Northwind 2.0 Feedback

[GPGeorge]

Thank you to everyone who has downloaded and tried the new "NW 2.0" showcase templates!

Your feedback is wonderful, so please keep it coming.

We're aware of one problem affecting a beta channel build that was released to a limited audience after we delivered the templates to Microsoft for publishing. If you have that beta channel build, the templates won't instantiate. Microsoft has indicated this will be fixed soon, probably next week.

2305 Build 16421.20000

The downloads are propagating through the various regions, but some users in some regions may not have it available for a few days as that process continues.

They are now available on the Access Featured Templates page, so you can always get them there.

My request here is for feedback, good or bad. We introduced some new features into these templates which broke new ground for Access templates, so there are some potential issues that can pop up.

Thank you.

 

[Cotswold]

I do not like the invasion of privacy from Microsoft that they have proceeded with in relation to Northwind and my Access2019. My Access2019 is set not to update, yet Microsoft have installed two copies of Northwind templates without my permission. They did not even provide me with the curtesy of a choice before doing so.

Microsoft do not appear to have given me an option to refuse to pass data on regarding my use of Northwind. Also, the templates that have been added to my Access, are as I say added despite being set not to update. They are not installed on my PC and cannot be removed. So my copy of Access must have been updated against my specific request.

All of which I am pretty far from happy about. In fact I am disgusted at their presumption that it is just fine for them to apparently hack into my PC and install unwanted software without my permission.

I did initially install the Northwind databases but after these security issues arose, I have now deleted the accdb files formed from the templates and will never use them in the future.

 

[GPGeorge]

Wow. Templates have been part of Access since the early days. Did you click on them to instantiate them? Or did that really happen without any action on your part?

 

[Pat Hartman]

I'm not sure that seeing the two new templates in the list of templates means that your Access version has been updated. Things like this are not typically hardcoded in the source but are obtained by getting a list from a cloud based database.

 

[Pat Hartman]

@GPGeorge I got an error when I tried to add myself to the starter version.

I closed that dialog and tried Add Me again and got this error.

So, I closed the app and reopened. It asked me to log in and my name was in the list so I don't know what the first error was all about.

I didn't have a problem adding myself to the Dev version so I'll poke around to see what I see.

 

[GPGeorge]

@GPGeorge I got an error when I tried to add myself to the starter version.


View attachment 107679

I closed that dialog and tried Add Me again and got this error.
View attachment 107680

So, I closed the app and reopened. It asked me to log in and my name was in the list so I don't know what the first error was all about.

I didn't have a problem adding myself to the Dev version so I'll poke around to see what I see.

That error was occurring in an earlier release candidate, but we thought we'd dealt with it. Just to triangulate the problem, when did you download the template?

 

[Pat Hartman]

4/27/23 around 3PM EDT

 

[jdraw]

Just curious how the line numbers were added. I have done some searching thru the code but nothing yet. Could the team have used MZTools? Or a non-disclosed routine?

 

[GPGeorge]

4/27/23 around 3PM EDT

That would be after the fix. Can you find the downloaded accdt on your computer and send a copy?
Maybe we can talk offline.

 

[Pat Hartman]

I see old .accdt's from other templates in the folder I download templates to but I don't see the files for NW. I don't remember being asked where to save the .accdt. I was only asked where to save the .accdb. Do you know what the default location is or what the actual file name is so I can search for it?

 

[GPGeorge]

Just curious how the line numbers were added. I have done some searching thru the code but nothing yet. Could the team have used MZTools? Or a non-disclosed routine?

Yes. Most of us use MZTools. It has other outstanding features.

 

[GPGeorge]

I see old .accdt's from other templates in the folder I download templates to but I don't see the files for NW. I don't remember being asked where to save the .accdt. I was only asked where to save the .accdb. Do you know what the default location is or what the actual file name is so I can search for it?

I would probably be here:

C:\Users\YOURUSERACCOUNT\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Templates\Access Templates

 

[isladogs]

All ACCDT files are downloaded to the folder: C:\Users\YourUserName\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Templates

Oops. Too slow

 

[Pat Hartman]

I zipped it so I could upload it.

 

[GPGeorge]

I zipped it so I could upload it.

Got it, thanks.

 

[Pat Hartman]

The pleasure was all mine

 

[GPGeorge]

I created the Starter version on my laptop without the error. I'm going fire up a clean VM and try it there.

 

[isladogs]

I do not like the invasion of privacy from Microsoft that they have proceeded with in relation to Northwind and my Access2019. My Access2019 is set not to update, yet Microsoft have installed two copies of Northwind templates without my permission. They did not even provide me with the curtesy of a choice before doing so.

Microsoft do not appear to have given me an option to refuse to pass data on regarding my use of Northwind. Also, the templates that have been added to my Access, are as I say added despite being set not to update. They are not installed on my PC and cannot be removed. So my copy of Access must have been updated against my specific request.

All of which I am pretty far from happy about. In fact I am disgusted at their presumption that it is just fine for them to apparently hack into my PC and install unwanted software without my permission.

I did initially install the Northwind databases but after these security issues arose, I have now deleted the accdb files formed from the templates and will never use them in the future.

I'm really not sure that your understanding is correct

The templates aren't installed on your machine unless you click on them and choose to install them.
All that happened is the new templates have become visible in backstage view and available to download

if you do click on any of the templates in backstage view , the ACCDT file is downloaded and an ACCDB file is created.

 

[GPGeorge]

While I agree 100% with Colin's explanation, there was enough ambiguity in the initial post that I would love to get some clarification as to what actually DID happen. If all that happened automatically was the appearance of the new templates, then, that is how Microsoft makes all templates available. Moreover, if you didn't know that MS can, and does, reach out to Office installations regularly, you know now that that can, and do. Updates are not installed without your permission, but this is not an update.

If you deliberately clicked on the templates and installed them, well, that also is how it is meant to work. No new software was installed that you did not yourself install by clicking the templates. Hopefully, this will serve as a sort of brief on how templates work for you and other forum members.


In any event, any and all feedback is more than welcome.

 

[Cotswold]

From #1 shortcut I opened and the file downloaded. Then transferred to new folder and opened in Accsss

Featured Access templates - Microsoft Support

Analyze and store large amounts of information, and manage data more efficiently with Access database templates available for download.

support.microsoft.com

1. Opened saved ACCDTs in Access2021 ( incorrectly stated previously as Access2019) Two Northwind icons appear in Access. They are in the template folder as
{A5699FFA-93AD-49A4-B056-FD34A9539538}tf11138777_win32.accdt
and
{D5DBB01B-BC95-403A-AF6A-14A7C7066CA8}tf22238896_win32.accdt

2. If I delete the downloaded file and the two files in the Template folder, then remove them from the Recycle bin. When I reopen Access the two Northwind files are reinstalled into the Template folder and in Access!

2.1.If I repeat (2) with the internet off two blank icons briefly show in Access, then disappear

2.2. If I then close Access and reopen with the internet on then the two Northwinds are instantly reinstalled on Access and also into the Template folder.

Basically I cannot remove them from Access if I need the internet on. As soon as Access opens it goes online and updates itself. Once installed I am unable to delete them. It is now mandatory for the two oversize template images of Northwind to be prominent in Access, and for my copy of Access to logon to Microsoft when it opens and maybe during use. Presumably not for my benefit. How do I know in Microsoft in not also downloading any Access application I work on? After all it has not been made at all clear that it does logon to my PC using my copy of Access as I have only found out by accident. In fact Microsoft has not mentioned at all that after just installing Northwind that it is now using my copy of Access to access my PC. (no pun intended)