About startup options

Microsoft Office Access 2003

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About startup options

You can use startup options to control how a Microsoft Access file looks and behaves when it opens. The startup options apply only to the current Access file.

The startup properties don't override the property settings for a specific toolbar, menu bar, shortcut menu, form, or report. For example, the Menu Bar and Shortcut Menu Bar options in the Startup dialog box don't override the property settings for specific forms or reports that have a custom menu bar or shortcut menu. Thus, when you open a form or report, Microsoft Access displays the custom menu bar attached to the form or report instead of the global menu bar specified in the Startup dialog box.

You can also create an AutoExec macro to carry out an action whenever an Access file opens. You can use the Startup dialog box instead of or in addition to an AutoExec macro. An AutoExec macro runs after the startup options have taken effect; therefore, you should avoid any actions in an AutoExec macro that change the effect of the startup option settings. For example, if you specify a form in the Display Form/Page box in the Startup dialog box, and you also use the OpenForm action in an AutoExec macro, Microsoft Access first displays the form specified in the Startup dialog box, then immediately displays the form specified in the OpenForm action.

Caution  Macros can contain viruses, so you must be careful about running them. Take the following precautions: run up-to-date antivirus software on your computer; set your macro security level to high; use digital signatures; maintain a list of trusted sources of macros.

In a Microsoft Access database, if user-level security has been defined for your database, you can prevent users from changing the settings in the Startup dialog box by making sure they haven't been granted Administer permission for the database.