Zip Files

[Ida13013]

I have a large (29Mb) workbook with many hidden tabs. I must password
protect the workbook to prevent others from viewing the hidden sheets. When
I zip the password-protected workbook, it only compresses about 5%, thus
making it impossible to send via email. When I remove the password from the
the workbook
protection, it compresses to almost 75%. I must protect this file, and I
must be able to email it. Can anyone out there help me?

 

[JE McGimpsey]

I have a large (29Mb) workbook with many hidden tabs. I must password
protect the workbook to prevent others from viewing the hidden sheets. When
I zip the password-protected workbook, it only compresses about 5%, thus
making it impossible to send via email. When I remove the password from the
the workbook
protection, it compresses to almost 75%. I must protect this file, and I
must be able to email it. Can anyone out there help me?

Not sure I understand what you're trying to do here...

Protecting the *file* (using Options/Password to open in the Save As
dialog) won't do anything to keep your hidden worksheets hidden. It's
true that using Make Archive of xxxx.xls compresses a file-protected
workbook only minimally.

However, when I use workbook-level protection (Tools/Protection/Protect
Workbook) to disable the Format/Sheets/Unhide menu option, the file
compresses normally for me (my test workbook went from 32MB to 7.8MB).

Of course, workbook-level protection can be removed in 30 seconds by
anyone who can find these newsgroups:

http://www.mcgimpsey.com/excel/removepwords.html

and file passwords aren't much better:

http://www.mcgimpsey.com/excel/fileandvbapwords.html

I always advise anyone who doesn't want someone else to see everything
in their workbook, they should send a pdf.