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Main Window

The Main Window is the central cockpit of VBA Padlock Studio. From here, you manage your project’s structure, review what gets protected, edit stored scripts, and access all licensing and build tools in a single, unified environment.

VBA Padlock Studio Main Window interface

🏗️ Workspace Layout

Section titled “🏗️ Workspace Layout”

The interface is divided into functional zones:

  • Ribbon (Top): Four tabs: Protect (the whole workflow: Project, Build Project, and Advanced groups), Licensing Features (DRM and activation), Help And Info, and Edit Script, a contextual tab that appears while a code editor is active. A Quick Access Toolbar keeps Save All, Compile Project, and Test Run one click away.
  • Project Explorer (Left): Your VBA modules under the “VBA Scripts” root. Each module carries a verdict badge (pass / partial / fail) from the last analysis, and a padlock overlay when it’s locked against Re-analyze overwrites. The Manage Scripts menu adds, imports, exports, renames, removes, or locks modules, including Add Class Module for .cls files.
  • Workspace Tabs (Center): A tabbed MDI area hosting the Welcome screen, one editor tab per script, the Protection Review, and every settings page (Project Info, Publish, Distribution, licensing pages…). Right-click a tab for Close All But This and friends.
  • Direct Help (Right): Documentation at your fingertips. This docked browser shows the reference page for whatever you’re working on.
  • Messages (Bottom): Real-time feedback: analysis results, Syntax Check verdicts, compilation logs, and warnings. Double-click a message to jump to the offending line.
  • Status Bar: Compilation status, cursor line/column, and modified/locked indicators.

⚡ Productivity Shortcuts

Section titled “⚡ Productivity Shortcuts”
ShortcutAction
Ctrl + OOpen Office File: Load a macro-enabled document; the first open analyzes it automatically.
F5Compile Project: Rebuild the satellite DLLs (hot reload for testing).
Ctrl + F5Test Run: Produce the protected file and open it in Office.
Shift + F8Run Current Sub/Function: Execute the routine under the cursor (Edit Script tab).
Ctrl + SSave All: Save all open scripts and settings.

🛠️ Ribbon Command Center

Section titled “🛠️ Ribbon Command Center”

Edit Script

Contextual editing tools (clipboard, undo/redo, Find/Replace, word wrap, minimap), plus a Compile & Test group, active whenever a code editor has focus.

Help And Info

Direct Help, Getting Started, user forum, updates, and license management for the Studio itself.

See Also

Section titled “See Also”