Adding a ListRow into a table of a protected worksheet - excel

Question

I want to add data to last row in each table in each worksheet when the worksheet is protected.
I have this code in ThisWorkbook to protect the worksheets
Private Sub Workbook_Open()
Dim wSheet As Worksheet
For Each wSheet In Worksheets
wSheet.Protect Password:="Secret", _
UserInterFaceOnly:=True
Next wSheet
End Sub
and the following code to add the data. It throws
Error 1004 "Application-defined or Object-defined error"
at the Set newrow1 = tbl.ListRows.Add when the worksheet is protected.
Sub AddDataToTable()
Application.ScreenUpdating = False
Dim MyValue As String
Dim sh As Worksheet
Dim ws1 As Worksheet
Dim ws2 As Worksheet
Dim ws3 As Worksheet
Dim ws4 As Worksheet
Dim ws5 As Worksheet
Set ws1 = Sheets("Setting")
Set ws2 = Sheets("R_Buy")
Set ws3 = Sheets("R_Sell")
Set ws4 = Sheets("S_Buy")
Set ws5 = Sheets("S_Sell")
Dim tbl As ListObject
Dim tb2 As ListObject
Dim tb3 As ListObject
Dim tb4 As ListObject
Dim tb5 As ListObject
Set tbl = ws1.ListObjects("T_Setting")
Set tb2 = ws2.ListObjects("T_R_Buy")
Set tb3 = ws3.ListObjects("T_R_Sell")
Set tb4 = ws4.ListObjects("T_S_Buy")
Set tb5 = ws5.ListObjects("T_S_Sell")
Dim newrow1 As ListRow
Dim newrow2 As ListRow
Dim newrow3 As ListRow
Dim newrow4 As ListRow
Dim newrow5 As ListRow
MyValue = InputBox("Add To Table, this cannot be undone")
'check if user clicked Cancel button and, if appropriate, execute statements
If StrPtr(MyValue) = 0 Then
'display message box confirming that user clicked Cancel button
MsgBox "You clicked the Cancel button"
'check if user entered no input and, if appropriate, execute statements
ElseIf MyValue = "" Then
'display message box confirming that user entered no input
MsgBox "There is no Text Input"
Else
Set newrow1 = tbl.ListRows.Add
With newrow1
.Range(1) = MyValue
End With
Set newrow2 = tb2.ListRows.Add
With newrow2
.Range(1) = MyValue
End With
Set newrow3 = tb3.ListRows.Add
With newrow3
.Range(1) = MyValue
End With
Set newrow4 = tb4.ListRows.Add
With newrow4
.Range(1) = MyValue
End With
Set newrow5 = tb5.ListRows.Add
With newrow5
.Range(1) = MyValue
End With
End If
Application.ScreenUpdating = True
End Sub

Answer 1

That's an issue with Excel that it doesn't allow to edit tables in UserInterFaceOnly:=True mode. Unfortunately, the only workaround I've found is to unprotect before any table methods are applied and then reprotect after:
.Unprotect Password:=SHEET_PW 'unprotect sheet
'edit table
.Protect Password:=SHEET_PW, UserInterFaceOnly:=True 'reprotect
Additionally I suggest the following improvement to shorten your code:
Use arrays Dim tbl(1 To 5) instead of multiple variables tbl1, tbl2, tbl3, …
Or better use an array to list your worksheet names only.
Use more descriptive variable names (makes your life easier to maintain and read the code)
If your table names are always T_ followed by the worksheet name you can easily generate them out of your worksheet name.
Use a constant for your worksheet password SHEET_PW to have it stored in only one place (easier to change, prevents typos).
Use loops to do repetitive things.
So we end up with:
Option Explicit
Const SHEET_PW As String = "Secret" 'global password for protecting worksheets
Public Sub AddDataToTableImproved()
Dim AddValue As String
AddValue = InputBox("Add To Table, this cannot be undone")
If StrPtr(AddValue) = 0 Then 'cancel button
MsgBox "You clicked the Cancel button"
Exit Sub
ElseIf AddValue = "" Then 'no input
MsgBox "There is no Text Input"
Exit Sub
End If
Dim NewRow As ListRow
Dim SheetNameList() As Variant
SheetNameList = Array("Setting", "R_Buy", "R_Sell", "S_Buy", "S_Sell")
Dim SheetName As Variant
For Each SheetName In SheetNameList
With ThisWorkbook.Worksheets(SheetName)
.Unprotect Password:=SHEET_PW 'unprotect sheet
Set NewRow = .ListObjects("T_" & SheetName).ListRows.Add
NewRow.Range(1) = AddValue
.Protect Password:=SHEET_PW, UserInterFaceOnly:=True 'reprotect it
End With
Next SheetName
End Sub

