I have this sub in my class that just opens excel to see if a range is present. The problem I am running into is that the process just does not close. I've been googling my tail off and I can't find a resolution. Please take a look at my code and see if it something simple stupid that I am missing. Thanks.
Private Function NamedRangeExists(ByVal ProductFileName As String, ByVal RangeName As String) As Boolean
Dim ExcelApp As Excel.Application
'Create an Excel Object
ExcelApp = CType(CreateObject("Excel.Application"), Excel.Application)
Dim TheRange As Microsoft.Office.Interop.Excel.Name
Dim TheRangeName As String = ""
Dim ObjWorkbook As Excel.Workbooks = ExcelApp.Workbooks
'Open the Product
Dim TheProduct As Excel.Workbook = ObjWorkbook.Open(ProductFileName)
For Each TheRange In TheProduct.Names 'ExcelApp.ActiveWorkbook.Names
TheRangeName = CStr(TheRange.Name)
If (InStr(TheRangeName, RangeName) <> 0) Then
TheProduct.Save()
TheProduct.Close()
ExcelApp.Quit()
ExcelApp = Nothing
Marshal.ReleaseComObject(ExcelApp)
Return True
End If
Next
TheProduct.Close()
ObjWorkbook.Close()
ExcelApp.Quit()
Marshal.ReleaseComObject(ObjWorkbook)
Marshal.ReleaseComObject(TheProduct)
Marshal.ReleaseComObject(ExcelApp)
TheProduct = Nothing
ObjWorkbook = Nothing
ExcelApp = Nothing
GC.Collect()
GC.WaitForPendingFinalizers()
GC.Collect()
Return False
End Function
For any future viewers, this is the general method that I use:
Dim xlApp As New Excel.Application
Dim xlWB As Excel.Workbook = xlApp.Workbooks.Add
Dim xlWS As Excel.Worksheet = xlWB.Worksheets(1)
'do stuff
GC.Collect()
GC.WaitForPendingFinalizers()
GC.Collect()
GC.WaitForPendingFinalizers()
FinalReleaseComObject(xlWS)
xlWB.Close(False)
FinalReleaseComObject(xlWB)
xlApp.Quit()
FinalReleaseComObject(xlApp)
You'll need Imports System.Runtime.InteropServices.Marshal.
Any other declared Excel objects (such as TheRange in the OP's case) will need to be set to Nothing before garbage collection.
The sequence of commands shown here is important. A detailed explanation can be found here.
This will do the job! Documentation
Marshal.FinalReleaseComObject(obj)
Related
I am trying to figure how to set the active workbook and active sheet as a variable I can reference later. I have my script set up, and I placed ????'s in the areas where I assume I would put the reference.
Any suggetsions?
Dim oXL As Application
Dim oWB As Microsoft.Office.Interop.Excel.Workbook
Dim oSheet As Microsoft.Office.Interop.Excel.Worksheet
Dim oRng As Microsoft.Office.Interop.Excel.Range
oWB = ????
oSheet = ?????
Added info from comment to Karen Payne's answer:
I am trying to reference an existing one I already have open, that is
the active window at the time of using my application.
i.e.: How can I attach to an open Excel instance and retrieve a reference to the ActiveWorkbook?
Perhaps the following will help. It is a demo that sets the active sheet in xlWorkSheet that can be used as you see fit.
