Protecting A MS Word Document

njweatherman has asked for the wisdom of the Perl Monks concerning the following question:

Dear Monks,
I want to password protect a MS Word Document so that when someone opens up the file and tries to make a change, the document prompts them for a custom password. I looked up the Visual Basic code and it states the following:

myDoc.Protect Type:=wdAllowOnlyReading, Password:=strPassword

I'm using the following PERL code
use Win32::OLE;
use Win32::OLE::Const 'Microsoft Word';
use Win32::OLE::Const 'Microsoft Office';
$path_1 = "C:/Documents/TEST/TEST.doc"; # main file
$path_2 = "C:/Documents/TEST"; # main directory
$password = "sample";
my $word = Win32::OLE->new('Word.Application', 'Quit');
$word->Documents->Open("$path_1") || die("Unable to open document ", Win32::OLE->LastError());
$word->ActiveDocument->Protect({Type=>wdAllowOnlyReading});
$word->ActiveDocument->Protect({Password=>"$password"});
$word->ActiveDocument->SaveAs({FileName=>"$path_2/PROTECTED/TEST.doc"});
$word->ActiveDocument->Close;
$word->Quit;

After I run the PERL program, everything looks fine. I am able to open the MS Word document and as soon as I make a change to the document, the Protect Document section comes up like it is supposed to do. However, if I select Stop Protection, it does not authorize me for a password. How come it does not prompt me for a password when I do this? AM I transcribing the Visual Basic code correctly?
As always, Thanks!

Comment on Protecting A MS Word Document

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Re: Protecting A MS Word Document by afoken (Chancellor) on Aug 08, 2009 at 17:34 UTC
I see no error checks in your code. Add some, see the Win32::OLE documentation for details. I see neither `use strict;` nor `use warnings;`. Add them. The VBA line looks like a single call to Protect, whereas your Perl code makes two different calls. Try rewriting it to a single call `...->Protect({Type=>wdAllowOnlyReading,Password=>$password});` By the way: `"$var"` is useless work most of the times, use `$var` instead. Alexander -- Today I will gladly share my knowledge and experience, for there are no sweeter words than "I told you so". ;-)	[reply] [d/l] [select]

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Re: Protecting A MS Word Document
by afoken (Chancellor) on Aug 08, 2009 at 17:34 UTC

I see no error checks in your code. Add some, see the Win32::OLE documentation for details.

I see neither use strict; nor use warnings;. Add them.

The VBA line looks like a single call to Protect, whereas your Perl code makes two different calls. Try rewriting it to a single call ...->Protect({Type=>wdAllowOnlyReading,Password=>$password});

By the way: "$var" is useless work most of the times, use $var instead.

Alexander

--
Today I will gladly share my knowledge and experience, for there are no sweeter words than "I told you so". ;-)

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