today of the security leaks that exist in MDEs. While the VBA code is stripped, declarations and procedure stubs are retained in the MDE file, and object designs can be hacked.

There are some on the Web, who should know better, selling so-called MDE unlockers and protectors. Ethically, there are two issues here:

1. These apps are marketed as protection aids, but they can also be used by the unscrupulous to do the opposite: get past MDE protection of someone else's database.
   
   
2. How these apps do what they do is not a secret and can be done by anyone with retail Access. If you want to improve the protection of your MDEs or you genuinely need to get into one of your MDE's, before spending any money on these products, read on.
   

On 1 May 2004, I posted on the MDE security issues and protection. The post has been updated and is set out below. Please note that the following does not apply to Access 2007 and ACCDE's, but can be applied to Access 2003 MDB's secured in Access 2003 and then compiled as an MDE in Access 2007. For reasons unknown Microsoft removed Access security from Access 2007.

Did you know that:

1. You can access the Start-Up properties (such as disabling the Shift key bypass) of an MDE through another MDB and change each property.

2. You can open an unsecured MDE with the Shift key, press Ctrl+G to open the Debug window, press F2 to open the Object Browser, and then search all the code modules for procedure stubs, declarations, and constants.

3. You can import all the form and report objects but not the code from an unsecured MDE into an MDB.

Securing An Access Database

To effectively secure an Access MDB you MUST demote the Admin user from the Admins group. Otherwise your database will not be secure, as Admin cannot be removed from the Users group, and anyone using the retail system.mdw file logs on automatically as Admin.

1. Use the Access Workgroup Administrator (AWA), wrkgadm.exe, to create a new workgroup (.mdw) file.

2. Join the new workgroup using the AWA.

3. Make a backup copy of your MDB.

4. Open Access and the database to be secured.

5. Using Tools, Security, User and Group Accounts..., in the User and Group Accounts dialog:

5.1 Create a password for Admin user.

5.2 Create a new user account. This account will be the new database owner account. For example, call the owner account DBOwner. Add "DBOwner" to all groups, including the critical Admins group.

5. Close and re-open Access, logging on as "DbOwner", and leaving the password blank, as you have not assigned one yet.

7. In the User and Group Accounts dialog, demote the Admin user account by removing it from the Admins group. Now Admin is only a member of the Users group and will have only those permissions assigned to that group by "DBOwner".

8. Create a password for "DBOwner".

9. Close and re-open Access, logging on as "DBOwner" using the password you created in step 8.

10. You can now start to secure the objects in you database.

11. In Access 2000 and later, you also need to additonally secure your code by using Password Protection in the VBA Editor.

Special Notes:

• You don't have to distribute your MDW file with your MDE to protect it using this method
  
  
• A User account inherits the permissions of the Group to which it belongs.

Testing:

I have tested an MDE protected with Access security and Password Protection in the VBA Editor with the demos of these two products: Access MDE Unlocker and Access MDE Source Protector, and both products failed to unlock the MDE.

You should test your own MDEs before distribution.

Caveat:

There is no bullet-proof protection against an expert hacker.

Office 2003 Document: Office 2003 Service Pack 3 White Paper

This white paper discusses the benefits of deploying Microsoft Office 2003 Service Pack 3 (SP3) before upgrading to the 2007 Microsoft Office system, and details improvements to security and user experience.

Access 2007 Pain: RibbonBar

I was never a fan of the RibbonBar gui in Office 2007, but was ready to accept the need to work with it.

But at each step in the learning process , there is nothing but frustration. And I am not alone: read the comments to a post on the Access Team Blog.

A partial random list of annoyances:

1. There is no way to build or even review RibbonBars natively in Access 2007.
   
   
2. The XML for a RibbonBar does not parse in MS XML Notepad or by using the MSXML dlls - the XML needs to be modified to be read.
   
   
3. Using more than one period (.) in a row in a label breaks the XML.
   
   
4. There is no easy way to get the ImageID of a native image: you have to download an obscurely located Excel file.
   
   
5. The MS Custom Office UI Editor returns malformed XML errors by referring to the line and character number, but - you guessed it - the Editor screen has neither.
   
