I have not really looked in to it, but is there anyway to use files
that are in a zip file or other type of *.data file (EXT would only
hide the format) and use them in Excel?

I am interested in zipping up a folder of 700+ picture files that are
used with one of my programs. I would like to get these, as well as
maybe a static record set to be in there as well to limit the
availablity of viewing to users.

Does anyone have a link or some resource they could point me to?

"theSquirrel" wrote...
I have not really looked in to it, but is there anyway to use files
that are in a zip file or other type of *.data file (EXT would only
hide the format) and use them in Excel?
....

Sure, by unzipping them first. If you mean leaving them in the Zip file,
then, no, not possible.

I am interested in zipping up a folder of 700+ picture files that are
used with one of my programs. I would like to get these, as well as
maybe a static record set to be in there as well to limit the
availablity of viewing to users.
....

What makes you believe your users wouldn't be able to access your zip files
the way they could access any other zip files? If you password protect your
zip files, you'd need an .XLS file with a macro containing the zip file
passwords in order to access the files in your zip files. It's not exactly
impossible to find out what those zip file passwords would be since .XLS
files, once open, have weak internal security.