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POCannot open Excel file in C#
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copied!<p>I have the following C# function in my project, which is supposed to open and return an existing Excel workbook object:</p> <pre><code>Application _excelApp; // ... private Workbook OpenXL(string path, string filename) { try { if (_excelApp == null) { _excelApp = new Application(); } Workbook workBook = _excelApp.Workbooks.Open(path + filename, // Name 0, // Do not update links true); // Open read-only return workBook; } catch (Exception e) { _excelApp = null; throw new ArgumentException("Error opening " + path + filename, e); } } </code></pre> <p>But when I run it with "C:\" and "scratch.xlsx", the Open() call throws the following error:</p> <pre><code>Microsoft Excel cannot access the file 'C:\scratch.xlsx'. There are several possible reasons: • The file name or path does not exist. • The file is being used by another program. • The workbook you are trying to save has the same name as a currently open workbook. </code></pre> <p>The file and path does exist: I have copied the path from the error message and pasted it into a command window and the file loads up in Excel. The file is not locked: Excel can open it fine but my program cannot, even straight after a reboot. I am not trying to save it, I am trying to open it so the last option is irrelevant.</p> <p>I am at a loss to understand why this simple piece of code is not working. Any suggestions would be hugely appreciated.</p> <p>[edit] I have now tried opening that file from my personal network drive (M:) and from a USB stick. All to no avail.</p> <p>The application is actually a Windows service, running under the local system account and generating reports. It currently write CSV reports with no access problems whatsoever. I am now trying to get it to open an excel file as a template report and fill in various fields. It is when opening the Excel file that it fails. I am thinking that the administrator account option everyone is suggesting is a red herring since it can write CSV files wityh no problem. [/edit]</p> <p>--- Alistair.</p>

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