By default, Microsoft Office Access 2007 disables a number of database objects unless you apply a digital signature to them or you place the database in a trusted location. The information in this article lists the components that Office Access 2007 disables.

• Components that Office Access 2007 disables

• How to enable a disabled database

Components that Office Access 2007 disables

By default, Access 2007 opens all databases in Disabled mode — that is, it turns off all executable content unless the database contains a digital signature or the database resides in a trusted location. This is true for databases that were created in the new Access 2007 file format and for files created in earlier versions of Access.

Access 2007 disables the following components:

• Visual Basic for Applications (VBA) code and any references in the VBA code.
• Any unsafe expressions. An expression is the same thing as a formula. An unsafe expression contains functions that could allow a user to modify the database or gain access to resources outside the database.
• Unsafe actions in all macros. Unsafe actions are any actions that could allow a user to modify the database or gain access to resources outside the database. However, actions that Access disables can sometimes be considered safe. For example, if you trust the person who created the database, you can trust any unsafe macro actions in the database.
• Several types of queries:
  • Action Queries  These add, update, and delete data.
  • Data Definition Language (DDL) Queries  These are used to create or alter objects in a database, such as tables and procedures.
  • SQL Pass Through Queries  These send commands directly to a database server that supports the Open Database Connectivity (ODBC) standard. Pass-through queries work with the tables on the server without involving the Access database engine.
• ActiveX controls.

 Top of Page

How to enable a disabled database

Office Access 2007 provides two ways to enable any disabled components. You can apply a digital signature to the database, or you can use the Trust Center to create a trusted location and then place the database in that trusted location. Note that some functions and expressions may still be disabled by Access sandbox mode.

For information about Access 2007 security, click the links in the See Also section of this article.

 Top of Page