Security and conversion of Excel 2003 from PC

[Stephen Aker]

I have a workbook with an application in it that I developed and signed. I
transferred it to my new Mac running OS 10.1.3 and Excel/Office 2004. When
trying to work with the VB code in the transferred workbook, I'm prevented
from opening it as "unviewable". I can temporarily get around this by
returning to the PC, lowering all the security levels and re-importing to my
Mac (their networked), but it is a pain, and the next time I try to open it,
I can't. Is there some way to make the workbook always available in the
Mac--complete the conversion process so it looks like a Mac version? Or, am
I missing some step on the PC?

 

[JE McGimpsey]

I have a workbook with an application in it that I developed and signed. I
transferred it to my new Mac running OS 10.1.3 and Excel/Office 2004. When
trying to work with the VB code in the transferred workbook, I'm prevented
from opening it as "unviewable". I can temporarily get around this by
returning to the PC, lowering all the security levels and re-importing to my
Mac (their networked), but it is a pain, and the next time I try to open it,
I can't. Is there some way to make the workbook always available in the
Mac--complete the conversion process so it looks like a Mac version? Or, am
I missing some step on the PC?

You're not missing anything. IIRC, WinXL02 introduced security features
that aren't implemented in MacXL. Unlocking the code is the only way I
know of to access it.

It would be a *lot* of work for MacBU to implement that structure on
Macs. Even more to make MacOffice compatible with the DRM provisions of
Office 2003. I suspect they're having a hard time justifying it, in
terms of additional units of MacOffice sold.

If you want compatible security features in MacOffice as much as I do,
please take the time to drop MacBU a message. Use the Help/Send Feedback
on Excel menu item in XL. The more people that request this, the more
likely that it will be looked at for future versions.