Answer 2

A bit late to help the original OP but hopefully this will help other readers.
There is indeed an issue with the ListObject functionality when the worksheet is protected even if the UserInterFaceOnly flag is set to True.
However, we can still use the Range and Application functionality and we can actually work around most of the use cases with the exception of 2 edge cases:
We want to insert immediately after the header row AND the sheet is protected AND the headers are off (.ShowHeaders is False) - I don't think there is any solution to this but to be honest I wonder why would one have the headers off. Not to mention it's a really rare case to meet all 3 criterias.
The table has no rows AND the sheet is protected AND the headers are off. In this case the special 'insert' row cannot easily be turned into a 'listrow' but it can be done with a few column and row inserts - not worth the trouble though as this is potentially rare in real life use.
Here is the code that I came up with:
Option Explicit
Option Private Module
Private Const MODULE_NAME As String = "LibExcelListObjects"
'*******************************************************************************
'Adds rows to a ListObject and returns the corresponding added Range
'Parameters:
' - tbl: the table to add rows to
' - [rowsToAdd]: the number of rows to add. Default is 1
' - [startRow]: the row index from where to start adding. Default is 0 in
' which case the rows would be appended at the end of the table
' - [doEntireSheetRow]:
' * TRUE - adds entire rows including left and right of the target table
' * FALSE - adds rows only below the table bounds shifting down (default)
'Raises error:
' - 5: if 'rowsToAdd' is less than 1
' - 9: if 'startRow' is invalid
' - 91: if 'tbl' is not set
' - 1004: if adding rows failed due to worksheet being protected while the
' UserInterfaceOnly flag is set to False
'*******************************************************************************
Public Function AddListRows(ByVal tbl As ListObject _
, Optional ByVal rowsToAdd As Long = 1 _
, Optional ByVal startRow As Long = 0 _
, Optional ByVal doEntireSheetRow As Boolean = False _
) As Range
Const fullMethodName As String = MODULE_NAME & ".AddListRows"
Dim isSuccess As Boolean
'
If tbl Is Nothing Then
Err.Raise 91, fullMethodName, "Table object not set"
ElseIf startRow < 0 Or startRow > tbl.ListRows.Count + 1 Then
Err.Raise 9, fullMethodName, "Invalid start row index"
ElseIf rowsToAdd < 1 Then
Err.Raise 5, fullMethodName, "Invalid number of rows to add"
End If
If startRow = 0 Then startRow = tbl.ListRows.Count + 1
'
If startRow = tbl.ListRows.Count + 1 Then
isSuccess = AppendListRows(tbl, rowsToAdd, doEntireSheetRow)
Else
isSuccess = InsertListRows(tbl, rowsToAdd, startRow, doEntireSheetRow)
End If
If Not isSuccess Then
If tbl.Parent.ProtectContents And Not tbl.Parent.ProtectionMode Then
Err.Raise 1004, fullMethodName, "Parent sheet is macro protected"
Else
Err.Raise 5, fullMethodName, "Cannot append rows"
End If
End If
Set AddListRows = tbl.ListRows(startRow).Range.Resize(RowSize:=rowsToAdd)
End Function
'*******************************************************************************
'Utility for 'AddListRows' method
'Inserts rows into a ListObject. Does not append!
'*******************************************************************************
Private Function InsertListRows(ByVal tbl As ListObject _
, ByVal rowsToInsert As Long _
, ByVal startRow As Long _
, ByVal doEntireSheetRow As Boolean) As Boolean
Dim rngInsert As Range
Dim fOrigin As XlInsertFormatOrigin: fOrigin = xlFormatFromLeftOrAbove
Dim needsHeaders As Boolean
'
If startRow = 1 Then
If Not tbl.ShowHeaders Then
If tbl.Parent.ProtectContents Then
Exit Function 'Not sure possible without headers
Else
needsHeaders = True
End If
End If
fOrigin = xlFormatFromRightOrBelow
End If
'
Set rngInsert = tbl.ListRows(startRow).Range.Resize(RowSize:=rowsToInsert)
If doEntireSheetRow Then Set rngInsert = rngInsert.EntireRow
'
On Error Resume Next
If needsHeaders Then tbl.ShowHeaders = True
rngInsert.Insert xlShiftDown, fOrigin
If needsHeaders Then tbl.ShowHeaders = False
InsertListRows = (Err.Number = 0)
