Access Add-ins

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You can build add-ins for Microsoft® Access to help users manage and analyze their databases. Access includes several add-ins, which are written in Microsoft® Visual Basic® for Applications (VBA). For example, the Linked Table Manager is an add-in that handles the updating of linked tables when the database containing the source tables is moved or renamed. The wizards included with Access are also add-ins.

Access add-ins have the file extension .mda or .mde. A user can open an .mda file and look at the code, unless you have secured the modules by using either user-level security or project-level security. When you create an .mde file, however, all VBA source code is removed. The .mde contains only compiled VBA code, which cannot be viewed by the user. Creating an .mde file is therefore the best way to secure your code, if you are concerned about protecting your source code. For more information about .mda and .mde files, search the Microsoft Access Help index for "MDE files."

When you write code that will run in an Access add-in, use caution when referring to the current database. If you want to refer to the add-in database in which code is currently running, use the CodeProject or CodeData object to return a reference to this database. If you want to refer to the database that is currently open in Access, use the CurrentProject or CurrentData object.

See Also

Building Application-Specific Add-ins | Word Add-ins | Excel Add-ins | PowerPoint Add-ins | Creating Menu Add-ins for Access | Creating Installable Add-ins for Access | Adding and Removing Command Bars for Word, Excel, and PowerPoint Add-ins | Controlling Word, Excel, and PowerPoint Add-ins from Code | Securing an Access, Excel, PowerPoint, or Word Add-in's VBA Project