Forum Discussion
PhilSmith1964
Jan 09, 2025Copper Contributor
Active X controls are being converted to form controls and breaking
I have built a few tools in Excel that use Active X buttons. One department in particular is a big believer in sharing files and collaborating via One Drive, and apparently using the web version of Excel. The problem is that I keep getting hit up by this department, to find that ALL of the Active X buttons have been converted to Form control buttons, with no code attached. I have to delete the form controls, recreate the Active X controls, and name them what they were named originally, and the code attaches.
- Is this related to opening, (even briefly,) in the web version? Or is something else going on? I don't care if the Active X controls work on the web version, as so many other things I am using don't. I just want them to remain Active X controls. Any way to lock them down short of building code to recreate them every time?
- Regardless of the answer to 1 above, is there any way to make a spreadsheet unable to open in the browser, Or Maybe a Group Policy to force defaults to the desktop for Chrome and Firefox?
Thanx
Phil
Yes, there is something going on. Active-X has been discontinued.
Microsoft Office 2024 to disable ActiveX controls by default (bleepingcomputer.com)
Yes, there is something going on. Active-X has been discontinued.
Microsoft Office 2024 to disable ActiveX controls by default (bleepingcomputer.com)
- PhilSmith1964Copper Contributor
Wonderful! Microsoft to the "Rescue." Thank you sir. You post was informative and helpful and stressful all at the same time. Looks like I have a lot of work ahead of me.
- JKPieterseSilver Contributor
First of all, I would send a frown about this, this should not be happening IMO. Just open your file in Excel after it has been hit by the issue, remove all sensitive content and then click Help, Feedback, Report a problem. Check the add attachment box if you are allowed.
I know there are files which Excel-o does not allow you to open, but I am not sure what you have to add to them to make this happen. This web page mentions removing XML maps from a workbook to allow on-line editing: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/edit-a-workbook-that-contains-features-unsupported-by-excel-for-the-web-7220105d-97ad-4c35-95c8-58d4bbfd14af
You could add a bogus xml map to your workbook on purpose :-)