Option Strict On
Imports Excel = Microsoft.Office.Interop.Excel
Imports Microsoft.Office
Imports System.Runtime.InteropServices
Module SetDefaultWorkSheetCode
Public Sub SetDefaultSheet(ByVal FileName As String, ByVal SheetName As String)
Dim xlApp As Excel.Application = Nothing
Dim xlWorkBooks As Excel.Workbooks = Nothing
Dim xlWorkBook As Excel.Workbook = Nothing
Dim xlWorkSheet As Excel.Worksheet = Nothing
Dim xlWorkSheets As Excel.Sheets = Nothing
xlApp = New Excel.Application
xlApp.DisplayAlerts = False
xlWorkBooks = xlApp.Workbooks
xlWorkBook = xlWorkBooks.Open(FileName)
xlApp.Visible = False
xlWorkSheets = xlWorkBook.Sheets
For x As Integer = 1 To xlWorkSheets.Count
xlWorkSheet = CType(xlWorkSheets(x), Excel.Worksheet)
If xlWorkSheet.Name = SheetName Then
xlWorkSheet.Activate()
xlWorkSheet.SaveAs(FileName)
Runtime.InteropServices.Marshal.FinalReleaseComObject(xlWorkSheet)
xlWorkSheet = Nothing
Exit For
End If
Runtime.InteropServices.Marshal.FinalReleaseComObject(xlWorkSheet)
xlWorkSheet = Nothing
Next
xlWorkBook.Close()
xlApp.UserControl = True
xlApp.Quit()
ReleaseComObject(xlWorkSheets)
ReleaseComObject(xlWorkSheet)
ReleaseComObject(xlWorkBook)
ReleaseComObject(xlWorkBooks)
ReleaseComObject(xlApp)
End Sub
Private Sub ReleaseComObject(ByVal obj As Object)
Try
If obj IsNot Nothing Then
System.Runtime.InteropServices.Marshal.ReleaseComObject(obj)
obj = Nothing
End If
Catch ex As Exception
obj = Nothing
End Try
End Sub
End Module
With those Excel objects, you have to assign values to them using the "Set" keyword. For example:
Set oWB = ActiveWorkbook
Here are two techniques for attaching to a running Excel instance. I think the method shown in 'Button1_Click' is one you are seeking, but I also showed second method that looks in the Running Object Table (ROT) for a matching Workbook name.
Imports System.Runtime.InteropServices
Imports Microsoft.Office.Interop
Public Class Form1
Private WithEvents ExcelCleanUpTimer As New Timer With {.Interval = 100}
Private Sub Button1_Click(sender As Object, e As EventArgs) Handles Button1.Click
Dim app As Excel.Application
Try ' to attach to any Excel instance
app = CType(Marshal.GetActiveObject("Excel.Application"), Excel.Application)
Catch ex As Exception
MessageBox.Show("No Excel instances found")
Exit Sub
End Try
' take over responsibility for closing Excel
app.UserControl = False
app.Visible = False
Dim activeWB As Excel.Workbook = app.ActiveWorkbook
Dim activeSheet As Object = app.ActiveSheet
' determine if ActiveSheet is a Worksheet or Chart
' if it is a Worksheet, activeChart is Nothing
' if it is a Chart, activeWorksheet is Nothing
Dim activeWorksheet As Excel.Worksheet = TryCast(activeSheet, Excel.Worksheet)
Dim activeChart As Excel.Chart = TryCast(activeSheet, Excel.Chart)
If activeWorksheet IsNot Nothing Then
For Each cell As Excel.Range In activeWorksheet.Range("A1:A20")
cell.Value2 = "hello"
Next
End If
'shut Excel down, don't save anything
app.DisplayAlerts = False
app.Workbooks.Close()
app.Quit()
' using a timer lets any ComObj variables in this method go out of context and
' become eligible for finalization. GC's call to RCW wrapper finalizer will
' release its reference counts on Excel
ExcelCleanUpTimer.Start()
End Sub
Private Sub ExcelCleanUpTimer_Tick(sender As Object, e As EventArgs) Handles ExcelCleanUpTimer.Tick
ExcelCleanUpTimer.Stop()
GC.Collect()
GC.WaitForPendingFinalizers()
End Sub
Private Sub Button2_Click(sender As Object, e As EventArgs) Handles Button2.Click
' if this is a saved Workbook, the path will be the full file path
Dim path As String = "Book1" ' or the full file path to a workbook including the extension
Dim activeWorkbook As Excel.Workbook = Nothing
Try
' this technique differs for Marshal.GetActiveObject in that if the path
' is a valid file path to an Excel file and Excel is not running, it will
' launch Excel to open the file.
