hiding specific columns

[Joe Black]

how do i stop certain people viewing specified columns in excel and are
viewable only via a password

[dominicb]

Good morning Joe Black

You could protect that fairly easily by using Tools > Protection > Worksheet Protection. It will keep out all users and will require a password.

Now the bad news. It's not very secure at all and anyone who finds newsgroups like this can find code listings and sites that show the code that would be required to remove the password. The bottom line - it can be used to prevant accidental change or erasure and will keep out some users, but if you want to keep something secret, don't store it in Excel.

HTH

DominicB

[Joe Black]

thanks Dominic. i am aware of the password crackers. but with the protection
method that you told me, aren't the cells still viewable? is it possible to
hide the cells when protected?

thank you for you input so far

"dominicb" wrote:

>
> Good morning Joe Black
>
> You could protect that fairly easily by using Tools > Protection >
> Worksheet Protection. It will keep out all users and will require a
> password.
>
> Now the bad news. It's not very secure at all and anyone who finds
> newsgroups like this can find code listings and sites that show the
> code that would be required to remove the password. The bottom line -
> it can be used to prevant accidental change or erasure and will keep
> out some users, but if you want to keep something secret, don't store
> it in Excel.
>
> HTH
>
> DominicB
>
>
> --
> dominicb
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> dominicb's Profile: http://www.excelforum.com/member.php...o&userid=18932
> View this thread: http://www.excelforum.com/showthread...hreadid=469810
>
>

[dominicb]

Hi Joe Black

Ahhhh! I thinkI see what you mean now. I thought you wanted to hide columns, but you mean cells.

Not sure if there's an easier way but if you select the cells you want to hide the content of and press ctrl + 1, protection and select the "Hidden" box. Don't invoke the protection yet, but once set this will stop the cell contents being visible in the formula bar at the top of the screen. The contents will still be visible in the cell, so go to the Number tab and select the Custom format option and set up a custom format of ;;; All cells with this format will be rendered invisible. You can now set the protection.

Obviously to view the cells a user has to do these steps in reverse, but there's nothing to stop you setting up a macro to undo this.

HTH

DominicB