Active content security warning in all files

Question

Every time I open a *.mdb or *.accdb file I get the yellow Message Bar with a text in Spanish that translates as:

Security Warning: Some active content has been disabled. Click for more details.

... and a button labelled «Enable Content». Here's a screen-shot I found of the English version:

The button makes the bar disappear and seems to remember my decision for current file. The "more details" link opens the "File-> Information" panel where I can read that "VBA Macros" were disabled.

The problem is that I'm not getting this warning for specific files: I'm getting it from all files, including those that apparently have no macros at all (the "Database tools-> Visual Basic" window doesn't show any code). Even if I go to "File-> New" and create a blank database, the warning pops up when I open it.

My questions:

1. Is the warning supposed to show up always no matter the file contents?

2. If not, where can I find the VBA macros that Access is reporting about?

Answer 1

Another way to fix this is to create a Trusted Location for your project. you can use a registry key to make your folder a Trusted Location. This is actually easier then is sounds once you know what key to set.

The registry key is slightly different for each version of MS Access, but here is a sample key for MS Access 2010:

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\14.0\Access\Security\Trusted Locations\Location20] "Path"="C:\Database\" "Description"="My Database location"

If you copy and paste the above quote into a text file and save it with a name such as RemoveSecurityWarning.reg, you can then run (merge) the file into your computers registry by simply double clicking the file.

Now lets explain a few things about what this key did:

• The number "14.0" is the version of MS Office. You can simply change that to the number that represents the version you are running.
• The "Location20" is a unique name that we assigned. The 20 can be any number that is not already used. Other programs, including default MS Access wizards, already may have used other numbers. Or if you want to make more then one path as a trusted location, then each location must end with a different number.
• The "C:\Database\" actually is the physical path that you want to set to be a Trusted Location. You can put any path that you choose here. I am not sure why it uses double \, but I just copied the example of how the previous keys were set up and this seemed to work best.
• The Description is not needed, but obviously any description can be used.

For more details, read this article: http://blog.ideaz.net/2013/12/how-to-remove-microsoft-access-security.html

Answer 2

Access 2010 automatically safeguards against all macros unless you tell it otherwise. It also will disable content of files which it doesn't trust. You must tell it which ones to trust via the Trust Center.

In Access 2010, the Trust Center controls what content is allowed and can be accessed by File > Options > Trust Center > Trust Center Settings button.

Within the Trust Center, you can change macro settings and add files and locations to the trust settings.

Answer 3

http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/excel-help/active-content-types-in-your-files-HA010354381.aspx describes how to find this out:

To see a list blocked active-content types, go to the Trust Center dialog box.

There is a list on that page of the types of content which may apply.

Answer 4

Another way to do it is performing a registry change to a specific product location that will do it to all access databases as well as for Excel or Word. There is a value known as VBAWarnings that by default has the value set as 2 and when you change it to 1 the yellow ribbon will not be displayed.

If you are using C# use the following code:

using Microsoft.Win32; // for required for registry reading/writing

// Opening the Registry Key
RegistryKey rk = Registry.CurrentUser;
// Open the corresponding Subkey
// I have to use CreateSubKey
// (create or open it if already exists),
// 'cause OpenSubKey open a subKey as read-only
RegistryKey sk1 = rk.CreateSubKey("Software\\Microsoft\\OFFICE\\14.0\\Access\\Security");
// Save the value to change Macro Settings in Security Warning
//sk1.SetValue("VBAWarnings, 4); //Disable all macros without notification
//sk1.SetValue("VBAWarnings, 3); //Disable all macros except digitally signed macros
//sk1.SetValue("VBAWarnings, 2); //Disable all macros with notification - Default Office Setting
sk1.SetValue("VBAWarnings", 1); // Enable all macros

This code is strictly and directly for Access 2010 but it can be changed to cycle through the registry including products. Basically, you have to cycle per release, notice where reads 14.0, it can be any other product release. If not mistaken 14.0 is for Office 2010, 12.0 is for Office 2007, etc.; and where reads Access can be changed for Excel as well as Word.