800A03EC error while loading xlsc file

My customer opens my padlock compiled exe with Original Workbook without problem and after using it she saves it as xlsc file and closes the exe file.

After starting the exe again, she used Choose Save and tried to open the stored xlsc file.

Then she got the message:
Unexpected error while loading the protected workbook: OLE
error 800A03EC
Please restart the protection progress.

The file was compiled with padlock V 2018.1 in 32bit

She used a Mac with parallels desktop, Windows10 and Office 365 32bit installed to create the xlsc file and to open it unsuccessfully.

The error persisted after restarts and after virus scanning. Also with creation of further xlsc files.

second step:

I compiled a 64bit file with padlock V 2018.1 with the same compiling Computer from the same excel source file.

Using another Computer I did the same experiment as discribed above. I used a Mac Computer with parallels lite, Windows10 and Office 365 64bit installed to create the xlsc file and to open it: successfully!

What might be the reason? How can I help my customer?

This OLE error means that the save made with her Excel was corrupted. Please ask her to send you the save XLSC file and use the Decrypt Save feature of XLS Padlock. Then, you’ll see what exact error occurred because Excel will try to repair the damaged save.

Thank you gdgsupport: I proceeded according your suggestion:
If I use decrypt Save File I get the confusing message

XLS Padlock
Please save the Excel workbook as a file first

and I cannot load the XLSC files from my customer.

Trying to load a save XLSC file from my customer after starting my exe with choose save I get the following

Loading Secure Save - Error
Storage file is corrupted or is not compatible with the selected Excel workbook / application. Cannot continue.

repeating this I get again:
Unexpected error while loading protected workbook: OLE error 800A03EC
Please restart the protection program.

I did this with two such xlsc files from my customer: same result.

Conclusion: My exe file produces corrupted xlsc files on my customers computer (Mac/parallels)!
The new error message does not say why this happens.

This happened again even after a complete reinstallation of my xlspadlock exe (new download) at the customers site!

Problem still unresolved!

To use the decrypt Save File, you must first load your original workbook! Otherwise, anyone could decrypt saves from others.
If you get:

Storage file is corrupted or is not compatible with the selected Excel workbook / application. Cannot continue.

This means that your customer has a different EXE than the one you are using. It’s possible that you mixed different XLS Padlock projects/workbooks?
Did you rename your source workbook file some time ago?

It is not possible, that I mixed different XLS Padlock Projects/workbooks. I have only one project with updates.
For each update I use a new source filename, but I use the same GUID, Apl. Secret Key and Master Key for all coded files.

After decrypting according your suggestion I get:

Workbook save has been successfully decrypted.
Do you want to open it in excel?

After yes I get:

Die Open-Methode des Workbook-Objekts konnte nicht ausgeführt werden!
(not able to execute the open method of the workbook object)

Trying to repair-open the decrypted *.xlsb file with excel I get:
file corrupted, cannot be repaired, cannot be opened.

I got the same result with two such xlsc files produced by my customer

Same conclusion as at the beginning:
My exe source file produces corrupted xlsc files on this customers computer (Mac/parallels)!
The new error message does not explain why this happens.

Problem still unresolved!

Unfortunately, there is no bug. The error still indicates that somehow one of the EXE you sent to your customer has a different GUID and/or secret key. This can occur when you change the filename of your Excel workbook and then open XLS Padlock. Since it doesn’t find a project, it generates new parameters such as GUID and secret key.

Have you checked if the Excel version of your customer is compatible with the one you used to create your binary file?
Try also solutions from:

I am aware of this. But in this case all of the parameters of the project would be missing, i.g. no splash screen would be displayed. This infact was not the case when the exe which produced the xslc was openend. I think that a GUID or secret Key error can be excluded.

Both of us use office 365

From this I keep getting the answer: file corrupted, cannot be repaired

I am having the same problem.
But normally before saving I receive a message of ‘sharing violation’ from excel.

The issue happens when you save the file for the second time, after you modify something.
Then when you try to open de secure file gives that same message.

Is this the case here?

This is a known issue from office package, but in my case it only happens with a particular protected file.

Unfortunately is the one my customers use more. I’m getting crazy…

This is really a major issue and we need to understand it and solve it.

Forgot to ask you whether your customer updated her Office 365 version to the most recent one.

Which version of XLS Padlock are you using?

Thanks for your contribution. I never got a “sharing violation” message. And there is no question of saving a second time. Already saving once creates a corrupted xlsc. See my precise description of the issue on June 20. I guess we have different problems.

Afew month ago I had something similar to you, without this sharing violation message.
Then I sent the file to xls and they found the problem was caused by a Picture in the spreadsheet.
Then I verified all the Picture/objects in the spreadsheet and verified that some diferente pictures got the same name by excel.
I have changed all the Picture names and verified that they weren’t doubled.
At that time this solved my issue.
I also don’t allow the spreadsheets to use names. Got several conflicts with it.

I hope this can help you.

Many Tanks. I would like to send my corrupted files to “xls” too, to let them analyse them.
Who is “xls” and “they” (address)?

I do use pictures (pasted objects) and excel shapes in my spreadsheets. They do not need names. What exactly was your problem with pictures/objects? And how could you solve it?

I do use names for my spreadsheets too. In the macros I call them by there names. What exactly was your problem with spreadsheet names? And how could you solve it?

You can send them to us: contact us by email and send us your faulty XLSC files if you agree to share them with us for inspection.

Here they are, please analyse them.

I also add the decodes files.

Reguards

Hanspeter

hpkpf

I will try to explain with my limited knowledge.
Concerning pictures, I went to ‘format picture’ and ‘selection panel’. there you can see all the names excel gave to your pictures/objects. In my case I have more than one Picture with same name. This was causing the protected excel file to crash. So I rename all pictures, in a way they all have diferente names.

Concerning names: I don’t know why but is was some conflicts, especially on print áreas. So I removed all names and replace it in the formulas by the ranges. Problem was solved.
I even place a macro to clean all names when saving the file.

NOTE: xls is xlspadlock, our supplier of the software.

Did you receive my corrupted files?
Any result yet?

Reguards

Hanspeter
hpkpf

No, we didn’t. Where did you send them to?

I sent them to

[email protected]
on 24 August

Here they are again.

Please confirm reception.

Reguards

Hanspeter

hpkpf

Please send them to info AT xlspadlock DOT com
Because we didn’t get them.