Thursday, July 30, 2009

Excel Message "C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\xlstart\TDExcelAddin.xl... contains macros

Every time I launch Excel I get the following message:





Excel Message "C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\xlstart\TDExcelAddin.xla" contains macros





I can click on "enable macros," but it's somewhat annoying. Any idea how to fix the issue?

Excel Message "C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\xlstart\TDExcelAddin.xl... contains macros
The menu in excel Tools/Options then click the Security tab, then the macro security button. It'll let you modify it's protection settings from macros there. This is in Office XP so it may be different depending on which version you have.
Reply:Any file that has a .XLA extension like what you mention that your file has, will have what are called Add-Ins added to them. In lamens terms, that means that someone has added programming to the file to probably do a few extra things and make it hopefully simpler to use. If you disable the Add-Ins like the one person mentioned, certain features or functions that you are able to use on that workbook may no longer be able to be used. So be careful about doing that.





You can prevent that annoying message like the one person said by changing the Macro security level in Excel. To do that go to:





Tools %26gt; Macro %26gt; Security...





Normally, Excel by default is set to either High or Medium. Only the low setting will open such a file like that which has macros or add-ins without even asking you whether it should open it or not.





As you will probably find out if you read the security labels, changing the setting to low leaves you prone to a possible Macro virus that could be contained in the Excel file. So just be careful that the files you open come from a trusted source if you change the setting to low.





One last note, just changing the security setting won't truly fix the problem right away. In order for the security setting to take affect, you have to completely close out Excel and reopen it. Once you reopen excel the Macro Security Level will take affect.





If the setting is set to High or Very High for Macro Security it won't even allow a macro to run unless it comes from someone with a digital signature as being a trusted source.
Reply:If you do not use the Add in on a regular basis, turn it off.


Tools, Add-Ins and uncheck this Add-in. If you can not find that in the options, you may be able to find the xla file in your C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\xlstart directory.
Reply:just as the above message says, BUT the protection is there as if you are not prompted to run macro's on a certain sheet and someone sends you Trojan macro in a spreadsheet, Excel will run it without a prompt and it will do whatever it is set to do.


I know it is frustrating, but be on the safe side and get used to it.


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