API commands and personal liability in a corporate business?

[Shaka215]

This is a rather different question then what's normally asked on
these boards... I need some advice regarding API commands and personal
liability...I work for a company that will go unnamed in this message.
I have been proposing a method using Excel / VBA to speed up a process
up that currently takes way to freaking long to do with the company I
work for. My boss has agreed for the production of this new custom
designed software and has supported it from day one... I have figured
out how to get the process much faster using VBA and Excel...The
method we use now is semi-flawless, unless its 'fat fingered' or the
normal human mistakes, because its done by hand. My new method which
could do 1000 updates in less then 5 minutes versus a 1000 updates
taking about three weeks to complete...errors can still happen with
entering the information on my application but its unlikely it could
happen. However there is a problem... In order for my process to work
correctly and completely I require that the end-user does not
interrupt the process as it could effect millions of dollars worth of
inventory as Excel is altering information inside of another system in
real time... (Please do not ask how I managed to get this to work as I
will not share the code; as its corporate property not mine), so I
have decided to use an API command to shut off the keyboard and mouse
during the update process. Now I could display a message saying
"Please do not interrupt this process!" but I need the comfort of
being able to sleep at night knowing that a end-user in my department
won't crash the system by stopping my application prematurely because
they want to check their e-mail...which is why I have decided to
include this API command in the applications process to kill the
keyboard and mouse until the macro is over with.

My question is how would you go about recommending the
'enhancement' (API command to kill keyboard and mouse temporarily) in
a business when it could be looked at through a different light as a
malicious piece of code (virus)? This enhancement makes sense to me,
as the developer and team leader of the department, but I don't know
how it would look to the IT department (security) inside of the
company...any suggestions?

 

[loudfish]

I require that the end-user does not
interrupt the process as it could effect millions of dollars worth of
inventory as Excel is altering information inside of another system in
real time...

but I need the comfort of
being able to sleep at night knowing that a end-user in my department
won't crash the system by stopping my application prematurely

What happens if you have a power failure / cleaner pulls the cable /
coffee spill?

If the process is so mission critical and potentially disasterous, it
sounds like you should be building in some kind of transactional
system allowing rollback. Or at the very least, running this on a
server, scheduled, controlled by someone in IT who understands the
consequences and accepts the responsibilities.

HTH

Andrew

 

[Shaka215]

What happens if you have a power failure / cleaner pulls the cable /
coffee spill?

If the process is so mission critical and potentially disasterous, it
sounds like you should be building in some kind of transactional
system allowing rollback. Or at the very least, running this on a
server, scheduled, controlled by someone in IT who understands the
consequences and accepts the responsibilities.

HTH

Andrew

Andrew,

Thank you for your input...the idea of developing a "roll-back"
feature never occured to me but it seems it would be a good addition
to it...simple thought but complex process...

Thanks!
~Shaka

 

[JLGWhiz]

I think you would also be wise to share your plans with the IT people. It
will save a lot of pain in the future.

 

[urkec]

If it's possible, it would be useful to backup your data before each update.

Also one other thing. When making suggestions like that to management, maybe
it is a good idea to be clear about what is you responsibility and what is
not. My experience is that people tend to hold IT staff responsible for
accounting (financing, etc) errors just bacause the data is not entered and
manipulated manually.

 

[cbhartness]

Application.EnableCancelKey?

 

[Peter T]

As suggested, maintain the original data (backup) and rollback if/as
necessary.

There are indeed API's to disable Mouse and Keyboard input or lock the
screen but, in my view, these are dangerous. If for any reason your code
fails to reset user may need to power off and reboot.

It might be worth explaining a bit more about your process, which needn't
divulge anything confidential, and how and where user might foul things up.
There might be different approaches, eg temporary protection, a modal
userform that can't be closed, make the sheet / workbook / Excel instance
not visible, etc, until done.

Regards,
Peter T

 

[Michel Pierron]

Hi Shaka215;
You can use the Application.Interactive property

MP