Launch/Open an MS Access Database Using a VBScript

Have you ever tried to make a shortcut to launch/open an MS Access database and had an error returned because the Target string was too long? Or do you simply need more control/flexibility from your launching routine. In that case, a VBScript is the ideal way to go. Below is the most basic format that the VBScript can take. Simply alter the Script Variables, Save and execute!

I have made the following as flexible as possible so it can open simple database files, as well as security enabled database. It is simply a question of assigning values to the Script Variables or not.

I truly hope this helps you out!

'*******************************************************************************
'Date:		2008-05-27
'Author:	Daniel Pineault / CARDA Consultants Inc.
'		http://www.cardaconsultants.com
'Copyright:	You are free to use the following code as you please so long as
'		this header remains unaltered.
'Purpose:	Launch the specified access database
'Revision:	2008-05-27   Initial Release
'*******************************************************************************

	Dim sAcc
	Dim sFrontEnd
	Dim sSec
	Dim sUser
	Dim objShellDb
	Dim sComTxt

'Script Configuration Variable
'*******************************************************************************
	'Specify the Fullpath and filename of the msaccess executable
	sAcc = "C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\OFFICE11\msaccess.exe"
	'Specify the Fullpath and filename of the database to launch
	sFrontEnd = "D:\Main\My Documents\TestDb.mdb"
	'If your database is secured by an mdw file specify it below, otherwise
	'leave its value blank
	sSec = "C:\Databases\Security.mdw"
	'If your database is secured by an mdw file and you want to specify the
	'username to use specify it below, otherwise leave its value blank
	sUser = ""


'*******************************************************************************
'*******************************************************************************
'You should not need to edit anything below this point
'*******************************************************************************
'*******************************************************************************


'Launch database
'*******************************************************************************
	Set objShellDb = CreateObject("WScript.Shell")
	'Build the command to launch the database
	sComTxt = chr(34) & sAcc & chr(34) &_
		  " " & chr(34) & sFrontEnd & chr(34) 
	if isNull(sSec)=False AND sSec<>"" Then
		sComTxt = sComTxt & " /wrkgrp " & chr(34) & sSec & chr(34)
	End if
	if isNull(sUser)=False AND sUser<>"" Then
		sComTxt = sComTxt & " /user " & sUser
	End if
	objShellDb.Run sComTxt 'Launch the database

18 responses on “Launch/Open an MS Access Database Using a VBScript”

David September 14, 2010 at 6:38 pm

Thank you for this post. I been trying to find out how-to accomplish exactly this and haven’t been able to find a clear and concise example, well, until I came across your excellent website.

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!

Adam February 1, 2011 at 3:44 am

Dan you are a legend

I needed this for my citrix environment and it works a treat.

Thanks alot man.

admin Post authorFebruary 1, 2011 at 3:02 pm

I don’t know about being a legend, but I like a lot of other people out here (online) just enjoy being able to share our knowledge and help others out! If I can pass along some of what I have learnt the long and hard way so that others in similar situations can be spared the time and frustrations, and given a leg up on their work, it is my pleasure to do so.

Thank you for your feedback. I truly appreciate knowing that this site is useful and worth my energies.

Adam February 10, 2011 at 2:03 am

Dan that is a very gracious attitude and I hope it rubs off onto more people.

Do you have any knowledge on how to set the macro security level in access to low using your script?

I have previously been able to set the security through other means (shown below), but I’m not sure how to combine that functionality with your script..

Set oAccess=Createobject (“Access.Application”)
oAccess. automationsecurity=1
oAccess.opencurrentdatabase “Database.mdb”

admin Post authorFebruary 10, 2011 at 11:47 am

I’m afraid i do not. Furthermore, it would defeat the purpose of such security if you could merely change it using standard coding. Your best bet would bet to post your question in a good forum. Give as much detail as possible, explain what you are trying to accomplish, and even the why you are trying to do it and people will offer you solutions to your question.

Dan November 15, 2011 at 6:18 pm

Fan-Tastic. I have an awful old MS Access DB that needs to be running on my server, but sometimes it chokes, so I needed a nice script to kill it and restart it.

This started it up perfectly. Thank you!

-dan

lillette February 19, 2017 at 10:25 pm

Thanks, what if i want to run a function?

Kelly March 13, 2017 at 3:22 pm

Hello. Thank you for this code. Would this be used for a 2013 Access db? I’m having a hard time getting this to work.

Daniel Pineault Post authorMarch 13, 2017 at 7:31 pm

Yes, it should work without issue. I created it back in 2008, so that would mean it was working with Access 2007 and beyond.

What problem are you having?

Carl April 8, 2017 at 10:28 am

Thanks and here is a novice question as I’m new to all of this stuff. Where exactly do you put this code? I work for a company and have been trying to use access to help with our data. We have a network but I’m not an admin. Thanks.

Daniel Pineault Post authorApril 9, 2017 at 7:22 am

Create a new txt file using Notepad.
Copy/Paste the vbscript for the site into the txt file.
Save it. You can give it the name you’d like.
Go and rename the txt file from YourFileName.txt to YourFileName.vbs

You now have a vbscript.
You can continue to edit it with any standard text editor.
Double-click on it to run it.

sandy October 22, 2018 at 2:33 pm

This works if you’re using a network drive or one drive.
it does not works for sharepoint location.
Any help pleae

Daniel Pineault Post authorOctober 23, 2018 at 7:44 am

I wish I could help, but I do not use SharePoint (it couldn’t do what we needed when we looked into it and from a database perspective the list limitations just don’t make sense). Your best bet is to ask your question in a forum (utteraccess.com is an excellent one!) and someone there with direct SharePoint experience may be able to better guide you.

