Breaking a password in excel 2007

Hi, rivkamak.

Sorry, Experts are not permitted to suggest methods of bypassing password settings.

Regards,
Brian.

I've requested that this question be deleted for the following reason:

security issue.

rivkamak,
Could you post the workbook? Worksheet passwords are easily removed, even if we don't like to post the exact method.

byundt--Microsoft Excel Zone Advisor

Oops, I was confident about my post until I saw byundt's.

Brian,
It's a grey area. This site has waffled on both sides of the issue many times. FWIW, zorvek asked his Microsoft MVP lead for input on the issue--and the response was that it's a judgement call with a bias towards providing support to the technical community.

I don't permit breaking password protection of VBA code--but worksheet passwords are a completely different story. You can remove the worksheet password with two lines of VBA code in Excel 97, and the macro to remove worksheet passwords in later versions of Excel has been broadly posted in help forums.

By asking the OP to post the file, we can satisfy ourselves whether the material ought to remain confidential without placing the OP on the defensive.

Brad

Brad, thanks for setting me straight.

rivkamak, My sincere apologies for my incorrect post and for any embarrassment it may have caused you.

Regards,
Brian.

Brad,

In http://www.experts-exchange.com/Software/Office_Productivity/Office_Suites/MS_Office/Excel/Q_27387944.html#36940142 I posted a similar comment to my first one above. The question is still open, so should I post a link to your clarification? (It's a PDF not a spreadsheet.)

Thanks,
Brian.

Brian,
[Rant]In my day job, I often need to submit "cutsheets" describing equipment being sold on a project. I prepare these by adding arrows to indicate the chosen options and text to indicate the part number and model number. This is routine practice in the industry. I consider these modifications to be within the "ordinary use" expected of pdf documents and I have no compunctions whatsoever about removing password protection (using a commercial package) to do so.

I used to ask each vendor for an unprotected copy of the pdf files before making such modifications.  Because modifying the document was in their best interest, I could not understand how any firm in the year of our Lord 2011 might refuse permission. Nevertheless, about half the vendors either failed to respond or would deny me permission. Some of them even tried to defend their brain-dead position.

I do not ask permission anymore, but rather immediately remove the password protection from pdf documents. If the firms publishing those documents don't want them modified, they should print paper catalogs instead of posting pdf files on the web. [/Rant]

Should you post a link in that other question to my clarification? I looked at the thread and don't believe it is necessary. It's not an Excel question, and the Acrobat Experts can set their own policies in their Zone.

Brad

Brad,

Thanks again for your help.

I often wonder whether security is one of those things where there's either too much or too little, with no sign of Goldilocks?

Regards,
Brian.

Thank you for trying.  2009-Auction-Overview.xlsx

rivkamak, thanks kindly, but as I not only didn't help you but actually threw sand into the process, these are far and away the least deserved I've ever got!