Protect Method Fails When Module Is Hidden (113786)

WORKAROUND

Microsoft provides programming examples for illustration only, without warranty either expressed or implied. This includes, but is not limited to, the implied warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose. This article assumes that you are familiar with the programming language that is being demonstrated and with the tools that are used to create and to debug procedures. Microsoft support engineers can help explain the functionality of a particular procedure, but they will not modify these examples to provide added functionality or construct procedures to meet your specific requirements. To change the protection status of a workbook using a Visual Basic subroutine contained in that workbook, use any of the following methods.

Method 1

Use the SendKeys statement to protect or unprotect the workbook. Note that this method works with Microsoft Excel for Windows (you cannot send keystrokes to applications running under the Macintosh operating system).

The following example uses the SendKeys statement to send the key strokes necessary to protect the workbook. The OnTime command is used to resume another macro one second later. Note that Application.ScreenUpdating will not affect this procedure because the macro is exited and then the key strokes are executed from the keyboard buffer.

You should enter the following code as the last piece of code in the module.

   ' You can skip this line if you are adding this code to the
   ' end of an existing macro
   Sub ProtectWorkbook()

   ' This will return to a macro named My_Macro after protecting
   ' the workbook. This line is not necessary if you do not need
   ' to resume after the workbook is protected
   Application.OnTime Now + TimeValue("00:00:01"), "My_Macro"

   ' Note that you can use %(tpp) instead of %(tpw) to
   ' protect only the active sheet.
   Application.SendKeys "%(tpw){ENTER}"

   ' The procedure must end before the keys will be sent
   End Sub
				

Method 2

Unhide the module that contains the subroutine before using the Protect method. Note that if you use this method, you cannot protect the structure of the workbook, and you cannot use the Unprotect method (because if the structure of the workbook is currently protected, you cannot hide or unhide a sheet in the workbook).

To use a subroutine contained in a hidden module ("ModuleName") to protect the workbook (not the structure) in which it is contained, you could use the following code:

   ' Unhide the module that contains this subroutine.
   ThisWorkbook.Modules("ModuleName").Visible = True

   ' Protect the workbook by using the Protect method.
   ThisWorkbook.Protect Structure:=False, Windows:=True

   ' Re-hide the module that contains this subroutine.
   ThisWorkbook.Modules("ModuleName").Visible = False
				

Method 3

Set the Visible property of the Module containing the Protect and Unprotect macros to xlVeryHidden rather than False. The Structure and Windows arguments are optional.

For example:

   ThisWorkbook.Modules("ModuleName").Visible = xlVeryHidden