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I need to make changes to table structures and forms on a MS Access database using UA Business Software 7.0
The problem is that UA hides everything and everything is locked.. It doesn't even look like Access anymore! Has anyone had this problem before? Has anyone found good documentation about this?
UPDATE: Another try, I double clicked on a particular .mdb file which I want to modify but I get the following error message : "Microsoft Access cannot open this file. This file is located outsite your intranet or on an untrusted site. Microsoft Access will not open the file due to potential security problems. To open the file, copy it to your machine or an accessiblenetwork location."
Problem is, the file is already on my local machine. What do I do now?
Shawn
Posted 2011-07-23T16:57:29.843
Reputation: 1 219
Why do you need to make these modifications? – David W. Fenton – 2011-07-24T20:30:38.253
@David W. Fenton : There are multiple reasons, for example: Remove some table fields we don't use so they don't clutter, rename table fields so they represent what they actually do, change the defaults for certain fields to accelerate insertions, add new tables to create many-to-many relashionships, add new fields to certain tables to add information that we need, etc, etc etc. Why do you ask? – Shawn – 2011-07-24T21:03:55.647
Why do you think you should be able to do this with somebody's proprietary software product? – David W. Fenton – 2011-07-27T00:08:12.890
@David W. Fenton : Because it was sold (for a hefty price) as a generic accounting application useful to many different enterprises in many different areas of business. Therefore I assumed it offered a minimal amount of flexibility to its users. Again, why do you ask? – Shawn – 2011-07-27T18:54:00.420
You should read the licensing documents. I doubt you have any legal rights to do what you're attempting to do. If they didn't promise you this flexibility, I have no idea why you'd assume it. – David W. Fenton – 2011-07-28T21:26:40.577
@David Good idea, I will have a look at the license. In the meanwhile, I think it makes sense to assume the software offers enough flexibility to accomplish the task it was meant to accomplish (help various types of enterprises with their accounting needs). Is that too much to ask? Suppose you buy software which helps keep an inventory of products you sell, wouldn't it make sense for it to offer enough flexibility to alter the table which describes the products you keep? Ex: If you need max and min operational temperature fields but these aren't provided, shouldn't you be able to add them? – Shawn – 2011-07-29T17:56:59.077
If I sell you a license to use software I wrote, and you make changes to the components of that software, how is it my software any longer? How can I support what is now an unknown piece of software whose characteristics I don't control? So, no, I don't really think it's reasonable at all to assume such rights as part of licensing any piece of software. Indeed, it would be the extremely rare software license where that would be the case. – David W. Fenton – 2011-07-31T01:44:40.083
Well, the license says I can modify the program for my personal use (aka, I can't sell the modified product) on a one-time basis. I'm not exactly sure what they mean by a "one-time basis", but I've never modified the software before so I suppose I'm OK. On a side note, in this case the modifications I need to make are part of the regular use of such a software. It's like modifying the radix in a scientific calculator. If the calculator supports it, there's no sense in disallowing it. Plus, once you sell me the product, it's mine. How is it your software any longer? – Shawn – 2011-08-01T04:25:00.013
Most software is not owned, but licensed. Check the EULA of any piece of software if you're unconvinced. If the license you have says you have the right to make alterations, that's fine, but that doesn't mean they have to support them or make it easy for you. – David W. Fenton – 2011-08-01T21:25:24.990
Have you watched the tutorial video for Simple Modifications on their website? (http://www.fcs-software.com/uaproductline/uatutorials.html)
– Brian – 2011-08-01T22:57:38.430@Brian Yes but they totally suck. For example, the "Company Connection Wizard" video shows where to go and tells what to do, but doesn't actually do it, so you get no extra information than if you just browse around. It turns out that I can't name the new company I create and it is given the same name as the existing ones and becomes impossible to distinguish. So basically I can't know whether I'm modifying the development database or the operational one. Very useful indeed! – Shawn – 2011-08-05T02:43:49.607
The "Simple Modifications" video is better, I guess, but it doesn't work. When I right-click the object and click "Customize", I get the following message: "Microsoft Access can't find the database file 'C:\Program Files\UA Business Software 7.0\ASD 70 MM Materials XP.mdb' Make sure you entered the correct path and file name." Notice I didn't enter any path or file name. Also, the path in the message is wrong. Any clue how I can provide the correct path (the video obviously doesn't say) ? – Shawn – 2011-08-05T03:14:54.010