Sheet protection

aurel · Newbie Joined: 26 Oct 2006 Posts: 1

Do you know if that's possible to lock only few cells of a sheet and not the entire sheet?
Thanks.

probe1 · Posted: Thu Oct 26, 2006 5:10 am Post subject:

Yes:
use different styles for un- and protected cells, then protect the sheet.
Does this help?
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dranix2679 · Newbie Joined: 26 Oct 2006 Posts: 4

Probe1, it's an interesting answer. is there any help file as to how to accomplish this process. I do not understand what you mean by using different styles. Please help. Thanks.

dranix2679 · Newbie Joined: 26 Oct 2006 Posts: 4

Probe1. i have managed to figure out what you meant by playing around with the "styles" to enable the cell protection.
Thanks.
But in Excel there is a feature where we can....
Protect the whole worksheet with "passwordA" but having a few selectable cells being protected for editing by "passwordB"...
Meaning to say.... basically the whole worksheet is protected, because i do not want the user to do anything with the worksheet.... but just to enter their values into a few selecteable cells....
Is this scenario possible in OO?
Please Help
Thanks.

RickRandom · Super User Joined: 27 Jan 2006 Posts: 1082 Location: UK

My understanding of cell protection, which I think is similar for Calc and Excel:

All cells have protection by default. Think of this as each cell having a lock.

You can change a cell to be unprotected. Think of this as removing the lock.

Overall protection is off by default. Think of this as all the locks unlocked.

If you switch protection on, all protected cells will be locked. Think of this as all the locks being locked. Any unprotected cell will not be locked, because it doesn't have a lock.

So all this means you need to:

1. Select which cells you want to be unlocked.
2. Format these to be unprotected.
3. Turn protection on, either for the whole file, or just that sheet.

Excel can use a password to unprotect. This is not a secure protection, because Calc simply by-passes the password.

(Edited to correct a typo, because I'm picky.)

David · Posted: Thu Oct 26, 2006 10:14 am Post subject: Re: Sheet protection

Select the entire sheet [upper left rectangle] and unlock the cells. Then select the few cells you need and lock them. When you protect the sheet you'll have what you need.

David.

noranthon · Super User Joined: 07 Jul 2005 Posts: 3318

I think the default setting is unhelpful. Use the F11 dialogue. Right-click on "Default" and select "Modify". Un-select everything on the "Cell Protection" tab.

Now you can create a "_CellProt" style and apply it to the small minority of cells that need protection.
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David · Posted: Fri Oct 27, 2006 6:04 am Post subject:

dranix2679 · Newbie Joined: 26 Oct 2006 Posts: 4

RickRandom · Super User Joined: 27 Jan 2006 Posts: 1082 Location: UK

Oh no, the question seems to be aimed at me!

I can only suggest you have a play (not with your important spreadsheet). I think you've exhausted my knowledge on this subject. Embarassed

noranthon · Super User Joined: 07 Jul 2005 Posts: 3318

There is only one layer.

Some cells are protected, some not. The cell protection is enabled / enforced / activated by protecting the sheet. The protection of cells has no effect unless the sheet is protected.

The users can still edit the unprotected cells.

The most efficient way of achieving that is to use a separate cell style for your protected / unprotected cells.
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dranix2679 · Newbie Joined: 26 Oct 2006 Posts: 4

JadenGuy · Newbie Joined: 30 Nov 2005 Posts: 4

if you protect the document, it is uneditable without the master password. so you protect the sheet to protect the cells, and you protect the document to protect any edits.