qax-os/excelize · warning

ErrUnprotectWorkbook

ErrUnprotectWorkbook

Error message

workbook has set no protect

What it means

ErrUnprotectWorkbook indicates that UnprotectWorkbook was called with a password argument on a workbook that has no workbook-level protection (or no password set). The library throws it because there is no workbook protection to remove.

Source

Thrown at errors.go:188

	ErrSparklineType = errors.New("parameter 'Type' value must be one of 'line', 'column' or 'win_loss'")
	// ErrTotalSheetHyperlinks defined the error message on hyperlinks count
	// overflow.
	ErrTotalSheetHyperlinks = errors.New("over maximum limit hyperlinks in a worksheet")
	// ErrTransparency defined the error message for receiving a transparency
	// value exceeds limit.
	ErrTransparency = errors.New("transparency value must be an integer from 0 to 100")
	// ErrUnknownEncryptMechanism defined the error message on unsupported
	// encryption mechanism.
	ErrUnknownEncryptMechanism = errors.New("unknown encryption mechanism")
	// ErrUnprotectSheet defined the error message on worksheet has set no
	// protection.
	ErrUnprotectSheet = errors.New("worksheet has set no protect")
	// ErrUnprotectSheetPassword defined the error message on remove sheet
	// protection with password verification failed.
	ErrUnprotectSheetPassword = errors.New("worksheet protect password not match")
	// ErrUnprotectWorkbook defined the error message on workbook has set no
	// protection.
	ErrUnprotectWorkbook = errors.New("workbook has set no protect")
	// ErrUnprotectWorkbookPassword defined the error message on remove workbook
	// protection with password verification failed.
	ErrUnprotectWorkbookPassword = errors.New("workbook protect password not match")
	// ErrUnsupportedEncryptMechanism defined the error message on unsupported
	// encryption mechanism.
	ErrUnsupportedEncryptMechanism = errors.New("unsupported encryption mechanism")
	// ErrUnsupportedHashAlgorithm defined the error message on unsupported
	// hash algorithm.
	ErrUnsupportedHashAlgorithm = errors.New("unsupported hash algorithm")
	// ErrUnsupportedNumberFormat defined the error message on unsupported
	// number format expression.
	ErrUnsupportedNumberFormat = errors.New("unsupported number format token")
	// ErrUnsupportedPivotTableShowValuesAsType defined the error message on
	// receiving the unsupported pivot table "show values as" type.
	ErrUnsupportedPivotTableShowValuesAsType = errors.New("unsupported pivot table show values as type")
	// ErrWorkbookFileFormat defined the error message on receive an
	// unsupported workbook file format.
	ErrWorkbookFileFormat = errors.New("unsupported workbook file format")

View on GitHub (pinned to f2483381fb)

Solutions

1. Call UnprotectWorkbook() with no arguments when the workbook was protected without a password
2. Check WorkbookProtection state before calling
3. Ignore this sentinel error if the goal is idempotent unprotection

Example fix

// before
err := f.UnprotectWorkbook("password") // workbook not password-protected
// after
err := f.UnprotectWorkbook() // no password needed

// only pass a password if workbook protection has a password hash
// wb.WorkbookProtection != nil && wb.WorkbookProtection.WorkbookHashValue != ""

if err := f.UnprotectWorkbook("pw"); err != nil && !errors.Is(err, excelize.ErrUnprotectWorkbook) {
	return err
}

When it happens

Trigger: Calling f.UnprotectWorkbook("password") on a workbook whose WorkbookProtection is nil or has no password hash; test path: unprotect then call again with a password.

Common situations: Calling UnprotectWorkbook with a password on an unprotected workbook; calling it twice without checking state.

Related errors

• ErrUnprotectWorkbookPassword
• fill type value must be one of 'gradient' or 'pattern'
• fill color value must be an array of two colors for 'gradien
• fill shading value must be between 0 and 16 for 'gradient' t
• fill color value must be empty or an array of one color for

AI-assisted analysis of qax-os/excelize@f2483381fb (2026-09-02). Data as JSON: /api/errors/e0a96213335a6c74. Report an issue: GitHub.