allow a user to edit ranges in a protected worksheet

[McA]

Hi all.
This one has been seen in the past, I run Excel 2003 and have a spreadsheet
with 20 worksheets. I want each worksheet to be protected by
1: an administrator password,
2: a user password.

the user password for worksheet 2 MUST NOT be able to edit any of the other
worksheets and vice versa.

I have followed the instructions for allowing users to edit ranges in a
protected worksheet.
1. I assign specific names / permissions and complete with a password
2. Protect the sheet only allowing specific actions to be completed, e.g.
unlocked cells only, use of filters and sorting with a different password
3. Protect and share the workbook with a different password

However it just doesn't seem to want to work for me and when I've had
someone not on the allowed list go in to edit the sheet they can enter data
and save.

Does anyone know what I'm doing wrong - before I become totally bald

 

[Otto Moehrbach]

To start, be aware that Excel is not designed to be a secure platform.
Whatever scheme you come up with can be broken by someone with sufficient
Excel knowledge.
Having said that, may I make a suggestion? Set up each sheet as to locked
and unlocked cells as you wish and protect it without a password.
Have one blank sheet that will be visible at all times (because you can't
hide all the sheets).
Have another sheet that contains only 2 columns of data, the list of sheet
names and the corresponding passwords you want to use.
Set all the sheets to VeryHidden, except for the one blank sheet. The
setting of VeryHidden precludes the casual user from unhiding that sheet
because only VBA code can unhide a VeryHidden sheet.
Use a Workbook_Open event macro to display an InputBox that asks the user to
type in his password. The user does and the code will determine the sheet
that goes with that password, and will unhide that sheet and select that
sheet as the active sheet on the screen.
You can also use a Workbook_BeforeClose event macro that will set all sheets
(except the blank sheet) to VeryHidden when the file is closed.
If multiple users will be accessing the same file without closing it, you
can have a button on each sheet to close that sheet (set it to VeryHidden)
when the user is through with it.
Does this sound anything like what you want? HTH Otto

 

[Gord Dibben]

Further to Otto's sugestion here is a sample of what can be done with no
passwords on individual sheets.

Note: the following is contingent upon users enabling macros.

If they don't only the "Dummy" sheet will be visible.

I assume you are on a network(LAN) with users logging into the system.

I would set it up so that whichever user's login name is flagged, all sheets
except that user would be hidden.

No password to open the workbook, just code to make a user's sheet visible.

In Thisworkbook Module....................

Private Sub Workbook_Open()
Dim pword As String
Select Case Environ("Username")
'if a login is not used change to
'pword = InputBox("Enter Your Password")
'Select Case pword
Case Is = "Gord": Sheets("Gordsheet").Visible = True
Sheets("Dummy").Visible = False
Case Is = "Pete": Sheets("Petesheet").Visible = True
Sheets("Dummy").Visible = False
End Select
End Sub


Private Sub Workbook_BeforeClose(Cancel As Boolean)
Dim sht As Worksheet
Application.ScreenUpdating = False
Sheets("Dummy").Visible = xlSheetVisible
For Each sht In ActiveWorkbook.Sheets
If sht.Name <> "Dummy" Then
sht.Visible = xlSheetVeryHidden
End If
Next sht
Application.ScreenUpdating = True
ThisWorkbook.Save
End Sub

To allow you to see all sheets and edit them.

In a general module...............

Sub UnHideAllSheets()
Application.ScreenUpdating = False
Dim n As Single
For n = 1 To Sheets.Count
Sheets(n).Visible = True
Next n
Application.ScreenUpdating = True
End Sub

Naturally you want all this code inviisble to the users.

Right-click on the workbook/project in VBE and select VBAProject Properties
and "Lock project for viewing"

Enter a unique password.

BUT don't forget Otto's warning that Excel's security is weak, but cracking
VBA Project passwords is more difficult than cracking sheet protection
passwords.


Gord Dibben MS Excel MVP

 

[McA]

Thanks Gord and Otto, I'll give this a try and hopefully won't have any
problems with it.