You can use the MS Self Certification utility to create a Digital ID to share macro enabled files with other XL users, even those running at high security. Here’s how:
File Originator:
1. Run c:\program files\OfficeXP\Office10\selfcert.exe (if file not found, use add/remove on MSOffice, it’s in Office Tools)
2. Enter a name (eg John Doe, ACME Corp)
3. Open XL file you want to certify and open up VBE
4. Go Tools|Digital Signature
5. Click Choose
6. You should see the name of the cert that you just created on this list. Select it then click OK, then OK again
7. Save and Close file
Users:
With security on Medium or High
1. When the user tries to open the file they will get the Security Warning dialog box with “Always Trust Macros From This Source” grayed out.
2. Click Details
3. Click View Certificate
4. Click Install Certificate
5. Next, Next, Finished, then say Yes to add certificate to Root Store
6. Click OK, OK, OK, then Disable Macro and the file will open
7. Close file
8. Open file again, this time “Always Trust Macro From This Source” is not grayed out. Check off this box, then say Enable Macro. From now on you can open any signed Office file from this deveoper without any prompts!!
I have not found this procedure in any documentation, just found it myself.
Warning: I have not found a way to uninstall Digital Signatures from a machine and it seems to me that there is a very slight performance hit on file saves once installed.
Note: Developer can only create this Digi ID from this PC.
File Originator:
1. Run c:\program files\OfficeXP\Office10\selfcert.exe (if file not found, use add/remove on MSOffice, it’s in Office Tools)
2. Enter a name (eg John Doe, ACME Corp)
3. Open XL file you want to certify and open up VBE
4. Go Tools|Digital Signature
5. Click Choose
6. You should see the name of the cert that you just created on this list. Select it then click OK, then OK again
7. Save and Close file
Users:
With security on Medium or High
1. When the user tries to open the file they will get the Security Warning dialog box with “Always Trust Macros From This Source” grayed out.
2. Click Details
3. Click View Certificate
4. Click Install Certificate
5. Next, Next, Finished, then say Yes to add certificate to Root Store
6. Click OK, OK, OK, then Disable Macro and the file will open
7. Close file
8. Open file again, this time “Always Trust Macro From This Source” is not grayed out. Check off this box, then say Enable Macro. From now on you can open any signed Office file from this deveoper without any prompts!!
I have not found this procedure in any documentation, just found it myself.
Warning: I have not found a way to uninstall Digital Signatures from a machine and it seems to me that there is a very slight performance hit on file saves once installed.
Note: Developer can only create this Digi ID from this PC.
