Request access to multiple files

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Use the GrantAccessToMultipleFiles command to request access to multiple files at once in your Office 2016 for Mac solution.

Last modified: January 26, 2016

Applies to: Excel for Mac | PowerPoint for Mac | Word for Mac | Office 2016 for Mac

Unlike VBA macros in Office for Mac 2011, VBA macros in Office 2016 for Mac don’t have access to external files by default. Because the Office 2016 for Mac apps are sandboxed, they do not have permission to access external files.

Existing macro file commands prompt the user for permission to access a file if the app doesn’t have access to it. This means that macros that access external files cannot run unattended. The user must approve file access the first time each file is referenced. You can use the GrantAccessToMultipleFiles command to minimize the number of prompts in order to improve the user experience.

Use the GrantAccessToMultipleFiles command to input an array of file paths and prompt the user for permission to access them.

    Boolean  GrantAccessToMultipleFiles(fileArray) 

The command returns whether the user granted permission or not.

Note: After the user grants permissions, the permissions are stored with the app. The user doesn’t need to grant permission to the file again.

Example

    Sub requestFileAccess()  

    'Declare Variables  
    Dim fileAccessGranted As Boolean  
    Dim filePermissionCandidates 
  
   'Create an array with file paths for the permissions that are needed.  
    filePermissionCandidates = Array("/Users//Desktop/test1.txt", "/Users//Desktop/test2.txt") 
  
    'Request access from user.  
     fileAccessGranted = GrantAccessToMultipleFiles(filePermissionCandidates) 
    'Returns true if access is granted; otherwise, false. 
    End Sub