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Enable access to VBA to create or open a Visual Studio Tools for the Microsoft Office system project

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You must explicitly enable access to the Visual Basic for Applications (VBA) project system in Microsoft Office before you can create or open a Visual Studio Tools for the Microsoft Office system project.

Microsoft Office development projects require access to the Visual Basic for Applications (VBA) project system in Microsoft Office Word and Microsoft Office Excel, even though the projects do not use Visual Basic for Applications. Design-time support of controls in both Visual Basic and C# projects depends on the Visual Basic for Applications project system.

Some Microsoft Office macro viruses attempt to automate the Visual Basic for Applications project system as a means to propagate themselves. By enabling access to the Visual Basic for Applications project system, you remove a safeguard that helps prevent the spread of macro viruses. However, normal macro security remains in place, so the macro security level and the list of trusted publishers that you maintain for your Office applications will determine whether any macro runs on your computer.

Note

This applies only to the development computer. End-user computers do not need this option enabled to run Office solutions.

It is important to note that disabling access to the Visual Basic for Applications project system on its own does not protect you from viruses, it simply helps to stop some viruses from spreading to other documents if your computer ever becomes infected with a macro virus. The option is disabled by default as an added layer of protection for your computer, but enabling it does not make your computer any more susceptible to viruses if you are following security best practices.

The best protection against Office macro viruses is to run Office at the High or Very High security level, to only trust macros from verified, known sources, and to stay up-to-date with security patches and virus scanners.

You can enable or disable the option Trust Access to Visual Basic Project manually.

You can repair your installation of Office if you see VBA or COM errors.

Note

Interested in developing solutions that extend the Office experience across multiple platforms? Check out the new Office Add-ins model. Office Add-ins have a small footprint compared to VSTO Add-ins and solutions, and you can build them by using almost any web programming technology, such as HTML5, JavaScript, CSS3, and XML.

To enable or disable access to Visual Basic projects

  1. Click the File tab.

  2. Click Options.

  3. Click Trust Center, and then click Trust Center Settings.

  4. In the Trust Center, click Macro Settings.

  5. Check or uncheck Trust access to the VBA project object model to enable or disable access to Visual Basic Projects.

  6. Click OK.

To enable or disable access to Visual Basic projects with the 2007 Microsoft Office system

  1. On the Tools menu in Word or Excel, point to Macro, and then click Security.

  2. In the Security dialog box, click the Trusted Publishers tab.

  3. Select to enable, or clear to disable, Trust Access to Visual Basic Project.

  4. Click OK.

To set your Office macro security level

  1. Click the File tab.

  2. Click Options.

  3. Click Trust Center, and then click Trust Center Settings.

  4. In the Trust Center, click Macro Settings.

  5. In the Macro Settings section, select the desired setting.

  6. Click OK.

To set your Office macro security level with the 2007 Microsoft Office system

  1. On the Tools menu in Word or Excel, point to Macro, and then click Security.

  2. On the Security Level tab, select the desired setting.

    The Security Level tab contains details about each level. For more information, see the topic "Macro Security Levels" in Office Help.

To install VBA with the 2007 Microsoft Office system

  1. In Control Panel, run Add or Remove Programs or Programs and Features.

  2. Select Office in the Currently installed programs list.

  3. Click Change.

  4. Select Add or Remove Features, and then click Continue.

  5. Select Choose advanced customization of applications, and then click Next.

  6. Expand Office Shared Features in the Choose update options for applications and tools list.

  7. Open the drop-down menu next to Visual Basic for Applications, and then click Run from My Computer.

  8. Click Continue.

  9. Click Close.

To repair your installation of Office

  1. In Control Panel, run Add or Remove Programs or Programs and Features.

  2. Select your version of Office in the Currently installed programs list.

  3. Click Change.

  4. Select Reinstall or Repair, and then click Next.

  5. Select Detect and Repair errors in my Office installation, and then click Install.

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