XL5: Macro Cannot Set Module to xlVeryHidden

ID: Q131551

The information in this article applies to:

Microsoft Excel for Windows, versions 5.0, 5.0c
Microsoft Excel for the Macintosh, versions 5.0, 5.0a
Microsoft Excel for Windows NT, version 5.0

SYMPTOMS

When you set the Visible property of a module to xlVeryHidden, you may receive the following error message:

Macro Error 1005:
Unable to set the Visible Property of the Module Class

CAUSE

This error will occur if the module that is being hidden contains a macro that is currently running.

WORKAROUND

If you would like to set the modules in a workbook to VeryHidden after you have finished creating them, follow these steps:

Insert a new module sheet by choosing Insert, Macro, Module from the menus.

Type the following example macro on the new module sheet:


   Sub HideModules()
        For each m in Modules
          If m.Name <> Activesheet.Name Then m.Visible = xlVeryHidden
        Next
      End Sub

While the new module is still the active sheet, run the HideModules macro by choosing Macro from the Tools menu. In the Macro Dialog Box, select the HideModules macro and choose Run.

After running the macro, all other modules will be hidden. Delete the new module by choosing Edit, Delete Sheet.

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STATUS

This behavior is by design of the versions of Microsoft Excel listed at the beginning of this article.

MORE INFORMATION

In Microsoft Excel, setting the Visible Property of an object to xlVeryHidden hides the object so that it may only be unhidden by setting the Visible Property to True. For module sheets, this feature is primarily used to add a measure of protection to the macros in a workbook.

NOTE: You will also receive this error message in two other situations:

If the module you are trying to hide with the xlveryhidden property contains a variable declared as Public.

The module with the code to hide another module also calls a macro from the module it is trying to hide.

For more information about the xlVeryHidden property, please see the following articles in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

Q128192 Can't Insert Sheet Based on Template with Hidden Sheet

Q128373 Macro Cannot Determine If Sheet Is VeryHidden

Q127944 Sheet Based on Template with Hidden Sheet Not Inserted

REFERENCES

For more information about the Visible property, choose the Search button in Programming with Visual Basic Help and type:

visible property

Additional query words: very hidden XL5

Keywords : kbprg
Version : MACINTOSH:5.0,5.0a; WINDOWS:5.0,5.0c; winnt:5.0
Platform : MACINTOSH WINDOWS winnt
Issue type :