Protecting a VBA Project from viewing

I need to protect a workbook's VBA project. But I do not know how to do this
while at the same time preserving the right to set and unset references to
dll's at runtime (My code adds the solver add-in and sets a project
reference to it). Not only that, I cannot let the user set a reference
manually and save the workbook, because I would have to give them the VBA
Project password in order to make this change.

I might save a workbook with reference already set, prior to distributing,
but I am sure that will result in broken links for some users.

Can someone help me out of this Catch 22? My client does not want the
project viewable.

Is the answer to build compiled modules in an ActiveX.DLL? He doesn't want
to pay for that as of now.

Bill Benson

That's a thought but I don't know how to do that and I am only getting a
couple hundred for building this application as a standalone (and it's
basically done).

I appreciate your response, but at this juncture just trying to make sure it
is a unsolvable conundrum with the present methods.

The client is going to distribute this workbook to their clients, no web
hosting of the solution.

"Leith Ross" <Leith.Ross.1xakqa_1129964709.7242@excelforum-nospam.com> wrote
in message news:Leith.Ross.1xakqa_1129964709.7242@excelforum-nospam.com...
>
> Hello Bill,
>
> If your company has such high concerns about program security, I would
> suggest you look into developing a web based interface. Far less
> expensive than many other options and provides with ablity to prevent
> users from viewing or changing the code.
>
> Sincerely,
> Leith Ross
>
>
> --
> Leith Ross
>
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> Leith Ross's Profile:
> http://www.excelforum.com/member.php...o&userid=18465
> View this thread: http://www.excelforum.com/showthread...hreadid=478438
>

Hello Bill,

I guess you already have thought about using a password to protect the workbook project. Not the securest measure, but it may be your best bet at this point. The combination of the password with a copyright notice would be my choice to protect my work. I wish you well with the project.

Sincerely,
Leith Ross

You could always use two workbooks: one protected one with all the
"secret" stuff and one unprotected one which has the solver reference.
You could then expose the solver functions through the second workbook
to your code in the first one.

Caveat: never done this. But seems like it should work.

Tim.


"William Benson" <wbenson(nospamplease)@vbacreations.com> wrote in
message news:eh94P0s1FHA.3756@TK2MSFTNGP10.phx.gbl...
>I need to protect a workbook's VBA project. But I do not know how to
>do this while at the same time preserving the right to set and unset
>references to dll's at runtime (My code adds the solver add-in and
>sets a project reference to it). Not only that, I cannot let the user
>set a reference manually and save the workbook, because I would have
>to give them the VBA Project password in order to make this change.
>
> I might save a workbook with reference already set, prior to
> distributing, but I am sure that will result in broken links for
> some users.
>
> Can someone help me out of this Catch 22? My client does not want
> the project viewable.
>
> Is the answer to build compiled modules in an ActiveX.DLL? He
> doesn't want to pay for that as of now.
>
> Bill Benson
>
>

That is an interesting approach, and I will have to try it out. In the
meantime, another wrinkle: Solver will not work on a protected worksheet.

What a roller coaster I have been on. I was so excited when I found I could
install solver with code, then found out it will not work on a protected
worksheet.

Then was excited when I found out I could invoke it while on an unprotected
sheet, then let down again when I got a message saying target cell had to be
on an active sheet.

There is no workaround for this, I don't think, but I am going to keep
chewing on it



"Tim Williams" <saxifrax@pacbell*dot*net> wrote in message
news:ex1Ese31FHA.164@TK2MSFTNGP10.phx.gbl...
> You could always use two workbooks: one protected one with all the
> "secret" stuff and one unprotected one which has the solver reference. You
> could then expose the solver functions through the second workbook to your
> code in the first one.
>
> Caveat: never done this. But seems like it should work.
>
> Tim.
>
>
> "William Benson" <wbenson(nospamplease)@vbacreations.com> wrote in message
> news:eh94P0s1FHA.3756@TK2MSFTNGP10.phx.gbl...
>>I need to protect a workbook's VBA project. But I do not know how to do
>>this while at the same time preserving the right to set and unset
>>references to dll's at runtime (My code adds the solver add-in and sets a
>>project reference to it). Not only that, I cannot let the user set a
>>reference manually and save the workbook, because I would have to give
>>them the VBA Project password in order to make this change.
>>
>> I might save a workbook with reference already set, prior to
>> distributing, but I am sure that will result in broken links for some
>> users.
>>
>> Can someone help me out of this Catch 22? My client does not want the
>> project viewable.
>>
>> Is the answer to build compiled modules in an ActiveX.DLL? He doesn't
>> want to pay for that as of now.
>>
>> Bill Benson
>>
>>
>
>

Hi Bill,

If Solver is run from VBA, try unprotectng / reprotecting the sheet around
the solver code.