On Error GoTo 0
End Function
'*******************************************************************************
'Utility for 'AddListRows' method
'Appends rows to the bottom of a ListObject. Does not insert!
'*******************************************************************************
Private Function AppendListRows(ByVal tbl As ListObject _
, ByVal rowsToAppend As Long _
, ByVal doEntireSheetRow As Boolean) As Boolean
If tbl.ListRows.Count = 0 Then
If Not UpgradeInsertRow(tbl) Then Exit Function
If rowsToAppend = 1 Then
AppendListRows = True
Exit Function
End If
rowsToAppend = rowsToAppend - 1
End If
'
Dim rngToAppend As Range
Dim isProtected As Boolean: isProtected = tbl.Parent.ProtectContents
'
On Error GoTo ErrorHandler
If isProtected And tbl.ShowTotals Then
Set rngToAppend = tbl.TotalsRowRange
ElseIf isProtected Then
Set rngToAppend = AutoExpandOneRow(tbl)
Else
Set rngToAppend = tbl.Range.Rows(tbl.Range.Rows.Count + 1)
End If
'
Set rngToAppend = rngToAppend.Resize(RowSize:=rowsToAppend)
If doEntireSheetRow Then Set rngToAppend = rngToAppend.EntireRow
rngToAppend.Insert xlShiftDown, xlFormatFromLeftOrAbove
'
If isProtected And tbl.ShowTotals Then 'Fix formatting
tbl.ListRows(1).Range.Copy
With tbl.ListRows(tbl.ListRows.Count - rowsToAppend + 1).Range
.Resize(RowSize:=rowsToAppend).PasteSpecial xlPasteFormats
End With
ElseIf isProtected Then 'Delete the autoExpand row
tbl.ListRows(tbl.ListRows.Count).Range.Delete xlShiftUp
Else 'Resize table
tbl.Resize tbl.Range.Resize(tbl.Range.Rows.Count + rowsToAppend)
End If
AppendListRows = True
Exit Function
ErrorHandler:
AppendListRows = False
End Function
'*******************************************************************************
'Utility for 'AppendListRows' method
'Transforms the Insert row into a usable ListRow
'*******************************************************************************
Private Function UpgradeInsertRow(ByVal tbl As ListObject) As Boolean
If tbl.InsertRowRange Is Nothing Then Exit Function
If tbl.Parent.ProtectContents And Not tbl.ShowHeaders Then
Exit Function 'Not implemented - can be done using a few inserts
Else
Dim needsHeaders As Boolean: needsHeaders = Not tbl.ShowHeaders
'
If needsHeaders Then tbl.ShowHeaders = True
tbl.InsertRowRange.Insert xlShiftDown, xlFormatFromLeftOrAbove
If needsHeaders Then tbl.ShowHeaders = False
End If
UpgradeInsertRow = True
End Function
'*******************************************************************************
'Utility for 'AppendListRows' method
'Adds one row via auto expand if the worksheet is protected and totals are off
'*******************************************************************************
Private Function AutoExpandOneRow(ByVal tbl As ListObject) As Range
If Not tbl.Parent.ProtectContents Then Exit Function
If tbl.ShowTotals Then Exit Function
'
Dim ac As AutoCorrect: Set ac = Application.AutoCorrect
Dim isAutoExpand As Boolean: isAutoExpand = ac.AutoExpandListRange
Dim tempRow As Range: Set tempRow = tbl.Range.Rows(tbl.Range.Rows.Count + 1)
'
If Not isAutoExpand Then ac.AutoExpandListRange = True
tempRow.Insert xlShiftDown, xlFormatFromLeftOrAbove
Set AutoExpandOneRow = tempRow.Offset(-1, 0)
Const arbitraryValue As Long = 1 'Must not be Empty/Null/""
AutoExpandOneRow.Value2 = arbitraryValue 'AutoExpand is triggered
If Not isAutoExpand Then ac.AutoExpandListRange = False 'Revert if needed
End Function
Assuming tbl is a variable holding the table, we can use the above like this:
AddListRows tbl 'Adds 1 row at the end
AddListRows tbl, 5 'Adds 5 rows at the end
AddListRows tbl, 3, 2 'Inserts 3 rows at index 2
AddListRows tbl, 1, 3, True 'Insert one row at index 3 but for the whole sheet
As long as the UserInterfaceOnly flag is set to True the above will work except the 2 edge cases I mentioned at the beginning of the answer. Of course, the operation would fail if there is another ListObject immediately below the table we want to insert into but that would fail anyway even if the sheet was unprotected.
One nice advantage is that the AddListRows method above returns the range that was inserted so that it can be used to write data immediately after the rows were added.