Protect Method

Microsoft Excel Visual Basic

Protects a chart so that it cannot be modified.

expression.Protect(Password, DrawingObjects, Contents, Scenarios, UserInterfaceOnly)

expression    Required. An expression that returns a Chart object.

Password   Optional Variant. A string that specifies a case-sensitive password for the worksheet or workbook. If this argument is omitted, you can unprotect the worksheet or workbook without using a password. Otherwise, you must specify the password to unprotect the worksheet or workbook. If you forget the password, you cannot unprotect the worksheet or workbook. It's a good idea to keep a list of your passwords and their corresponding document names in a safe place.

Note  Use strong passwords that combine upper- and lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols. Weak passwords don't mix these elements. Strong password: Y6dh!et5. Weak password: House27. Use a strong password that you can remember so that you don't have to write it down.

DrawingObjects   Optional Variant. True to protect shapes. The default value is False.

Contents   Optional Variant. True to protect contents. For a chart, this protects the entire chart. For a worksheet, this protects the locked cells. The default value is True.

Scenarios   Optional Variant. True to protect scenarios. This argument is valid only for worksheets. The default value is True.

UserInterfaceOnly   Optional Variant. True to protect the user interface, but not macros. If this argument is omitted, protection applies both to macros and to the user interface.

ShowProtect method as it applies to the Worksheet object.

Protects a worksheet so that it cannot be modified.

expression.Protect(Password, DrawingObjects, Contents, Scenarios, UserInterfaceOnly, AllowFormattingCells, AllowFormattingColumns, AllowFormattingRows, AllowInsertingColumns, AllowInsertingRows, AllowInsertingHyperlinks, AllowDeletingColumns, AllowDeletingRows, AllowSorting, AllowFiltering, AllowUsingPivotTables)

expression    Required. An expression that returns a Worksheet object.

Password   Optional Variant. A string that specifies a case-sensitive password for the worksheet or workbook. If this argument is omitted, you can unprotect the worksheet or workbook without using a password. Otherwise, you must specify the password to unprotect the worksheet or workbook. If you forget the password, you cannot unprotect the worksheet or workbook. It's a good idea to keep a list of your passwords and their corresponding document names in a safe place.

DrawingObjects   Optional Variant. True to protect shapes. The default value is False.

Contents   Optional Variant. True to protect contents. For a chart, this protects the entire chart. For a worksheet, this protects the locked cells. The default value is True.

Scenarios   Optional Variant. True to protect scenarios. This argument is valid only for worksheets. The default value is True.

UserInterfaceOnly   Optional Variant. True to protect the user interface, but not macros. If this argument is omitted, protection applies both to macros and to the user interface.

AllowFormattingCells   Optional Variant. True allows the user to format any cell on a protected worksheet. The default value is False.

AllowFormattingColumns   Optional Variant. True allows the user to format any column on a protected worksheet. The default value is False.

AllowFormattingRows   Optional Variant. True allows the user to format any row on a protected. The default value is False.

AllowInsertingColumns   Optional Variant. True allows the user to insert columns on the protected worksheet. The default value is False.

AllowInsertingRows   Optional Variant. True allows the user to insert rows on the protected worksheet. The default value is False.

AllowInsertingHyperlinks   Optional Variant. True allows the user to insert hyperlinks on the worksheet. The default value is False.

AllowDeletingColumns   Optional Variant. True allows the user to delete columns on the protected worksheet, where every cell in the column to be deleted is unlocked. The default value is False.

AllowDeletingRows   Optional Variant. True allows the user to delete rows on the protected worksheet, where every cell in the row to be deleted is unlocked. The default value is False.

AllowSorting   Optional Variant. True allows the user to sort on the protected worksheet. Every cell in the sort range must be unlocked or unprotected. The default value is False.

AllowFiltering   Optional Variant. True allows the user to set filters on the protected worksheet. Users can change filter criteria but can not enable or disable an auto filter. Users can set filters on an existing auto filter. The default value is False.

AllowUsingPivotTables   Optional Variant. True allows the user to use pivot table reports on the protected worksheet. The default value is False.

Remarks

If you apply the Protect method with the UserInterfaceOnly argument set to True to a worksheet and then save the workbook, the entire worksheet (not just the interface) will be fully protected when you reopen the workbook. To re-enable the user interface protection after the workbook is opened, you must again apply the Protect method with UserInterfaceOnly set to True.

If changes wanted to be made to a protected worksheet, it is possible to use the Protect method on a protected worksheet if the password is supplied. Also, another method would be to unprotect the worksheet, make the necessary changes, and then protect the worksheet again.

Note  'Unprotected' means the cell may be locked (Format Cells dialog) but is included in a range defined in the Allow Users to Edit Ranges dialog, and the user has unprotected the range with a password or been validated via NT permissions.

ShowProtect method as it applies to the Workbook object.

Protects a workbook so that it cannot be modified.

expression.Protect(Password, Structure, Windows)

expression    Required. An expression that returns a Workbook object.

Password   Optional Variant. A string that specifies a case-sensitive password for the worksheet or workbook. If this argument is omitted, you can unprotect the worksheet or workbook without using a password. Otherwise, you must specify the password to unprotect the worksheet or workbook. If you forget the password, you cannot unprotect the worksheet or workbook. It's a good idea to keep a list of your passwords and their corresponding document names in a safe place.

Structure   Optional Variant. True to protect the structure of the workbook (the relative position of the sheets). The default value is False.

Windows   Optional Variant. True to protect the workbook windows. If this argument is omitted, the windows aren’t protected.

Example

As it applies to the Chart and Worksheet objects.

This example protects the active worksheet. You can verify the worksheet is protected, by attempting to enter a value into any cell, on the active worksheet.

Sub ProtectSheet()

    ActiveSheet.Protect Scenarios:=True, UserInterfaceOnly:=True

End Sub
			

This example protects the active chart. You can verify the chart is protected, by attempting to enter a value into any cell, on the active worksheet. This example assumes a chart exists in the application.

Sub ProtectChart()

    ActiveChart.Protect Scenarios:=True, UserInterfaceOnly:=True

End Sub