Small-Scale App - Which Tools to Use? lankford 24.02.2006 03:28:38 Hi all. I have a few specific objectives for a small-scale app I am developing, and I am struggling to make the right choices on which set of tools to use. Here's the deal: - Source dataset of about 50,000 rows, sitting in an Access DB. - Want to use Excel as the the "presentation layer" of certain rows, formatted and presented in a very particular way. - A semi-complex form will sit "in between" the source dataset and the Excel presentation layer. It is through this form that the user will make selections that determine what appears in the Excel worksheet. So far I'm sure this sounds easy -- just stick the source dataset in one Excel sheet, build an Excel UserForm, and filter the results onto a main "presentation" sheet in the same Excel workbook. But here's the challenge: It is critically important that users should NEVER be able to see the full source dataset all at once. They should only see the handful of rows they are presented with based on selections in the form. I could hide/protect the sheet in Excel, but I understand this is easily hackable. I can't take that chance. I also need to deploy this via CD as a stand-alone app to a large number of users. So, I'm considering keeping the source data in Access, building a VB form (via Visual Studio 2005), and then passing the filtered data to Excel for presentation. Q - But is Access really any more secure than Excel? What would I have to do to the Access file to be virtually assured that no one can hack through the password and see the data table? Q - Would I be able to deploy to users who don't have Access on their machines? Q - Is there a way in VS 2005 to build the EXE such that the MDB file is never "exposed" (and therefore not possible for the user to try to open)? Q - Am I missing an easy alternative here? I feel like this is pretty simple and should be achievable, yet I'm feeling stuck due to the data security concern. Many thanks.