How to "sign" macro with "digital certificate"?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Clueless in Seattle
  • Start date Start date
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Clueless in Seattle

Lately whenever I use Excel 2003 to try to open an old worksheet I
created with Excel 97 I get a message saying the macros have been
disabled because I don't have a "digital certificate."

I've tried following the instructions in the Excel help files and on
the web to create a digital certificate which I've named "My Digital
Certificate." I think I was able to successfully create the
certificate.

But I can't figure out how to "sign" my macros with it. So my
worksheet has been rendered useless to me until I can sign those
blasted macros.

I'd be grateful to anyone who could explain to me how to get my
worksheet working again.

Will in Seattle
a.k.a. "Clueless"
 
Will,

Does this help?

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/217221http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/excel/HP052495571033.aspx
Click to expand...

Thanks, JP,

As it turns out, that is exactly the set of instructions I have been
trying to follow, but without success :(

Here's what I've done so far:

A. In Windows 2000 I clicked on Start>Microsoft Office>Microsoft
Office Tools>Digital Certificate for VBA Projects.

B. In the "Create Digital Certificate" box that popped up I entereted
"My Digital Certificate" in the field labeled "Your certificate's
name:" and clicked OK.

C. I got a message saying "Successfully created...etc."

Then I tried to follow the instructions on that same web page you
suggested:

"1. On the Tools menu, click Options, and click the Security tab."

I take this to mean that I'm supposed to open the file I want to sign,
in this case the file containing my Excel worksheet. Did I get that
right? I had already reset the security level from high to medium, in
a previous attempt, so when the worksheet opened up, I got a choice of
disabling or enabling macros. I chose "enable."

"2. Click Digital signatures."

Under "Signatures" the only only the that appears on the list is
Signer:Administrator Digital ID Issued By: Administrator Date:
3/22/2008.

"3. Click Add."

When I click "Add..." I get a message asking me if I want to save the
workbook. I click yes."

"4. Select the certificate you want to add, and then click OK."

I get a list with two certificates, "My Digital Certificate" and
"Administrator." I chose "Administrator because it had an expiration
date in 2106 as opposed to "My Digital Certificate" which has an
expiration date of 2014.

I clicked OK and then OK and then OK yet again.

I reset the Security Level to "High" and then clicked "Save." I got a
warning that said "Saving will remove all digital signatures from the
workbook. Do you want to continue?"

Well, no! I went to all that trouble to add the digital signature.
Why would I want to remove it?

So I don't save the file, I just close it.

But then when I reopen it I'm faced with the "Macros are disabled
because the security level is set to High and a digitally signed
Trusted Certificate is not attached to the macros....etc."

So I'm right back to where I started. And have been going round and
round in circles like this for days and days now.

So where have I gone wrong?

Will in Seattle
a.k.a. "Clueless
 
You assign the DC to your workbook/project in the VBE.

Alt + F11 to open VBE. CTRL + r to open Project Explorer.

Select your workbook.project and Tools>Digital Signature>Choose

You should be presented with at least one of your certificates.

Pick one and OK then save your workbook/project.

Close and re-open...............since the DC is not of the "Trusted" type you
MAY be asked if you want to trust the signer.

Select OK

Save and close again.......re-open without any message.


Gord Dibben MS Excel MVP
 
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