vba Open excel when File is used by another user

Question

This is my current code

Public Sub OpenFiles()
    \'Set LiveDealSheet file path
    \'Check if LiveDealSheet is already open
    LDSP = \"C:\\Users\\DCHEUNG\\De         


        

Answer 1

First of all thanks for you input. I have solve the problem on my own with some trial and error.

changed the code to the following

Public Sub OpenFiles()
    'Set LiveDealSheet file path
    'Check if LiveDealSheet is already open
    LDSP = "Z:\LiveDealSheet.xlsm"
    IsOTF = IsWorkBookOpen(LDSP)

    'Set quick workbook shortcut
    Set TWB = ThisWorkbook
    If IsOTF = False Then
        Set LDS = Workbooks.Open(LDSP)
        Debug.Print "Stage 1 Success"

changed everything in this else statement

    Else
        On Error Resume Next
        Set LDS = Workbooks("LiveDealSheet.xlsm")
        If LDS Is Nothing Then Workbooks.Open FileName:=LDSP, ReadOnly:=True, IgnoreReadOnlyRecommended:=True
    End If
End Sub

Function IsWorkBookOpen(FileName As String)
    Dim ff As Long, ErrNo As Long

    On Error Resume Next
    ff = FreeFile()
    Open FileName For Input Lock Read As #ff
    Close ff
    ErrNo = Err
    On Error GoTo 0

    Select Case ErrNo
    Case 0:    IsWorkBookOpen = False
    Case 70:   IsWorkBookOpen = True
    Case Else: Error ErrNo
    End Select
End Function

Answer 2

I would replace all the scripted above with this:

Public Sub OpenFiles()
        On Error GoTo not_open
        Workbooks("C:\Users\DCHEUNG\Desktop\Programing\LiveDealSheet.xlsm").Activate
        Exit Sub
        not_open:
        Workbooks.Open FileName:="C:\Users\DCHEUNG\Desktop\Programing\LiveDealSheet.xlsm", ReadOnly:=True
        Err.Clear
        Resume Next
End Sub

Answer 3

I had the same issue and was helped somewhat by the existing posts, here. However, there was still a gap between the recommendations and reality. So, I'll try to share my lessons learned.

In my case, I needed Workbooks.Open to open the most recent file in a shared folder. This file is often referenced by other users and is therefore frequently open by other users. Below is my first pass to give the VBA code "permission" to open the file as "read only."

' OPEN SOURCE-FILE IN READ-ONLY MODE (argument key below)
Workbooks.Open _
    Filename:=strFilename, _
    UpdateLinks:=0, _
    ReadOnly:=True, _
    IgnoreReadOnlyRecommended:=True, _
    Notify:=True

This actually works EXCEPT for when excel creates a temporary file in the source folder (the temp file will, therefore, always be the newest file in the folder). To handle that exception, I needed to truncate the temp characters: "~$". I have done that with

Right([your_string], integer_length_of_string)

See in context below.

For Each objFile In myFolder.Files
    If InStr(1, objFile.Name, ".xlsm") And objFile.DateLastModified > dateFile Then
        dateFile = objFile.DateLastModified
        windowName = objFile.Name

            If InStr(1, windowName, "~$") Then
                fileNameLen = Len(objFile.Name) - 2
                windowName = Right(objFile.Name, fileNameLen)
                strFilename = myDir & "\" & windowName
            End If

        strFilename = myDir & "\" & windowName
    End If
Next objFile