   
6. There is next to nothing on customizing the RibbonBar in the Access Help file. The only articles where you can get any coherent information have been written by third parties.
   
   
7. If you want to preview a native RibbonBar image in an Access form, you can't use the Access image control - you have to use the MS Forms image control, which is not fully supported in Access.

In one of the comments to the above-mentioned post, well-known Access writer Mike Groh, said:

"Without intellisense and without an Object Browser view of the ribbon hierarchy, it's very, very difficult to make headway on ribbon customization."

A correction: The RibbonBar gui does not have an object model, so the hierarchy has to be viewed in some other way.

On 20 Sep I posted my Custom RibbonX Reviewer BETA, for free download. The Reviewer loads a custom RibbonBar into a treeview to show the full hierarchy, and all attributes and values for each item, as well as displaying the actual RibbonBar. There are also extensive reference resources incorporated into the GUI. The next stage in the project is to deploy the app as an add-in that will work inside the users' ACCDB, and provide in-place editing of RibbonBars using a pseudo-object model.

I sent an email to the Access Team Blog on this app, in the hope I would get some support or feedback. The email has been ignored.

Excel 2007 Calculation Bug!

Microsoft has confirmed that Excel 2007 incorrectly displays the result of a calculation in 12 specific cases where a result should equal around 65,535. The issue is not in the calculation itself but in the result that is shown in the sheet.

For example, =850*77.1 will display an incorrect value, but if you then multiply the result by 2, you will get the correct answer (i.e. if A1 contains “=850*77.1”, and A2 contains “=A1*2”, A2 will return the correct answer of 131,070).

A patch is in the works. More

Office 2007 White Papers: Digital Signing and The New GUI

2007 Office System Document: Digital Signing of Microsoft 2007 Office System Documents The 2007 Microsoft Office system provides many security improvements over its predecessors, including digital document signing. This white paper introduces the reader to digital signatures: what they are and how to use them.

2007 Office System Document: The Microsoft Office Fluent User Interface: Information Worker Perception of Productivity, Training, and Support Requirements This white paper presents the results of a Forrester Research study commissioned by Microsoft to help organizations and individuals understand the benefits of the Fluent user interface and address some of the challenges they may have in transitioning to Microsoft Office 2007.

2007 Office System Document: The Microsoft Office Fluent User Interface: IT Decision-Maker Perception of Productivity, Training, and Support Requirements This white paper presents the results of a Forrester Research study commissioned by Microsoft to help IT organizations considering Microsoft Office 2007 adoptions anticipate the impact of the new Fluent user interface on their end users.

Custom RibbonX Reviewer for Access 2007


Click on the image to zoom in...

I am making available a free BETA of my Access 2007 RibbonX Reviewer for download. Make sure you read the readme file.

This is very much a stage 1 app, with the aim being in the next stage to deploy it as an add-in that will work inside the users' ACCDB, and eventually to provide in-place editing of Ribbonbars. I put the BETA out now, so that any bugs can identified before I go too far into the next stage.

Open the file RibbonXReview.accde in Access 2007 to review sample Access 2000 RibbonBars using the USysRibbons table.

Theres are also extensive reference resources incorporated into the GUI.

You can load your own USysRibbons table by importing it into the ACCDE and replacing the sample USysRibbons table.

Download Office 2003 Service Pack 3 (SP3)

Download Office 2003 Service Pack 3 (SP3). SP3 includes updated security and previously released hotfixes.

