Problems with _ExcelCloseBook

[cag8f]

_ExcelCloseBook() has been working just fine for me for a few weeks now; it would close the Excel file I had previously opened. But all of a sudden it stopped working as expected. Here is my test code (taken from the help file):

#include <Excel.au3>
$oExcel = _ExcelBookNew() ; Example 1 - Create a Microsoft Excel window

MsgBox ( 0, "", _ExcelBookClose($oExcel))

Exit

Excel is opened and a new file is created. However upon script completion Excel stays open. Furthermore I cannot click anywhere in the window, even to close it. I can't even move the window (I can resize it though). I can only close it by killing it in task manager. Also, the message box returns 0, indicating that the file close failed. Probably something stupid, but any thoughts?

[MrMitchell]

@error would give you a little more info. I have the same problem sometimes, has to do with an existing excel.exe process created by another script or something else that opened a workbook but didn't close it properly.

[cag8f]

Task manager does not show any other Excel processes running. I'm a noob; what is the syntax for using @error? Can I simply put it in a message box?

[MrMitchell]

Task manager does not show any other Excel processes running. I'm a noob; what is the syntax for using @error? Can I simply put it in a message box?

Something like this should work:

#include <Excel.au3>
$oExcel = _ExcelBookNew() ; Example 1 - Create a Microsoft Excel window
$excelBookCloseResult = _ExcelBookClose($oExcel)
$excelBookCloseErr = @error
MsgBox ( 0, "", "Result: " & $excelBookCloseResult & @CRLF & "Error: " & $excelBookCloseErr)
Exit

[cag8f]

I ran that and got Result = 0 Error = 1. The same problem with the Excel workbook was exhibited.

[MrMitchell]

Can you close Excel with this as the last line before exit?...

$oExcel.Application.Quit

Edit: Just trying anything until someone that has a better idea sees your thread

Edited December 9, 2010 by MrMitchell

[cag8f]

Thanks for your help. Yes that did close Excel, but I'd obviously like for _ExcelCloseBook to work. Might there be some open workbooks that are hidden somehow? I've rebooted the machine a few times.

[MrMitchell]

Yah put this in to see how many workbooks are present before your _ExcelBookClose()

MsgBox(0, "", $oExcel.Application.Workbooks.Count)

Add: Also, maybe change your ExcelBookClose statement to enable alerts to see what might be holding it up:

$excelBookCloseResult = _ExcelBookClose($oExcel, 1, 1)

Edited December 9, 2010 by MrMitchell

[cag8f]

-- Inserting the check for open workbooks before the _ExcelCloseBook returns 1.

-- _ExcelBookCloseResult returns 0.

When I enable message alerts in _ExcelBookClose, Excel still stay open, but I can now click around in the window and even close it from the window. While if I disable message alerts, I am not able to do so. Curious.

Edited December 9, 2010 by cag8f

[MrMitchell]

-- Inserting the check for open workbooks before the _ExcelCloseBook returns 1.

-- _ExcelBookCloseResult returns 0.

When I enable message alerts in _ExcelBookClose, Excel still stay open, but I can now click around in the window and even close it from the window. While if I disable message alerts, I am not able to do so. Curious.

Yea if you check the code for that function it first checks how many workbooks are open and if only 1 it will quit the app. If more than 1 it just closes that workbook that you're on. Something like that

[cag8f]

Still not resolved, but a workaround is in place. Thanks for all the help.

[Gorby7]

I know this is old and a workaround exists, but I've found a simpler workaround that may help others. Whatever variable you use with _ExcelBookNew() or _ExcelBookOpen() must be set to zero after using _ExcelBookClose(). For example:

$oExobject=_ExcelBookNew()
;...do stuff
_ExcelBookClose()
$oExobject=0

This will immediately end the EXCEL.EXE process and allow you to maniputlate the saved Excel file with other functions.