1

I have an excel add-in which is saved in xlam format. It was a free download and the company that made it is no longer updating it. I tried contacting them with no reply.

If I add the add-in to a workbook and open the Visual Basic for Applications editor to view the code, the project gives a "Project Locked - Project is Unviewable" error. When I try to use the add-in, the first dialog box for setting up the configuration is presented, but selecting an option says, "This license has already been expired. Please download new version."

Any advice on workarounds to allow the add-in to continue to work? Can I convert it to a zip file, edit something, and convert it back to an xlam?

Improve this question
9
  • Even if you convert it, it appears it requires a license to use it, which you don’t have. That’s a hurdle you won’t be able to get around – Ramhound Mar 16 '18 at 12:43
  • Let’s ignore the ethics/legality of a license and look at the technical hurdle. If it was free, but now no longer supported, I am willing to make the assumption that there will be no repercussions for modifying it. What if this were an add-in that an in-house rogue developer created? – Kevin Nowaczyk Mar 16 '18 at 14:22
  • Also, the download does not contain a license file, nor does the website state a single license term. – Kevin Nowaczyk Mar 16 '18 at 14:29
  • But neither of those examples are actually what’s going on though – Ramhound Mar 16 '18 at 21:33
  • The developer is in the easiest position to maintain it. It they are no longer supporting it, it suggests that there are technical hurdles that they consider to be no longer worth the effort. That suggests that there is no simple workaround. – fixer1234 Mar 16 '18 at 22:50

Your Answer

By clicking “Post Your Answer”, you agree to our terms of service, privacy policy and cookie policy

Browse other questions tagged or ask your own question.