Some of the changes in Service Pack 3 modify the behavior of Office 2003, including changes that disable some features by default and increase control for computer administrators. Changes include:

• Office 2003 can no longer open or save certain file formats. For more information, see Microsoft Knowledge Base Article 938810.
• MAPI forms do not run in public folders and user folders. For more information, see Microsoft Knowledge Base Article 938816.
• Office 2003 can now be configured to allow or deny specific COM components. For more information, see Microsoft Knowledge Base Article 938815.
• Some COM components with unusual characteristics may not function as expected. For more information, see Microsoft Knowledge Base Article 938814.
• Changes have been made to the behavior of Microsoft Office Document Imaging. For more information, see Microsoft Knowledge Base Article 938813.
• Attachments with the .gadget extension can no longer be opened in Outlook. For more information, see Microsoft Knowledge Base Article 938811.
• Access add-ins can no longer be configured for use by all users. For more information, see Microsoft Knowledge Base Article 938809.
• The Fast Save setting in Microsoft Office Word has been removed. For more information, see Microsoft Knowledge Base Article 938808.
• Documents saved in certain formats no longer contain the version number of Office. For more information, see Microsoft Knowledge Base Article 938807.
• Certain macros in older Excel file formats have increased security. For more information, see Microsoft Knowledge Base Article 938806.

Known issues after you install Office 2003 SP3:

• After you install a Microsoft Office service pack, you are prompted unexpectedly to restart the computer. For more information about this issue, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: 905726 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/905726/) You are unexpectedly prompted to restart the computer after you install an Office service pack or an Office update
• After you install Office 2003 SP3, an add-in, ActiveX control, or COM add-in may not work as expected in an Office 2003 program. For more information about this issue, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: 938814 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/938814/) The functionality of an add-in, an ActiveX control, or a COM add-in is reduced, or the functionality is blocked after you install Office 2003 Service Pack 3
• After you install Office 2003 SP3, you may receive an error message when you try to create a new MAPI form in Outlook 2003. For more information about this issue, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: 938816 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/938816/) Error message when you try to create a new MAPI form in Outlook 2003: "contact the administrator"
• After you install Office 2003 SP3, attachments that contain the .gadget extension cannot be opened in Outlook 2003. For more information about this issue, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: 938811 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/938811/) Attachments that contain the .gadget extension cannot be opened in Outlook 2003 after you install Office 2003 Service Pack 3
• After you install Office 2003 SP3, the Fast Saves feature does not work as expected in Word 2003. For more information about this issue, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: 938808 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/938808/) The Fast Saves feature in Word 2003 no longer functions after you install Office 2003 Service Pack 3
• After you install Office 2003 SP3, the Microsoft Office Document Imaging program may not work as expected. For more information about this issue, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: 938813 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/938813/) You may experience issues when you run the Microsoft Office Document Imaging program after you install Office 2003 Service Pack 3
• After you install Office 2003 SP3, you may receive an error message when you try to open or to save a file. For more information about this issue, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: 941636 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/941636/) You receive an error message when you try to open a file or to save a file after you install Office 2003 Service Pack 3
• After you install Office 2003 SP3, you cannot open some Microsoft Excel workbooks that contain Microsoft Visual Basic for Applications (VBA) macros. For more information about this issue, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: 938806 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/938806/) You cannot open Microsoft Excel 5.0/95 Workbook files that contain Visual Basic for Applications macros in Excel 2003 after you install Office 2003 Service Pack 3
• After you install Office 2003 SP3, the version number of Office is no longer saved in the properties of the document as expected. For more information about this issue, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: 938807 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/938807/) Office files that are saved in certain formats no longer contain the version number of Office after you install Office 2003 Service Pack 3

Microsoft Office 2003 Service Pack 3 Available Tomorrow

Office 2003 SP3, promising improved security and enhanced compatibility with Windows Vista, Office 2007, Internet Explorer 7 and Windows SharePoint Services, will be available tomorrow (September 18, 2007). Source

Excel 2007 XLL Software Development Kit

Excel 2007 Download: Excel 2007 XLL Software Development Kit The Microsoft Office Excel XLL Software Development Kit (SDK) contains conceptual overviews, programming tasks, and sample projects to guide you in developing Excel 2007 XLLs.

Microsoft Visual Studio 2005 Tools for Office Second Edition Runtime

The Microsoft Visual Studio 2005 Tools for Office Second Edition (VSTO 2005 SE) redistributable package (build 8.0.50272.891) (x86) installs the Visual Studio Tools for Office runtime, which is required to run solutions built using VSTO 2005 or VSTO 2005 SE.