Visual Basic Macro to Protect Multiple Sheets in a Workbook

• Microsoft Excel 98 Macintosh Edition
• Microsoft Excel for Windows 95, version 5.0, 7.0
• Microsoft Excel for the Macintosh. version 5.0

SUMMARY

In Microsoft Excel, individual worksheets can only be protected one sheet at a time. It is not possible to protect multiple worksheets in a single step. However, you can use Microsoft Visual Basic for Applications code to protect multiple sheets through a looping procedure that can accept various degrees of user input.

MORE INFORMATION

Microsoft provides programming examples for illustration only, without warranty either expressed or implied, including, but not limited to, the implied warranties of merchantability and/or fitness for a particular purpose. This article assumes that you are familiar with the programming language being demonstrated and the tools used to create and 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 needs. If you have limited programming experience, you may want to contact the Microsoft fee-based consulting line at (800) 936-5200. For more information about the support options available from Microsoft, please see the following page on the World Wide Web:

   http://www.microsoft.com/support/supportnet/refguide/default.asp

Sample Visual Basic Procedure

   Sub Protect_Example1()

      ' Loop through all sheets in the workbook.
      For i = 1 To Sheets.Count
         Sheets(i). Protect
      Next i

   End Sub

   Sub Protect_Example2()

      ' Loop through all sheets in the workbook
      For i = 1 To Sheets.Count

         ' Activate each sheet in turn.
         Sheets(i).Activate

         response = MsgBox("Do you want to protect this sheet?", vbYesNo)
         If response = vbYes Then
            ActiveSheet.Protect password:="larry", DrawingObjects:=True, _
               Contents:=True, Scenarios:=True

            ' Use the following line if you want the user to provide a 
            ' password for each sheet to be protected.
            ' //Application.Dialogs(xlDialogProtectDocument).Show

         ElseIf response = vbNo Then
            MsgBox ("Sheet not protected")

         End If
      Next i
   End Sub

Additional Options You Can Use To Protect Specific Sheet Types

To protect only Worksheets:

   For i = 1 To Worksheets.Count
      Worksheets(i).Activate

   For i = 1 To Modules.Count
      Modules(i).Activate

   For i = 1 To Charts.Count
      Charts(i).Activate

      For i = 1 To DialogSheets.Count
      DialogSheets(i).Activate

REFERENCES

"Microsoft Excel User's Guide," version 5.0, pages 683-689