I have a number of workbooks that I must lock and password protect (so folks
stop changing formulas). However these are linked to other source files. If
they go to Edit Links they cannot simply update the links, the only option is
to individually open the source files (which then updates the receiving
file). Is there some permission setting I can change to allow them to
manually update without opening all the source files?

Thanks,

Alan

Saved from a previous post.

Maybe you could have another workbook contains a macro that opens the other 20
workbooks. The macro would need to know all the names and passwords for the
files.

This expects a worksheet named WkbkList that contains the names of the files in
A2:Axxx (headers in row 1) and passwords in B2:Bxxx. (The filenames have to
include the drive, path and name.)

Option Explicit
Sub testme()

Dim myFileNames As Variant
Dim myPasswords As Variant
Dim iCtr As Long
Dim myRealWkbk As Workbook
Dim myRealWkbkName As String
Dim wkbk As Workbook

'the workbook with all the links
myRealWkbkName = "C:\my documents\excel\book1.xls"

With Worksheets("WkbkList")
'headers in row 1
myFileNames = .Range("a2:b" & _
.Cells(.Rows.Count, "A").End(xlUp).Row).Value
End With

Set myRealWkbk = Workbooks.Open(Filename:=myRealWkbkName, UpdateLinks:=0)

For iCtr = LBound(myFileNames, 1) To UBound(myFileNames, 1)
Set wkbk = Nothing
On Error Resume Next
Set wkbk = Workbooks.Open(Filename:=myFileNames(iCtr, 1), _
Password:=myFileNames(iCtr, 2), _
ReadOnly:=True)
On Error GoTo 0

If wkbk Is Nothing Then
MsgBox "Check file: " & myFileNames(iCtr, 1)
Else
'the links should have updated when
'this workbook was opened.
'so we can close it here
wkbk.Close savechanges:=False
End If
Next iCtr

End Sub

If the files are all in the same folder, you don't have to include that in the
worksheet cells. You could just tell the program where to look:

Change this line:

Set wkbk = Workbooks.Open(Filename:=myFileNames(iCtr, 1), _
Password:=myFileNames(iCtr, 2), _
ReadOnly:=True)

to:

Set wkbk = Workbooks.Open(Filename:="C:\myfoldernamehere\" & _
myFileNames(iCtr, 1), _
Password:=myFileNames(iCtr, 2), _
ReadOnly:=True)


If you're new to macros:

Debra Dalgleish has some notes how to implement macros he
http://www.contextures.com/xlvba01.html

David McRitchie has an intro to macros:
http://www.mvps.org/dmcritchie/excel/getstarted.htm

Ron de Bruin's intro to macros:
http://www.rondebruin.nl/code.htm

(General, Regular and Standard modules all describe the same thing.)




Alan P wrote:

I have a number of workbooks that I must lock and password protect (so folks
stop changing formulas). However these are linked to other source files. If
they go to Edit Links they cannot simply update the links, the only option is
to individually open the source files (which then updates the receiving
file). Is there some permission setting I can change to allow them to
manually update without opening all the source files?

Thanks,

Alan

--

Dave Peterson