Problem with Password protected Word files

[CyberJar]

When my code encounters a password protected Word file in the "For Each" loop, it prompts the user for the password, then suddenly the hidden Word app becomes visible ( even though I stated "oWApp.ScreenUpdating = False" ) and the user is seeing the opening & closing of the rest of each document inside the For Each loop.

When I encounter a password protected file, I need to log the Word filepath and go on to the Next file, without exiting the loop. I'm having problems with this line: Set oWDoc = oWApp.Documents(abc)

When I place the problem line before the Open statement, I get "bad file name" .
Variable abc contains a full server and path, like: \\SERVER\User\My Documents\FileName.doc

When I place the problem line and the HasPassword test, after the Open statement, I get the original problem - a password prompt and the Word app becomes visible while still processing files.

       Set oWApp = GetObject(, "Word.Application")
        If ERR_APP_NOT_RUNNING Then
            Set oWApp = CreateObject("Word.Application")
        End If
            oWApp.ScreenUpdating = False

            For Each abc In colStoreWFiles

            Set oWDoc = oWApp.Documents(abc)  'PROBLEM LINE
            If oWDoc.HasPassword = True Then
                Print #LOG, "message"
            Else
                Set oWDoc = oWApp.Documents.Open(abc, , False)
            ....etc....
            End If

Any information is appreciated.

[Siddharth Rout]

When my code encounters a password protected Word file in the "For Each" loop, it prompts the user for the password, then suddenly the hidden Word app becomes visible ( even though I stated "oWApp.ScreenUpdating = False" ) and the user is seeing the opening & closing of the rest of each document inside the For Each loop.

When I encounter a password protected file, I need to log the Word filepath and go on to the Next file, without exiting the loop. I'm having problems with this line: Set oWDoc = oWApp.Documents(abc)

When I place the problem line before the Open statement, I get "bad file name" .
Variable abc contains a full server and path, like: \\SERVER\User\My Documents\FileName.doc

When I place the problem line and the HasPassword test, after the Open statement, I get the original problem - a password prompt and the Word app becomes visible while still processing files.

       Set oWApp = GetObject(, "Word.Application")
        If ERR_APP_NOT_RUNNING Then
            Set oWApp = CreateObject("Word.Application")
        End If
            oWApp.ScreenUpdating = False

            For Each abc In colStoreWFiles

            Set oWDoc = oWApp.Documents(abc)  'PROBLEM LINE
            If oWDoc.HasPassword = True Then
                Print #LOG, "message"
            Else
                Set oWDoc = oWApp.Documents.Open(abc, , False)
            ....etc....
            End If

Any information is appreciated.

Try

oWApp.Visible=False
oWApp.ScreenUpdating = False

Hope this helps...

[CyberJar]

Hi,

I did try .Visible = False and .DisplayAlerts= False too, but Word still came up with thte prompt for the password.

[dmaruca]

He's already using ScreenUpdating and Visible is already false.

Try out DisplayAlerts = False. I tried to reproduce the behavior, but I didn't get a prompt.

[dmaruca]

I think I see your problem, you're attaching to the running copy of Word instead of creating a new one every time. That should be what is causing it. I always create a new process. Do that, and your problem should go away.

[Siddharth Rout]

where are you calling this code from?

[CyberJar]

When I run the program, I do not have a running version of Word. Word is closed. Is that what you mean?

[Siddharth Rout]

When I run the program, I do not have a running version of Word. Word is closed. Is that what you mean?

Where are you running this program from?

[dmaruca]

Yea, I was referring to making sure that createobject was being used instead of getobject. If that is the case, then I'm stumped. I can't reproduce the behavior here. I'm using Office 2003 and early binding. I also don't have to tell word to not update the screen or display alerts. It spawns not visible and runs like expected...

[CyberJar]

From my C:

It executes on Word files locate in My Documents

[dmaruca]

PS /wave Koolsid

[Siddharth Rout]

From my C:

It executes on Word files locate in My Documents

No I mean are you calling this piece of code from Excel, VB6, or any other office application...

[CyberJar]

Oops, sorry - it's a vb6 late binding app which works on Word and Excel files.

[CyberJar]

I read somewhere to add a bogus password to the Open and then check for err.number 5408 - password is incorrect. The unprotected files ignore it and then just check for 5408.

Set oWDoc = oWApp.Documents.Open(abc, , False, , "xyz")

But somewhere else said that in Word 2003 this doesn't work - you get err.number 4198 - command failed, for all files and nothing gets processed.

I'm using 2000, is this true when using 2003?

Thanks

[Siddharth Rout]

Oops, sorry - it's a vb6 late binding app which works on Word and Excel files.

Oh ok

Unfortunately I don't have vb6 in the office. I cannot even test it

Would it be possible for you to post the inital part of the code as well. I am just being selfish here so that I don't have to type the entire code. i can simply copy paste your code and then test it

[CyberJar]

This is what works as of now:

        Set oWApp = GetObject(, "Word.Application")
        If ERR_APP_NOT_RUNNING Then
            Set oWApp = CreateObject("Word.Application")
        End If

            oWApp.ScreenUpdating = False

            For Each abc In colStoreWFiles

                Set oWDoc = oWApp.Documents.Open(abc, , False, , "xyz") 
                oWDoc.Activate
                ... process ...

eHandler:
   If Err.Number = 5408 Then
       Print #LOG, msg
    End If
    Resume Next 'THIS IS WRONG, I NEED TO GET THE NEXT FILE - NOT CONTINUE. HOW?

    If Err.Number <> ERR_APP_NOT_RUNNING Then
        Print #LOG, msg
    End If
    Resume Next

Thanks

[Siddharth Rout]

great, let me check this out...

edit: Ok I checked the code out. It is one way of approching your problem. The only hitch with this code is that if the password for the file is "xyz" then it will not give you the desired result. the other way is to replace "xyz" with a lenghty string. something like "aadadfsdgfdhghgfjfhjhjhdgjghgfkgjk"

The other thing is that this

Set oWDoc = oWApp.Documents(abc)

is an incorrect way of setting the document to oWdoc. You will have to use oWApp.Documents.open() to set it. And there is no way that I could find wherein you can set it without making the application visible... Maybe I am not aware if there is any other way...

Maybe I would have done the same thing as you have done in the above post....

[CyberJar]

Thanks for checking it out.

Wow, what a bind! - but I have a few more tricks up my sleeve - I'll post any positive results here for others.

CJ

[dmaruca]

Hey Cyber,

Can you confirm if you get the password prompt if you run the code in Office VBA? I was trying to re-create the behavior using VBA, and it didn't prompt for a password. That could lead to a solution if it doesn't. It would also prove that Word pays attention to where it's being automated from.

[CyberJar]

In office 2002, with a bogus password set in the Open statement, instead of returning "Incorrect Password", all files are returning 4198, "command failed" so there is no way to segregate Password protected files from Non-protected files.

My app runs against thousands of files, users cannot sit there entering password after password -

Does anyone know how to find out if a file is password protected before the open statement? maybe with an API?

Thanks

[CyberJar]

This is the way to do it:

               Set oWDoc = oWApp.Documents.Open(fileName, , False, , "nonsense")
                If skipDoc Then GoTo nextDoc
                'process doc
nextDoc:
            Set oWDoc = Nothing
            skipDoc = False
            Next 'loop get next doc

Then do checks in your error routine

errRountine:
         Select Case Err.Number
                Case 5408 'wrong password
                    Print #LOG, whatever
                    Err.Clear
                    skipDoc = True
                    resume next

hope this helps.
CJ