Prevent users from printing

[Guest]

In order to prevent users from printing my word document, I can type in a sub
with the vba editor such as:

Sub FilePrint()
MsgBox "Print not allowed"
End Sub

However this only traps the Print command from the File menu. How can I
intercept the Print button as well?

 

[Tony Jollans]

The equivalent to what you have is ...

Sub FilePrintDefault()
MsgBox "Print not allowed"
End Sub

but it only stops casual printing. Anybody that wants to print can easily
find a way around it.

 

[Guest]

but it only stops casual printing. Anybody that wants to print can easily
find a way around it.

Thanks a lot, I can probably make do with this.

At any rate, what kind of way around you mean? Like just editing the code?
In that case I could play around with the macro security level and the
validating of signatures. But, is there any other easier way?

 

[Tony Jollans]

At any rate, what kind of way around you mean?

For example .. copying and pasting to a new document, and then printing
(hold down Ctrl and type acnvp<Enter>z<F4>)

 

[Guest]

Then I gather there isn't a way to prevent selecting and/or copying text .

 

[Tony Jollans]

Well, yes, there is, but it gets very involved and still doesn't stop the
determined user. Word is an *editor* and just isn't designed to apply great
levels of protection; the bottom line is that if someone has access to
information (be it a document or anything else) they can do as they will
with that information - if your documents are sensitive you should only give
them to people who need to see them, and whom you trust (with any
instructions you deem appropriate).

Having said that, if you have Word 2003 you could look into Information
Rights Management (IRM) - I don't know anything about it so can't guide you
in any way but it does afford some level of protection to documents.

 

[Graham Mayor]

If you allow the users to see your document, there is no way on earth you
can stop them from printing it. You can merely make it a little more trouble
to do so.

--
<>>< ><<> ><<> <>>< ><<> <>>< <>><<>
Graham Mayor - Word MVP

My web site www.gmayor.com

<>>< ><<> ><<> <>>< ><<> <>>< <>><<>

 

[Guest]

As a matter of fact, it just struck me that I can password-protect the
document so that text can't be selected and therefore not copied either.

 

[LC Killingbeck]

In order to prevent users from printing my word document, I can type
in a sub with the vba editor such as:

Sub FilePrint()
MsgBox "Print not allowed"
End Sub

However this only traps the Print command from the File menu. How can
I intercept the Print button as well?

You really can't! After you do whatever you do, what is to stop someone
from simply taking a picture of the screen with a digital camera, and
printing the image? If you have moving stuff, use a video recorder and
print the whole set of images.

Welcome to the world of "copy protection" versus "copy protection
breaking"! Make it hard enough, and at least some of your customers
will go elsewhere - and some hacker will take it as a challenge to
break and distribute, just for the challenge.

Lynn Killingbeck

 

[Charles Kenyon]

Anything that can be read can be copied. All you can do is make it harder.
--
Charles Kenyon

Word New User FAQ & Web Directory: http://addbalance.com/word

Intermediate User's Guide to Microsoft Word (supplemented version of
Microsoft's Legal Users' Guide) http://addbalance.com/usersguide


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This message is posted to a newsgroup. Please post replies
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from my ignorance and your wisdom.

 

[Lupe]

Hi,
Although 3 yrs later and although not entirely secure, but I now used the
answers to this post for "protection" against cutting, copying and printing
of our documents.
The person can make changes, but has to send it back to our department for
verification/printing.
Thanks to all, Lupe