How best to distribute Excel 2003 spreadsheet with VBA Macros?

[Michael]

Ok not as simple as it may sound! LOL!

I have an Excel 2003 spreadsheet app that needs to be distributed within the
organization I work for. However, many of the users of this spreadsheet will
be mobile and often not connected to any network (stand alone users). The
spreadsheet has VBA macros I've written of course. Now everytime we try to
open the spreadsheet on any PC besides the one I developed it on, there's
this 20 something second delay before the "Enable Macros?" warning message
pops up... I believe it's looking for my self-signed digital certificate
from my development PC on every other PC we try to run the spreadsheet on!
Since that certificate was a "self-signed" certificate it only exists on my
development PC.

The startup delay while Excel times out looking for that certificate is
unacceptable. How do I handle this? We can't use an internet based
certification authority as many times the user's PC's won't be connected to
the internet at all (the file will be sent to them on memory sticks and
cd's).

Also or alternatively, how do I get Excel to stop looking for that
self-certificate I had on my development PC? Simply removing it from the
Trusted Certificates list doesn't seem to have stopped Excel from looking
for it... it apparently remembers that I used a self-signed certificate to
create the VBA macro's and keeps trying to find that certificate anyways.

Help! I'm still Googling the problem but not finding any solutions here. :-(

- Michael

 

[JP]

If you distribute your workbook as an add-in, it should avoid this
problem.

Do a Google search for "how to create add-in excel" there are many
websites with instructions.


HTH,
JP

 

[Michael]

Ok perhaps I didn't make that too clear JP... the entire spreadsheet file is
an "application". It includes worksheets, forms, modules, formulas, range
names, etc. Altogether it's nearly 10 MB.... not exactly Add-In material.
LOL!

- Michael


If you distribute your workbook as an add-in, it should avoid this
problem.

Do a Google search for "how to create add-in excel" there are many
websites with instructions.


HTH,
JP

 

[JP]

I have digitally signed code in a workbook (using selfcert), placed
the file on a network share (where someone else's copy of Excel
wouldn't be able to access my locally-created certificate) and had no
issue like you describe.

I found a site that explains how to install a self-created certificate
on a local machine:

http://pubs.logicalexpressions.com/Pub0009/LPMArticle.asp?ID=194

You mentioned a 20 second delay, did you consider the fact that a 10mb
workbook might be to blame?

--JP