Question

VB.net how to open Word doc in Read ONLY mode, no toolbars or menus

Asked by: sqdperu

I'm using VB.net 2005.  I want to open a Word doc from either the VB app.  It can either shown on the form or in Word itself.  Either way is fine.  I tried using the WebBrowser control method, but it had the annoying "Open or Save" dialog that pops up and I don't want the users to get that.  So now I am trying by opening up Word uses the sample code I found below.  The problem is I want the users to ONLY be able to READ the doc.  No Editing, Printing, or Saving.   How Do I remove the Menubars, tool bars, and anything else that would allow them to print or save.  Even if they tried to edit it would then do them no good without print or save.  What is the correct approach to do this?  Thanks.

Private Sub Button1_Click(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles Button1.Click
 
        ' Opens up doc in Word
 
        Dim file_name As String
        Dim file_path As String
        Dim file_title As String
        Dim word_server As Word.Application
 
        Cursor = System.Windows.Forms.Cursors.WaitCursor
 
        Button1.Enabled = False
 
        'Application.DoEvents()
 
        file_name = "C:\Temp2\QCP200-1.doc"
        file_title = file_name.Substring(file_name.LastIndexOf("\") + 1)
        file_path = file_name.Substring(0, file_name.LastIndexOf("\"))
 
        word_server = New Word.Application()
 
        word_server.Application.CommandBars("Standard").Enabled = False
        word_server.Application.CommandBars("Standard").Visible = False
        ' word_server.Application.CommandBars.ActionControl.Visible = False
        ' word_server.Application.CommandBars.ActiveMenuBar.Visible = False
        word_server.Application.CommandBars.DisableCustomize = True
        word_server.Application.Options.AllowFastSave = False
        word_server.Application.Options.BackgroundSave = False
        word_server.Application.Options.SaveNormalPrompt = False
        word_server.Application.Options.SavePropertiesPrompt = False
        word_server.Application.PrintPreview = False
 
 
        word_server.ChangeFileOpenDirectory(file_path)
        word_server.Documents.Open( _
            FileName:=file_title, _
            ConfirmConversions:=False, _
            ReadOnly:=True, _
            AddToRecentFiles:=False, _
            PasswordDocument:="", _
            PasswordTemplate:="", _
            Revert:=False, _
            WritePasswordDocument:="", _
            WritePasswordTemplate:="", _
            Format:=Word.WdOpenFormat.wdOpenFormatAuto)
 
        ' Display Word with doc open
        word_server.Visible = True
 
        Cursor = System.Windows.Forms.Cursors.Default
 
        Button1.Enabled = True
 
 
    End Sub

                                  
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Asked On
2009-08-13 at 07:48:30ID24649959
Tags

VB Net Word doc Read only

Topic

Microsoft Visual Basic.Net

Participating Experts
1
Points
500
Comments
4

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Answers

 

by: PlatoConsultantPosted on 2009-08-14 at 19:18:32ID: 25103727

I have used the dso framer control for it, it is really easy to use
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/311765

The Microsoft Developer Support Office Framer Control Sample contains a Visual C++ ActiveX control that acts as an ActiveX document container for hosting Office documents (including Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel, Microsoft PowerPoint, Microsoft Project, and Microsoft Visio documents) in a custom form or Web page. The control (Dsoframer.ocx) is lightweight and flexible, and gives developers new possibilities for using Office in a custom solution.

The control is designed to handle specific issues that make using ActiveX documents from a non-top-level host window difficult, and serves as a starting place for constructing your own embedded object file viewer or editor as an ActiveX control.

 

by: sqdperuPosted on 2009-08-18 at 07:25:34ID: 25123571

I have looked at that, but it seems pretty complicated.  Way more than it should.  On the surfaace, it doesn't seem like they should make it so difficult to have a "toolbar.enable = False".  Also, all the "Warnings" that MS has placed on the dsoframer makes me afraid to use it.  They make sure you understand it is not "the right way to do it" and they may break it at anytime in the future. I want this app to be around a while. I simply want to display doc, ppt, and xls files with no funtionality except to view.  I found a control that will do it, but it is $1000.  Hoping I could find a way in code to remove toolbars before paying for the control.
Thanks.

 

by: PlatoConsultantPosted on 2009-08-28 at 19:54:35ID: 25212836

yaps free controls have less support and functionality.

 

by: sqdperuPosted on 2009-09-22 at 09:49:58ID: 31632040

Does not totally remove ALL Word tools leaving only the scroll-bar.

20120131-EE-VQP-002

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