About using the MSysConf table to optimize your linked SQL database (MDB)

Microsoft Office Access 2003

  • It can disable the feature that enables users to save the logon ID and password for a linked SQL database in the Microsoft Access front end.
  • It can optimize how Microsoft Access performs background population of records during idle time by setting the number of rows of data that are retrieved at one time and the number of seconds of delay between each retrieval. Microsoft Access uses a default of 100 records that are returned every 10 seconds if you don't create the MSysConf table.
  • ShowThe structure of the MSysConf table

    The SQL database table MSysConf should have the following structure.

    Column name Data type Allows Null?
    Config A data type that corresponds to a 2-byte integer No
    chValue VARCHAR(255) Yes
    nValue A data type that corresponds to a 4-byte integer Yes
    Comments VARCHAR(255) Yes

    Note  If the data source you're working with is case-sensitive, then use the table and column names exactly as shown.

    ShowThe data in the MSysConf table

    There are three valid records in the MSysConf table. The following table shows what values you should enter in the Config and nValue field. The other columns are reserved for future use, and their contents are ignored.

    Config nValue Meaning
    101 0 Don't allow local storage of the logon ID and password in linked tables.
    101 1 Allow local storage of the logon ID and password in linked tables.
    102 D D is the delay in seconds between each retrieval.
    103 N N is the number of rows retrieved.

    Note  Setting a higher delay time decreases network traffic, but increases the amount of time that read-locks are left on data (if the server uses read-locks).