Trial Version Counter

**ShredDude** · 09-10-2007, 05:09 PM

I'm playing around with the concept of restricting a Workbook such that it can only be opened a predetermined number of times. (Not a time frame restriction.)

I've tried the following code but it seems the GetSetting / SaveSetting commands aren't doing what I need them to do.

I was attemtping to have it pull the counter setting from the registry if it was there, if it wasn't there the default of 0 would return and you'd treat that as the first time the workbook was ever opened and set the coutner to 5. Next time through the counter setting should <> zero, thus do the other bit, and so on.

any ideas?

HTML Code:

I realize this code doesn't address what happens when the number of times is reached. I'd want that circumstance to thorow up another msgbox announcing your trial is expired, and then close the workbook. Right now I was just trying to figure out how to store the counter value so that I could use it the next time I open the workbook.

I'm still pretty new to all of this.

Any help much appreciated.

Thanks,

Shred

**mudraker** · 09-10-2007, 05:27 PM

Here is 1 way

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**ShredDude** · 09-10-2007, 07:15 PM

Mudraker:

Thanks for your reply. I learned something new reading the Help file about the ID property of the Range Object. Neat ID to use this element to contain your counter in this example. Makes it kind of stealth for most users.

However, I didn't get the code to work in my example. I got a type mistmatch error on the first line when I ran it.

I can't figure it out. Is there a problem with a null value the first time through and thus you can't add a 1 to it? I don't know.

I had a similar question while trying to figure a way to accomplish this before. how do you get the initial value in there, without resetting it each time the workbook open procedure kicks off? That's when I got down the path of checking to see if it's zero, and if it was, to then set it up to 5 so I could work down off it. And using the savesetting to keep it in the registry for next time.

I lke the idea of not having to write to the registry. There would plenty of places to hide the ID in the workbook.

Thanks for your reply. I already learned something new!

**royUK** · 09-11-2007, 02:33 AM

Your counter does not exist initially, so it cannot have a value of 0.
You don't give the counter a value before testing.
It ill eventually reach 0, then your code would allow use again

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**mudraker** · 09-11-2007, 07:03 AM

This will fix the error in the code I posted earlier

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**ShredDude** · 09-11-2007, 01:40 PM

thank you...Your code worked well. I've tailored it a bit for my scenario.

I have a question though about preventing the user from escaping out of the code, and then hitting Continue. That allows them to keep using the workbook. (I'm not sure if this sort of add-on question violates forum rules. If so, please advise.)

I put a password on the VBA project, and that disabled the Debug button in the window that comes up if you interrupt the code with a CTRL+BREAK key. But it still alows them to click Continue, which puts them back to the workbook, fully able to use it.

I read in the Help that the User Interrupt error code is 18, but I haven't been succseful in inserting some error handling code to prevent the user from working around my code in the Case that closes the workbook when the trial has expired.

Any ideas? I'm wanting to be able to give a file to someone to use "X" number of times, and thereafter it pops up a msgbox, and then closes. I've got that bit working, but I can get around it with CTRL BREAK and then clicking Continue.

Thanks,

Shred

**royUK** · 09-11-2007, 02:04 PM

Try

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**ShredDude** · 09-11-2007, 02:05 PM

I meant to say the End button. The Continue button allows the code to complete, extiting the workbook as desired. Clicking the End button puts the user into the workbook, able to continue using it.

Shred.