Disabling macros is not an option!

[Paul Wagstaff]

Hi folks

Office 97 & NT4

I've been handed a bit of a poisened chalice & like a fool I've taken a
sip...so here's the problem:

Esentially I need to prohibit printing a file unless a small number of
fields are completed. This was originally done in MS Word, but nothing stops
the users from choosing 'Disable Macros' and printing out as many copies as
they like.

I've come across XML macros that cannot be disabled, so I think Excel is my
only choice (yes?). What I'd like to do then is create a spreadsheet that
contains some text fields, which are validated and upon completion, prompt
the user to print. I can handle the validation & the final msgbox "print
now?" etc, but am completely stumped re. creating code from previous
versions of Excel.

Can anyone help me or suggest an alternative way to solve this problem? I
don't mind how it's done as long as users can't print a (partially or
totally) incomplete form - that's the nub of the issue

Ideally I'd like to use Word, and not use UserForms, but beggars can't be
choosers.

Thanks,
Paul

 

[Guest]

A possible solution might be to set a flag on a sheet which is very hidden.
The user can not get to the very hidden sheet (providing the project is
password protected) so you can control how often a sheet can be printed. You
will probably want to use the before print event to check the very hidden
sheet to determine if the sheet can be printed...

HTH

 

[Guest]

Hi jim, you remember me (your student¡¡¡¡)

Also could be a good idea Hide all the toolbars and just leave a button with
the print caption in it (an its respective macro of print)

Application.CommandBars("").Enabled = false
Application.CommandBars("format").Enabled = false
Application.CommandBars("form").Enabled = false
Application.CommandBars("chart").Enabled = false
Application.commandbars("Worksheet Menu Bar").enabled=false

remember to put this code in your workbook module

and be shure to create a macro to enable all your menus with a shortcut
application.commandbars("Worksheet Menu Bar").enabled=true 'etc etc.

also I want your opinion jim

 

[Tom Ogilvy]

I was under the impression that the beforeprint event doesn't run when
macros are enabled. Since the OP stated that disabling macros was the root
of the whole problem, how would you see this being a solution?

 

[Tom Ogilvy]

Looks like you fell into the same trap as your instructor: You have
presented VBA code as a solution, but . . .

I was under the impression that vba macros don't run when macros are
disabled. Since the OP stated that disabling macros was the root of the
whole problem, how would you see this being a solution?

 

[Tom Ogilvy]

"Enabled" should of course be "Disabled". My Typo.

 

[Guest]

You need to be able to handle the eventuallity of opening the file with
macro's disabled. The on close event of the spreadsheet should hide all but a
single sheet which lets the user know that macro's must be enabled. The on
open hides this sheet and unhides the data sheets. Other than that I can not
see how to get around this whole issue. Good point though...

HTH

 

[Guest]

A typo. How many mistakes does that make for you in your life. I am
guessing... 1. I should we mark this day on the callendar for posterity...
;-)

 

[Guest]

you're right tom, but think about this, if the programmer leaves the
Application.commandbars("Worksheet Menu Bar").enabled=true (and I mean he
leave excel with no bars in it) how does the user could disabled the
macros???????
try it.

 

[Guest]

That is a nice touch but it can lead to a lot of work. Those are application
settings and when you paly with those you really want to have an error
handler to clean those settings up in case of an error. The other issue is if
the user has multiple books open then the toolbars are gone for all books,
not just the current book. I usually avoid that wherever possible. Too many
headaches...

 

[Tim Williams]

Can't you use formulas to make the display of the information depend on the
required fields being completed? That way they might print it, but there
wouldn't be anything to print.

Still relatively easy to get around though... As you note, this seems like
an impossible requirement based on the info you provided.

 

[Tom Ogilvy]

How could the user open the workbook with no menus. and for any workbook
that is opened (given you leave that option), the user could disable the
macros - that has nothing to do with menus. That is a security setting - or
the user can hold down the shift key. If you actually meant how could the
user print, there are short cuts to allow that - but since macros have been
disabled, the menus are never altered.

Of course, regardless of any steps, the user can print a file using Drag and
Drop by putting a print Icon on the desktop and dragging the file from
windows explorer to the icon and dropping it. then select print in the
dialog. (tested with win98 SE but I would expect all the operating systems
to support this - if not the properties for the xls extension could be
altered to do it on a click). Doubt there is much control one has there,
but haven't played with it.

 

[Tom Ogilvy]

If macros are disabled, then they are disabled. No open or close macros.
The user opens the file with macros disabled breaks any passwords for
workbook or sheet level protection. Unhides sheets to their hearts content.
Prints wildly. You can get code to break those passwords right here. But
you say, macros are disabled. Only in that workbook. They work in another
open workbook with the code to break the password.

Better would probably be an addin that creates the workbook when needed and
with the security options in xl2002 and xl2003, that may be a weak approach
as well.

 

[Guest]

Hi Paul,

One possibility that would be secure at least within the VBA password would
be to use a workbook with only the required number of worksheets – all of
them blank (i.e. Scratch sheets). Then only populate, format, set named
ranges, page setups, etc. for them via a workbook open event trigger in VBA
code, hence requiring the VBA code to be functional to see the form. If
there are large text sections in the form, you might store them as disjointed
snippets someplace out of the way on one of the sheets to avoid having to
include them within the VBA code (Only if these snippets are non-confidential
of course and use VBA code to place and format them for display). Finally,
use a before save event trigger to clear all worksheets of everything but any
text snippets you might use.

Without a better idea of your workbook contents, I can’t know how practical
or impractical this approach might be.

Best Regards,
Walt