Groupings unhiding hidden columns

[Miraun]

So, I have 4 groupings assigned to Columns A:AH.

However, when I hit the commands on the groupings area (the 1 and 2 to the far left), they unhide all of my hidden columns beyond the end of the sheet.

I have protections set up on the sheet, with .EnableOulining in order to allow users to use the groupings...

I'm looking for any variety of solutions:
1) Remove the 1 and 2 blocks from the far left from the end user.
2) Set a VBA prompt upon column unhides to auto-hide columns beyond range AH
3) I dunno... anything else?

I'm flexible, but I just don't want the end user having the ability to see the vast nothingness beyond the right end of the sheet...

[icestationzbra]

as far as columns beyond AH are concerned, if there is never anything there, why don't you consider "hiding" them to begin with?

left-click on the column header AH > hit F8 > scroll to extreme right column (IV???) > left-click on the column header IV > now, all the columns between AH and IV should be highlighted > right-click on one of the the highlighted column headers > Hide

now, whatever is the status of the Group, you will never see column AH onwards.

[Miraun]

Sorry for the bump after a couple days... but that's what I was doing. However, even if you manually format it to hidden, hitting the '2' button on the group bar will remove the hide effect.

[Miraun]

No idea what happened... but apparently when I tried to highlight AH:XFD or whatever the last column is now, it refused to keep the hidden property after hitting ungroup... For some reason, if I did it one less than the rightmost column, and then hid them, they were fine...

spaghetti coding.