title: How to hide a shared Excel file
body: <pre><code>**Dim allotmentApp As Excel.Application = Nothing
  Dim allotmentBook As Excel.Workbook = Nothing
  Private Sub AllotmentForm_Load(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles 
   MyBase.Load
      cmbCompanyName.Items.Add(&quot;ABCD&quot;)
      For i = 2020 To Now.Year
          cmbYear.Items.Add(i)
      Next
      allotmentApp = New Excel.Application
      allotmentApp.Visible = False
      allotmentBook = allotmentApp.Workbooks.Open(&quot;MONTHLY ALLOTMENT.xlsm&quot;)
  End Sub
  </code></pre>
  <p>This is the code I am using to open an Excel file which I have shared in the legacy way. I want to store it in a network location and this file will be shared by multiple VB programs. On running the program the file opens(file gets visible) which I don't want. If I unshare the file then it works fine and file is hidden/not visible. Is this one of the restrictions of a shared workbook or am I missing something to hide the file ?**</p>