Is it possible in Excel to have a file auto delete on a given dat.

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Van - 08 Oct 2007 19:52 GMT

I'm trying to get an excel file to auto expire on a preset date. Does a
custom macro exist or can it be done with an Excel function? Thank you

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FSt1 - 08 Oct 2007 21:10 GMT

hi,
what do you mean by "auto expire"? what happens when it expires?

cautiously curious
FSt1

> I'm trying to get an excel file to auto expire on a preset date. Does a
> custom macro exist or can it be done with an Excel function? Thank you

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Sasa Stankovic - 08 Oct 2007 22:16 GMT

you mean like in movies... in 5 sec file will autodestroy?!?!?!?
5
4
3
2
1
bang!!!!!!

;-)

this or something similar?
really, you want file to be deleted from your hdd?

> hi,
> what do you mean by "auto expire"? what happens when it expires?
[quoted text clipped - 4 lines]
>> I'm trying to get an excel file to auto expire on a preset date. Does a
>> custom macro exist or can it be done with an Excel function? Thank you

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FSt1 - 08 Oct 2007 22:44 GMT

well.....
a macro can't delete the file it's in.
deleting the data in the file smacks of virus.
how about this.....
Private Sub Workbook_Open()
If Cells(2, 1) < Date Then
MsgBox ("The data in this file has expired." & vbNewLine & _
"Consult somebody about getting new data." & vbNewLine & _
"Not responsibe for horribly bad things that happen" & vbNewLine & _
"if decisions are made with this data.")
End If
End Sub

regards
FSt1

> you mean like in movies... in 5 sec file will autodestroy?!?!?!?
> 5
[quoted text clipped - 17 lines]
> >> I'm trying to get an excel file to auto expire on a preset date. Does a
> >> custom macro exist or can it be done with an Excel function? Thank you

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Gord Dibben - 09 Oct 2007 00:07 GMT

FSt1

Copy this to a new workbook. Save the workbook.

Sub aaaa()
Application.DisplayAlerts = False
ActiveWorkbook.ChangeFileAccess xlReadOnly
Kill ActiveWorkbook.FullName
ThisWorkbook.Close False
End Sub

See what happens when you run it.

The trick is to make the workbook readonly then it can commit suicide.

OP could run this from an ontime macro but I would suggest OP give ample warning
to the user of the workbook.

For more on OnTime see Chip Pearson's site.

http://www.cpearson.com/excel/OnTime.aspx

Gord Dibben MS Excel MVP

>well.....
>a macro can't delete the file it's in.
[quoted text clipped - 33 lines]
>> >> I'm trying to get an excel file to auto expire on a preset date. Does a
>> >> custom macro exist or can it be done with an Excel function? Thank you

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Sasa Stankovic - 09 Oct 2007 20:53 GMT

hay everyone,
I was just joking in my last post... ;-)
I think that idea is really interesting. Actually, I don't think that anyone
has ever asked me something lke that.
And, how "safe" is to create such macro? What if user runs it and after 10
minutes wants everything back?
I don't see real use but solution is very elegant and nice.

sasa

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Gord Dibben - 09 Oct 2007 21:50 GMT

Sasa

If user was to run the macro, the workbook is gone.

Does not go to recycle bin for recovery.

How safe and useful depends upon the developer who may want a payment after a
certain date and if payment not forthcoming, workbook is destroyed.

There are less drastic ways to disable a workbook functionality.

Gord

>hay everyone,
>I was just joking in my last post... ;-)
[quoted text clipped - 14 lines]
>>> I'm trying to get an excel file to auto expire on a preset date. Does a
>>> custom macro exist or can it be done with an Excel function? Thank you

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