If the user invokes Solver, consider providing access to Solver via a button
whose code performs the unprotect / reprotect steps.

---
Regards,
Norman


"William Benson" <wbenson(nospamplease)@vbacreations.com> wrote in message
news:epDajc41FHA.2964@TK2MSFTNGP09.phx.gbl...
> That is an interesting approach, and I will have to try it out. In the
> meantime, another wrinkle: Solver will not work on a protected worksheet.
>
> What a roller coaster I have been on. I was so excited when I found I
> could install solver with code, then found out it will not work on a
> protected worksheet.
>
> Then was excited when I found out I could invoke it while on an
> unprotected sheet, then let down again when I got a message saying target
> cell had to be on an active sheet.
>
> There is no workaround for this, I don't think, but I am going to keep
> chewing on it
>
>
>
> "Tim Williams" <saxifrax@pacbell*dot*net> wrote in message
> news:ex1Ese31FHA.164@TK2MSFTNGP10.phx.gbl...
>> You could always use two workbooks: one protected one with all the
>> "secret" stuff and one unprotected one which has the solver reference.
>> You could then expose the solver functions through the second workbook to
>> your code in the first one.
>>
>> Caveat: never done this. But seems like it should work.
>>
>> Tim.
>>
>>
>> "William Benson" <wbenson(nospamplease)@vbacreations.com> wrote in
>> message news:eh94P0s1FHA.3756@TK2MSFTNGP10.phx.gbl...
>>>I need to protect a workbook's VBA project. But I do not know how to do
>>>this while at the same time preserving the right to set and unset
>>>references to dll's at runtime (My code adds the solver add-in and sets a
>>>project reference to it). Not only that, I cannot let the user set a
>>>reference manually and save the workbook, because I would have to give
>>>them the VBA Project password in order to make this change.
>>>
>>> I might save a workbook with reference already set, prior to
>>> distributing, but I am sure that will result in broken links for some
>>> users.
>>>
>>> Can someone help me out of this Catch 22? My client does not want the
>>> project viewable.
>>>
>>> Is the answer to build compiled modules in an ActiveX.DLL? He doesn't
>>> want to pay for that as of now.
>>>
>>> Bill Benson
>>>
>>>
>>
>>
>
>

Thanks Norman. I am running solver using SendKeys for now, because I cannot
run it with VBA because I cannot be sure there is a reference to the Solver
add-in on user machines. I am using the button approach, and unprotecting on
click, SendKeys to call solver, and reprotecting on
Worksheet_SelectionChange. I have no other way to reprotect because the user
has control once solver is launched. Certainly if I caould use VBA, it would
be simpler.

Bill
"Norman Jones" <normanjones@whereforartthou.com> wrote in message
news:OggOgs41FHA.2132@TK2MSFTNGP15.phx.gbl...
> Hi Bill,
>
> If Solver is run from VBA, try unprotectng / reprotecting the sheet around
> the solver code.
>
> If the user invokes Solver, consider providing access to Solver via a
> button whose code performs the unprotect / reprotect steps.
>
> ---
> Regards,
> Norman
>
>
> "William Benson" <wbenson(nospamplease)@vbacreations.com> wrote in message
> news:epDajc41FHA.2964@TK2MSFTNGP09.phx.gbl...
>> That is an interesting approach, and I will have to try it out. In the
>> meantime, another wrinkle: Solver will not work on a protected
>> worksheet.
>>
>> What a roller coaster I have been on. I was so excited when I found I
>> could install solver with code, then found out it will not work on a
>> protected worksheet.
>>
>> Then was excited when I found out I could invoke it while on an
>> unprotected sheet, then let down again when I got a message saying target
>> cell had to be on an active sheet.
>>
>> There is no workaround for this, I don't think, but I am going to keep
>> chewing on it
>>
>>
>>
>> "Tim Williams" <saxifrax@pacbell*dot*net> wrote in message
>> news:ex1Ese31FHA.164@TK2MSFTNGP10.phx.gbl...
>>> You could always use two workbooks: one protected one with all the
>>> "secret" stuff and one unprotected one which has the solver reference.
>>> You could then expose the solver functions through the second workbook
>>> to your code in the first one.
>>>
>>> Caveat: never done this. But seems like it should work.
>>>
>>> Tim.
>>>
>>>
>>> "William Benson" <wbenson(nospamplease)@vbacreations.com> wrote in
>>> message news:eh94P0s1FHA.3756@TK2MSFTNGP10.phx.gbl...
>>>>I need to protect a workbook's VBA project. But I do not know how to do
>>>>this while at the same time preserving the right to set and unset
>>>>references to dll's at runtime (My code adds the solver add-in and sets
>>>>a project reference to it). Not only that, I cannot let the user set a
>>>>reference manually and save the workbook, because I would have to give
>>>>them the VBA Project password in order to make this change.
>>>>
>>>> I might save a workbook with reference already set, prior to
>>>> distributing, but I am sure that will result in broken links for some
>>>> users.
>>>>
>>>> Can someone help me out of this Catch 22? My client does not want the
>>>> project viewable.
>>>>
>>>> Is the answer to build compiled modules in an ActiveX.DLL? He doesn't
>>>> want to pay for that as of now.
>>>>
>>>> Bill Benson
>>>>
>>>>
>>>
>>>
>>
>>
>
>

