I am an experienced programmer, but I am relatively inexperienced in using
VBA. I am working on a project developed by others who no longer work
here, so I have to figure things out on my own. The people on this
newsgroup have been very helpful and I thank you.

Here is my scenario:

I was reading some code and it contained a 'DoCmd.TransferDatabase", an SQL
'INSERT INTO' and a 'DoCmd.RunSQL'. Together they seemed to create a new
table, linked to a table in another database on our server, and loaded with
data from the server database table.

However when I examined the server database I did not see the table that was
being used. I thought that perhaps I was not reading the code correctly.
So I set some breakpoints and started using the VBA debugging facilities.
This was my first time using the debugger and I found it to meet all my
needs quite well. Anyway I confirmed to my satisfaction that I was reading
the code correctly. In the course of learning to use the debugger I printed
out a help page on 'Object Properties" and down at the bottom of the page it
mentioned hidden objects and how to make them visible. This was serendipity.
I followed the instructions and sure enough the table became visible and I
could examine it to obtain the information I needed to understand the code
more fully.

Now this table does not contain highly sensitive information. It simply
contains a list of Switchboard like options to be displayed on a form, from
which the user can select. I think different users have different
authorizations and this controls which options they are presented with. Of
course there is no written documentation on the application and one of my
tasks is to create documentation.

When the table I was looking for appeared I felt both relieved and a little
pissed off. I do see any real reason why this table should be hidden in
this particular way. My question is this: Is it common to hide tables like
this, and if so what do you consider legitimate reasons for doing so.

On Mar 5, 5:25*pm, "Charles Hottel" <chot... (AT) earthlink (DOT) net> wrote:

Hi Charles,

The most important reason for me to hide objects, is that users
“without knowledge” at least have a threshold not to damage the
object.

Imb.

I suspect that the designer did not want the users to see what is basically an
application table and if changes were made to the table then the application
might fail.

I've also seen all (or almost all) tables hidden in a delivered application to
inhibit the users ability to directly access the tables and thereby "go
around" logic built in the entry forms.


John Spencer
Access MVP 2002-2005, 2007-2010
The Hilltop Institute
University of Maryland Baltimore County

On 3/5/2011 5:27 PM, imb wrote:

"John Spencer" <JSPENCER (AT) Hilltop (DOT) umbc> wrote


What makes this a better solution than usinga .mde database?

Charles Hottel wrote:
The question really does not seem to follow. Using an mde database would
prevent users from modifying the design of the objects in the database, not
the data. Hiding the tables is an attempt to protect the data. And as you
discovered, hiding the tables is not really an effective way of protecting
the data in the tables except from non-knowledgeable users. Security by
obscurity only protects data from honest users.

"Bob Barrows" <reb01501 (AT) NOSPAMyahoo (DOT) com> wrote

"Charles Hottel" <chottel (AT) earthlink (DOT) net> wrote

I guess I was thinking that with a .mde the user would not see the source
code and would not know that data from the server was being used. Hoever
you are right, if they see the table they could change the data.