I'm using Excel 2003. I have locked all of the cells in a worksheet except
for 2. Each of the two unlocked cells contain a hyperlink. I then protected
the worksheet and content of locked cells with none of the checkboxes
selected. I do not want the reader of my document to be able to do anything
more than read and click on the two hyperlinks.

Problem:
I've done this in two separate documents (trying to find a solution, but I
failed).

In the first document, the hyperlinks in the two unlocked cells are not
clickable, even though I have them unlocked.

In the second document, when you click on any of the cells (including the
locked/protected cells), it takes you to one of the hyperlinks that are found
in the two unlocked cells. It is seemling random which one of the two you
will be taken to, but once you click and are taken to one of the two
hyperlinks, that choice seems to be persistent while you have the document
open. It may choose the other link after you close and open the document and
try linking again.

The two documents are very similar. I copied the first to create the second
after discovering the problem.

It does not seem to make a difference if I use a password with the
protection or not.

Question:
How do I setup the document to protect all of the cells except for the two
cells with hyperlinks and have the hyperlinks actually work after the
worksheet is protected?

What happens if you allow users to "select unlocked cells" only?


Gord Dibben MS Excel MVP

On Thu, 11 Sep 2008 11:26:28 -0700, NealB
wrote:

I'm using Excel 2003. I have locked all of the cells in a worksheet except
for 2. Each of the two unlocked cells contain a hyperlink. I then protected
the worksheet and content of locked cells with none of the checkboxes
selected. I do not want the reader of my document to be able to do anything
more than read and click on the two hyperlinks.

Problem:
I've done this in two separate documents (trying to find a solution, but I
failed).

In the first document, the hyperlinks in the two unlocked cells are not
clickable, even though I have them unlocked.

In the second document, when you click on any of the cells (including the
locked/protected cells), it takes you to one of the hyperlinks that are found
in the two unlocked cells. It is seemling random which one of the two you
will be taken to, but once you click and are taken to one of the two
hyperlinks, that choice seems to be persistent while you have the document
open. It may choose the other link after you close and open the document and
try linking again.

The two documents are very similar. I copied the first to create the second
after discovering the problem.

It does not seem to make a difference if I use a password with the
protection or not.

Question:
How do I setup the document to protect all of the cells except for the two
cells with hyperlinks and have the hyperlinks actually work after the
worksheet is protected?

Thank you for the quick reply and for making me feel like an idiot. :-) I
can't believe I didn't think of that. Anyway, that suggestion fixed the most
important issue in both of my documents...I can now select each hyperlink
with the desired result.

However, if I click on any of the locked/protected cells on the same
worksheet, then I'm taken to the link that I last clicked on in that
worksheet. Do you know of a way to make it so clicking on one of the
locked/protected cells will not hyperlink?

Thanks again for your help.

"Gord Dibben" wrote:

What happens if you allow users to "select unlocked cells" only?


Gord Dibben MS Excel MVP

On Thu, 11 Sep 2008 11:26:28 -0700, NealB
wrote:

I'm using Excel 2003. I have locked all of the cells in a worksheet except
for 2. Each of the two unlocked cells contain a hyperlink. I then protected
the worksheet and content of locked cells with none of the checkboxes
selected. I do not want the reader of my document to be able to do anything
more than read and click on the two hyperlinks.

Problem:
I've done this in two separate documents (trying to find a solution, but I
failed).

In the first document, the hyperlinks in the two unlocked cells are not
clickable, even though I have them unlocked.

In the second document, when you click on any of the cells (including the
locked/protected cells), it takes you to one of the hyperlinks that are found
in the two unlocked cells. It is seemling random which one of the two you
will be taken to, but once you click and are taken to one of the two
hyperlinks, that choice seems to be persistent while you have the document
open. It may choose the other link after you close and open the document and
try linking again.

The two documents are very similar. I copied the first to create the second
after discovering the problem.

It does not seem to make a difference if I use a password with the
protection or not.

Question:
How do I setup the document to protect all of the cells except for the two
cells with hyperlinks and have the hyperlinks actually work after the
worksheet is protected?

I see what you mean.

Clicking anywhere on the sheet is same as clicking on the active unlocked
cell.

I haven't devised a method to prevent that. Probably some sort of event
code for a double-click on the unlocked cells to hyperlink rather than have
a hyperlink in the cell.

Keep posted............lot of good people watching who can help.


Gord

On Thu, 11 Sep 2008 12:07:01 -0700, NealB
wrote:

Thank you for the quick reply and for making me feel like an idiot. :-) I
can't believe I didn't think of that. Anyway, that suggestion fixed the most
important issue in both of my documents...I can now select each hyperlink
with the desired result.

However, if I click on any of the locked/protected cells on the same
worksheet, then I'm taken to the link that I last clicked on in that
worksheet. Do you know of a way to make it so clicking on one of the
locked/protected cells will not hyperlink?

Thanks again for your help.

"Gord Dibben" wrote:

What happens if you allow users to "select unlocked cells" only?


Gord Dibben MS Excel MVP

On Thu, 11 Sep 2008 11:26:28 -0700, NealB
wrote:

I'm using Excel 2003. I have locked all of the cells in a worksheet except
for 2. Each of the two unlocked cells contain a hyperlink. I then protected
the worksheet and content of locked cells with none of the checkboxes
selected. I do not want the reader of my document to be able to do anything
more than read and click on the two hyperlinks.

Problem:
I've done this in two separate documents (trying to find a solution, but I
failed).

In the first document, the hyperlinks in the two unlocked cells are not
clickable, even though I have them unlocked.

In the second document, when you click on any of the cells (including the
locked/protected cells), it takes you to one of the hyperlinks that are found
in the two unlocked cells. It is seemling random which one of the two you
will be taken to, but once you click and are taken to one of the two
hyperlinks, that choice seems to be persistent while you have the document
open. It may choose the other link after you close and open the document and
try linking again.

The two documents are very similar. I copied the first to create the second
after discovering the problem.

It does not seem to make a difference if I use a password with the
protection or not.

Question:
How do I setup the document to protect all of the cells except for the two
cells with hyperlinks and have the hyperlinks actually work after the
worksheet is protected?