Tutorial 06: How to protect cells and sheet elements in VB6

How to protect cells and sheet elements in VB6

EasyXLS Excel library can be used to export Excel files in VB6. The library is a COM+ component that works without MS Excel installed.

Find more about Getting Started with EasyXLS

Step 1: Download and install EasyXLS Excel Library for COM+

To download the trial version of EasyXLS Excel Library, press the below button:

If you already own a license key, you may login and download EasyXLS from your account.

Step 2: Verify if EasyXLS is registered

Check if EasyXLS component is present in Component Services.

Step 3: License file setup

Step required for EasyXLS v9.0 or later.

If you are using a trial, generate a trial license file from EasyXLS trials page. The trial license is valid for 30-days.

If you own a license key, you may login to the account that purchased the license and generate the license file from:
https://www.easyxls.com/my-orders

Setup the license file into your project using these guidelines.

Step 4: Add reference to EasyXLS (optionally)

Optionally, EasyXLS can be added as reference. Go to menu, select "Project" menu item, choose "References...", then check EasyXLS from the "Available References" list.

Step 5: Run VB6 code that adds formula to Excel cell

Execute the following VB6 code that exports data to Excel, protects Excel sheet and locks cells.

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'===============================================================
' Tutorial 06
'
' This code sample shows how to create an Excel file in VB6 with
' multiple sheets.The first sheet is protected and
' filled with data. The cells are formatted and locked.
'===============================================================

VERSION 5.00
Begin VB.Form Form1 
    Caption         =   "Form1"
    ClientHeight    =   4590
    ClientLeft      =   60
    ClientTop       =   345
    ClientWidth     =   6885
    LinkTopic       =   "Form1"
    ScaleHeight     =   4590
    ScaleWidth      =   6885
    StartUpPosition =   3  'Windows Default
    Begin VB.Label Label1 
        AutoSize        =   -1  'True
        Height          =   100
        Left            =   120
        TabIndex        =   0
        Top             =   120
        Width           =   100
    End
End

Attribute VB_Name = "Form1"
Attribute VB_GlobalNameSpace = False
Attribute VB_Creatable = False
Attribute VB_PredeclaredId = True
Attribute VB_Exposed = False

Private Sub Form_Load()

    Alignment.Initialize
    Border.Initialize
    DataType.Initialize
    Color.Initialize

    Me.Label1.Caption = "Tutorial 06" & vbCrLf & "---------------" & vbCrLf

    ' Create an instance of the class that creates Excel files
    Set workbook = CreateObject("EasyXLS.ExcelDocument")

    ' Create two worksheets
    workbook.easy_addWorksheet_2 ("First tab")
    workbook.easy_addWorksheet_2 ("Second tab")

    ' Protect first sheet
    workbook.easy_getSheetAt(0).setSheetProtected (True)

    ' Get the table of data for the first worksheet
    Set xlsFirstTable = workbook.easy_getSheetAt(0).easy_getExcelTable()

    ' Create the formatting style for the header
    Set xlsStyleHeader = CreateObject("EasyXLS.ExcelStyle")
    xlsStyleHeader.setFont ("Verdana")
    xlsStyleHeader.setFontSize (8)
    xlsStyleHeader.setItalic (True)
    xlsStyleHeader.setBold (True)
    xlsStyleHeader.setForeground (CLng(Color.COLOR_YELLOW))
    xlsStyleHeader.setBackground (CLng(Color.COLOR_BLACK))
    xlsStyleHeader.setBorderColors CLng(Color.COLOR_GRAY), CLng(Color.COLOR_GRAY), _
                                        CLng(Color.COLOR_GRAY), CLng(Color.COLOR_GRAY)
    xlsStyleHeader.setBorderStyles Border.BORDER_BORDER_MEDIUM, Border.BORDER_BORDER_MEDIUM, _
                                        Border.BORDER_BORDER_MEDIUM, Border.BORDER_BORDER_MEDIUM
    xlsStyleHeader.setHorizontalAlignment (Alignment.ALIGNMENT_ALIGNMENT_CENTER)
    xlsStyleHeader.setVerticalAlignment (Alignment.ALIGNMENT_ALIGNMENT_BOTTOM)
    xlsStyleHeader.setWrap (True)
    xlsStyleHeader.setDataType (DataType.DATATYPE_STRING)

    ' Add data in cells for report header
    For Column = 0 To 4
        xlsFirstTable.easy_getCell(0, Column).setValue ("Column " & (Column + 1))
        xlsFirstTable.easy_getCell(0, Column).setStyle (xlsStyleHeader)
    Next
    xlsFirstTable.easy_getRowAt(0).setHeight (30)

    ' Create a formatting style for cells
    Set xlsStyleData = CreateObject("EasyXLS.ExcelStyle")
    xlsStyleData.setHorizontalAlignment (Alignment.ALIGNMENT_ALIGNMENT_LEFT)
    xlsStyleData.setForeground (CLng(Color.COLOR_DARKGRAY))
    xlsStyleData.setWrap (False)
    ' Protect cells
    xlsStyleData.setLocked (True)
    xlsStyleData.setDataType (DataType.DATATYPE_STRING)

    ' Add data in cells for report values
    For row = 0 To 99
        For Column = 0 To 4
            xlsFirstTable.easy_getCell(row + 1, Column).setValue ("Data " & (row + 1) & ", " & (Column + 1))
            xlsFirstTable.easy_getCell(row + 1, Column).setStyle (xlsStyleData)
        Next
    Next

    ' Set column widths
    xlsFirstTable.setColumnWidth_2 0, 70
    xlsFirstTable.setColumnWidth_2 1, 100
    xlsFirstTable.setColumnWidth_2 2, 70
    xlsFirstTable.setColumnWidth_2 3, 100
    xlsFirstTable.setColumnWidth_2 4, 70

    ' Create Excel file
    Me.Label1.Caption = Me.Label1.Caption & vbCrLf & _
                           "Writing file C:\Samples\Tutorial06 - protect Excel sheet.xlsx"
    workbook.easy_WriteXLSXFile ("C:\Samples\Tutorial06 - protect Excel sheet.xlsx")

    ' Confirm the creation of Excel file
    If workbook.easy_getError() = "" Then
        Me.Label1.Caption = Me.Label1.Caption & vbCrLf & "File successfully created."
    Else
        Me.Label1.Caption = Me.Label1.Caption & vbCrLf & "Error: " & workbook.easy_getError()
    End If

    ' Dispose memory
    workbook.Dispose
End Sub

Overloaded methods
For methods with same name but different parameters, only the first method overload retains the original name. Subsequent overloads are uniquely renamed by appending to the method name '_2', '_3', etc (method, method_2, method_3), an integer that corresponds to the order of declaration that can be found in EasyXLS.h, a file that comes with EasyXLS installation.

EasyXLS Excel components:
Excel Library for VB6
full COM+ version to import, export or convert Excel files
Excel Writer for VB6
COM+ version to create and export Excel files

File formats:
Office 365 MS Excel 2021 - 2024 MS Excel 2007 - 2019 MS Excel 97 - 2003

How to protect cells and sheet elements in VB6

Step 1: Download and install EasyXLS Excel Library for COM+

Step 2: Verify if EasyXLS is registered

See also

Step 3: License file setup

Step 4: Add reference to EasyXLS (optionally)

Step 5: Run VB6 code that adds formula to Excel cell

Related sections

See also

Related methods

EasyXLS Excel components:

File formats: