Security and macros

[RobN]

I have a workbook which, when opened on a laptop without any virus
protection, will not give me the option to Enable this Content. ie that
option is not even given when the security warning appears.

I found that I had to remove the password from the Excel 2007 xlsm file and,
also turn on the firewall in the Security Centre. The file then opened with
macros functioning - ie it did not come up with the security warning.

As the laptop is used only for two purposes, neither of which pose a
security risk, and is not connected to the internet, etc., is there a way to
bypass this imposed security as I do want to password protect the workbook.

Rob

 

[Bob Phillips]

How about creating a trusted location and putting that file there?

 

[RobN]

Bob,

I omitted to say that I had already tried that - sorry.

The interesting thing is that I put the file in the same "trusted" folder as
an earlier version of the same file which opens up OK, and with the same
password. The only difference is that the file which does open OK with
macros working, was an xls version, whereas the file that doesn't open with
macros working, is the xlsm version. But converting the xlsm to an xls made
no difference - it still loaded with macros disabled, providing no option to
enable.

I can't simply use the older xls file because I developed it a bit more, as
well as added some more functionality to create the new xlsm file. And I
don't have regular access to the laptop so all the development was done on a
desktop computer.

Rob

 

[Gord Dibben]

Might be that workbook got disabled/blocked by Excel early on.

You have to manually re-enable it.

Excel 2007 : Office button>Excel Options..Add-ins
In the "Manage:" dropdown (bottom of the dialog)
Choose "Disabled Items
Go

If the workbook is listed try to re-enable.


Gord Dibben MS Excel MVP

 

[RobN]

Thanks Gord.

I suspect that is not the problem as my copy of the file on my desktop
computer, as well as the copy on my flash drive (which I used to transfer to
the laptop), both show that nothing is disabled.
But I'll check the laptop when I can.

An observation:
If I put the file in an "untrusted" location (on my desktop), when I open
it, the Security Warning appears giving me the option to enable. However,
before I enable, when I do as you suggest, there is nothing in the list
requiring enabling. I may wrongly deduce then that the Security Warning and
any add-ins are unrelated.

Rob

 

[Gord Dibben]

I have never figured when and why Excel decides to disable something.

It smells something and just blocks the workbook.

I have had it occur in earlier versions of Excel with regular workbooks and
with add-ins.

Even quarantined my Personal.xls once??


Gord

 

[RobN]

Yeah....strange indeed.

But thanks for the suggestion to check the add-ins.....didn't realise that
was there.

Rob