XL98: Cannot Modify Microsoft Excel 5.0 Add-in

ID: Q185305

The information in this article applies to:

Microsoft Excel 98 Macintosh Edition

SYMPTOMS

In the Visual Basic Editor for Microsoft Excel 98 Macintosh Edition, when you attempt to edit a project for an add-in that is saved in the Microsoft Excel 5.0 file format, you receive the following error message:

   Project is unviewable

You cannot edit the worksheets or modules in the project, and you cannot modify any of the project properties.

CAUSE

When you run a Microsoft Excel 5.0 add-in in Microsoft Excel 98, the behavior of the add-in remains unchanged. However, the method that you use to edit and protect an add-in in Microsoft Excel 98 is different from the method you use in Microsoft Excel 5.0.

Add-ins that you save in a format for use with earlier versions of Microsoft Excel are protected; you cannot access the worksheets in Microsoft Excel, and you cannot access the modules in the Visual Basic Editor. These measures are used to protect the add-in being changed. Microsoft Excel uses a random password to protect the project, which prevents the add-in from being unprotected.

RESOLUTION

To edit and modify an add-in that is created in Microsoft Excel 5.0, open the source workbook used to create the add-in, and make modifications to the source. After you modify the source workbook, create a new add-in from the source workbook.

STATUS

This behavior is by design of Microsoft Excel 98.

MORE INFORMATION

For additional information on creating Microsoft Excel 98 add-ins, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

  ARTICLE-ID: Q156942
  TITLE     : XL98: How to Create an Add-in File in Microsoft Excel 98

REFERENCES

For more information about add-ins, click Contents And Index on the Help menu (or on the Balloon Help menu if you are using a version of the Macintosh operating system earlier than 8.0), click the Index button in MS Excel Help, type the following text

   add-in programs, loading and unloading

and then click Show Topics. Select the "Use add-in programs of Microsoft Excel" topic, and click Go To. If you are unable to find the information you need, ask the Office Assistant.

Additional query words: XL5 XL98 project locked addin not viewable invisible hidden XL98

Keywords          : kbprg kbdta xlvbainfo xladdins xlmac 
Version           : MACINTOSH:98
Platform          : MACINTOSH
Issue type        : kbprb

Last Reviewed: May 13, 1998