Macros and Disabled Mode

As Erik described here, as part of the security-minded changes we're doing this time around, we streamlined (and in some cases just plain rationalized) what happens when you open an un-signed and un-trusted database. You will now see a Trust Center warning which disables all the VBA code. Yep, no VBA code. Now what do you do?

You use macros.

Really, you use macros.

No, I'm not joking.

You see, in order to provide some level of programmability in a locked down state we have created the concept of running macros in kind of a sandbox. Since macros are a very contained environment where we have full control of the levers and dials. This sandbox blocks some macro actions that could be used maliciously and only allows a handful of actions to run.

So, do we expect you to be able to write all your code in macros so you can run in this disabled mode? No. This is only meant so you can provide a basic experience. And that experience can be something as simple as a message box telling your customer that he needs to enable the database before using it, and thus avoiding somebody to go around entering data without your precious validation code and all.

If you look at our new templates, you will notice that the code behind all the buttons and events are macros (Actually, a slightly different sort of macro, but we'll talk about that in the near future). And you will also notice that all these macros are really simple - exactly the sort of macros you should write.