Hi Bill,


> Thanks Norman. I am running solver using SendKeys for now, because I
> cannot run it with VBA because I cannot be sure there is a reference to
> the Solver


See the following suggestions from Dana DeLouis for VBA code to add a
reference to solver:

http://tinyurl.com/bmfmr

---
Regards,
Norman



"William Benson" <wbenson(nospamplease)@vbacreations.com> wrote in message
news:ODWfNdE2FHA.2056@TK2MSFTNGP10.phx.gbl...
> Thanks Norman. I am running solver using SendKeys for now, because I
> cannot run it with VBA because I cannot be sure there is a reference to
> the Solver add-in on user machines. I am using the button approach, and
> unprotecting on click, SendKeys to call solver, and reprotecting on
> Worksheet_SelectionChange. I have no other way to reprotect because the
> user has control once solver is launched. Certainly if I caould use VBA,
> it would be simpler.
>
> Bill
> "Norman Jones" <normanjones@whereforartthou.com> wrote in message
> news:OggOgs41FHA.2132@TK2MSFTNGP15.phx.gbl...
>> Hi Bill,
>>
>> If Solver is run from VBA, try unprotectng / reprotecting the sheet
>> around the solver code.
>>
>> If the user invokes Solver, consider providing access to Solver via a
>> button whose code performs the unprotect / reprotect steps.
>>
>> ---
>> Regards,
>> Norman
>>
>>
>> "William Benson" <wbenson(nospamplease)@vbacreations.com> wrote in
>> message news:epDajc41FHA.2964@TK2MSFTNGP09.phx.gbl...
>>> That is an interesting approach, and I will have to try it out. In the
>>> meantime, another wrinkle: Solver will not work on a protected
>>> worksheet.
>>>
>>> What a roller coaster I have been on. I was so excited when I found I
>>> could install solver with code, then found out it will not work on a
>>> protected worksheet.
>>>
>>> Then was excited when I found out I could invoke it while on an
>>> unprotected sheet, then let down again when I got a message saying
>>> target cell had to be on an active sheet.
>>>
>>> There is no workaround for this, I don't think, but I am going to keep
>>> chewing on it
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> "Tim Williams" <saxifrax@pacbell*dot*net> wrote in message
>>> news:ex1Ese31FHA.164@TK2MSFTNGP10.phx.gbl...
>>>> You could always use two workbooks: one protected one with all the
>>>> "secret" stuff and one unprotected one which has the solver reference.
>>>> You could then expose the solver functions through the second workbook
>>>> to your code in the first one.
>>>>
>>>> Caveat: never done this. But seems like it should work.
>>>>
>>>> Tim.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> "William Benson" <wbenson(nospamplease)@vbacreations.com> wrote in
>>>> message news:eh94P0s1FHA.3756@TK2MSFTNGP10.phx.gbl...
>>>>>I need to protect a workbook's VBA project. But I do not know how to do
>>>>>this while at the same time preserving the right to set and unset
>>>>>references to dll's at runtime (My code adds the solver add-in and sets
>>>>>a project reference to it). Not only that, I cannot let the user set a
>>>>>reference manually and save the workbook, because I would have to give
>>>>>them the VBA Project password in order to make this change.
>>>>>
>>>>> I might save a workbook with reference already set, prior to
>>>>> distributing, but I am sure that will result in broken links for some
>>>>> users.
>>>>>
>>>>> Can someone help me out of this Catch 22? My client does not want the
>>>>> project viewable.
>>>>>
>>>>> Is the answer to build compiled modules in an ActiveX.DLL? He doesn't
>>>>> want to pay for that as of now.
>>>>>
>>>>> Bill Benson
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>
>>>
>>
>>
>
>