Best of luck to you.

Agua August 3, 2019 at 2:49 pm

Thanks a lot, it works like a charm.

kim September 25, 2019 at 11:32 am

can you take me one step further and tell me where to put the script and how it actually gets distributed to users? Sorry I am novice with the VBA

Daniel Pineault Post authorSeptember 26, 2019 at 4:41 pm

You create a text file and copy/paste the code. Alter the paths to what your paths are and save. Then change the file extension to .vbs

Now you can give a copy to each user, when they double-click it should launch your database.

Peter Boissevain January 18, 2023 at 9:45 am

Hi Daniel, Is this script tested with the latest Office 365 version?

Daniel Pineault Post authorJanuary 18, 2023 at 10:10 am

This is an old version in which you hard code every value, so it should work just fine. The best way to know is to simply test it out. That said, my current approach is to use the approach from https://www.devhut.net/vba-determine-executable-path-for-given-application/ instead of hardcoding the exe path.

David September 14, 2010 at 6:38 pm

Thank you for this post. I been trying to find out how-to accomplish exactly this and haven’t been able to find a clear and concise example, well, until I came across your excellent website.

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!
Adam February 1, 2011 at 3:44 am

Dan you are a legend

I needed this for my citrix environment and it works a treat.

Thanks alot man.
1. admin Post authorFebruary 1, 2011 at 3:02 pm
  
  I don’t know about being a legend, but I like a lot of other people out here (online) just enjoy being able to share our knowledge and help others out! If I can pass along some of what I have learnt the long and hard way so that others in similar situations can be spared the time and frustrations, and given a leg up on their work, it is my pleasure to do so.
  
  Thank you for your feedback. I truly appreciate knowing that this site is useful and worth my energies.
Adam February 10, 2011 at 2:03 am

Dan that is a very gracious attitude and I hope it rubs off onto more people.

Do you have any knowledge on how to set the macro security level in access to low using your script?

I have previously been able to set the security through other means (shown below), but I’m not sure how to combine that functionality with your script..

Set oAccess=Createobject (“Access.Application”)
oAccess. automationsecurity=1
oAccess.opencurrentdatabase “Database.mdb”
1. admin Post authorFebruary 10, 2011 at 11:47 am
  
  I’m afraid i do not. Furthermore, it would defeat the purpose of such security if you could merely change it using standard coding. Your best bet would bet to post your question in a good forum. Give as much detail as possible, explain what you are trying to accomplish, and even the why you are trying to do it and people will offer you solutions to your question.
Dan November 15, 2011 at 6:18 pm

Fan-Tastic. I have an awful old MS Access DB that needs to be running on my server, but sometimes it chokes, so I needed a nice script to kill it and restart it.

This started it up perfectly. Thank you!

-dan
lillette February 19, 2017 at 10:25 pm

Thanks, what if i want to run a function?
Kelly March 13, 2017 at 3:22 pm

Hello. Thank you for this code. Would this be used for a 2013 Access db? I’m having a hard time getting this to work.
1. Daniel Pineault Post authorMarch 13, 2017 at 7:31 pm
  
  Yes, it should work without issue. I created it back in 2008, so that would mean it was working with Access 2007 and beyond.
  
  What problem are you having?
Carl April 8, 2017 at 10:28 am

Thanks and here is a novice question as I’m new to all of this stuff. Where exactly do you put this code? I work for a company and have been trying to use access to help with our data. We have a network but I’m not an admin. Thanks.
1. Daniel Pineault Post authorApril 9, 2017 at 7:22 am
  
  Create a new txt file using Notepad.
  Copy/Paste the vbscript for the site into the txt file.
  Save it. You can give it the name you’d like.
  Go and rename the txt file from YourFileName.txt to YourFileName.vbs
  
  You now have a vbscript.
  You can continue to edit it with any standard text editor.
  Double-click on it to run it.
sandy October 22, 2018 at 2:33 pm

This works if you’re using a network drive or one drive.
it does not works for sharepoint location.
Any help pleae
1. Daniel Pineault Post authorOctober 23, 2018 at 7:44 am
  
  I wish I could help, but I do not use SharePoint (it couldn’t do what we needed when we looked into it and from a database perspective the list limitations just don’t make sense). Your best bet is to ask your question in a forum (utteraccess.com is an excellent one!) and someone there with direct SharePoint experience may be able to better guide you.
  
  Best of luck to you.
Agua August 3, 2019 at 2:49 pm

Thanks a lot, it works like a charm.
kim September 25, 2019 at 11:32 am

can you take me one step further and tell me where to put the script and how it actually gets distributed to users? Sorry I am novice with the VBA
1. Daniel Pineault Post authorSeptember 26, 2019 at 4:41 pm
  
  You create a text file and copy/paste the code. Alter the paths to what your paths are and save. Then change the file extension to .vbs
  
  Now you can give a copy to each user, when they double-click it should launch your database.
Peter Boissevain January 18, 2023 at 9:45 am

Hi Daniel, Is this script tested with the latest Office 365 version?
1. Daniel Pineault Post authorJanuary 18, 2023 at 10:10 am
  
  This is an old version in which you hard code every value, so it should work just fine. The best way to know is to simply test it out. That said, my current approach is to use the approach from https://www.devhut.net/vba-determine-executable-path-for-given-application/ instead of hardcoding the exe path.