activeWorkbook = CType(Marshal.BindToMoniker(path), Excel.Workbook)
Catch ex As Exception
' an exception will be throw if 'path' is not found in the Runinng Object Table (ROT)
MessageBox.Show(path & " not found")
Exit Sub
End Try
Dim app As Excel.Application = activeWorkbook.Application
app.Visible = True
app.UserControl = True
' the wb window will be hidden if opening a file
activeWorkbook.Windows(1).Visible = True
ExcelCleanUpTimer.Start()
End Sub
End Class
Sorry about my last answer.. I didn't see that you were trying to do it in .NET. Anyway, just like in the context of Excel, you have to first open or create all of the workbooks that you want to work with. If you already have it open, then you can use the file name of the workbook you want to assign it to a workbook variable..
xlWorkbook = xlApp.Workbooks.Item("filename of the workbook already open")
Here is the same code, partly commented out as to the activate part and I added in code to show how to get the current active sheet.
Option Strict On
Imports Excel = Microsoft.Office.Interop.Excel
Imports Microsoft.Office
Imports System.Runtime.InteropServices
Module SheetCode
Public Sub SetDefaultSheet(ByVal FileName As String, ByVal SheetName As String)
Dim xlApp As Excel.Application = Nothing
Dim xlWorkBooks As Excel.Workbooks = Nothing
Dim xlWorkBook As Excel.Workbook = Nothing
Dim xlWorkSheet As Excel.Worksheet = Nothing
Dim xlWorkSheets As Excel.Sheets = Nothing
xlApp = New Excel.Application
xlApp.DisplayAlerts = False
xlWorkBooks = xlApp.Workbooks
xlWorkBook = xlWorkBooks.Open(FileName)
xlApp.Visible = False
xlWorkSheets = xlWorkBook.Sheets
'
' Here I added how to get the current active worksheet
'
Dim ActiveSheetInWorkBook As Excel.Worksheet = CType(xlWorkBook.ActiveSheet, Excel.Worksheet)
Console.WriteLine(ActiveSheetInWorkBook.Name)
Runtime.InteropServices.Marshal.FinalReleaseComObject(ActiveSheetInWorkBook)
ActiveSheetInWorkBook = Nothing
'For x As Integer = 1 To xlWorkSheets.Count
' xlWorkSheet = CType(xlWorkSheets(x), Excel.Worksheet)
' If xlWorkSheet.Name = SheetName Then
' xlWorkSheet.Activate()
' xlWorkSheet.SaveAs(FileName)
' Runtime.InteropServices.Marshal.FinalReleaseComObject(xlWorkSheet)
' xlWorkSheet = Nothing
' Exit For
' End If
' Runtime.InteropServices.Marshal.FinalReleaseComObject(xlWorkSheet)
' xlWorkSheet = Nothing
'Next
xlWorkBook.Close()
xlApp.UserControl = True
xlApp.Quit()
ReleaseComObject(xlWorkSheets)
ReleaseComObject(xlWorkSheet)
ReleaseComObject(xlWorkBook)
ReleaseComObject(xlWorkBooks)
ReleaseComObject(xlApp)
End Sub
Private Sub ReleaseComObject(ByVal obj As Object)
Try
If obj IsNot Nothing Then
System.Runtime.InteropServices.Marshal.ReleaseComObject(obj)
obj = Nothing
End If
Catch ex As Exception
obj = Nothing
End Try
End Sub
End Module
I have a form with 1 button to create an Excel file on my desktop.
I get error message:
NullReferenceException Was Unhandled
Object reference not set to an instance of an object
and it highlights the code:
WB = excelapp.workbooks.add
I did add the reference "Microsoft excel 14.0" and my full code is below:
imports excel = microsoft.office.interop.excel
dim excelapp as excel.application
dim WB as excel.workbook
sub button1()
WB = excelapp.workbooks.add
excelapp.visible=true
end sub
Missing New on your Excel instance for starters:
Dim xlApp As New Excel.Application
Dim xlWorkbook As Excel.Workbook = xlApp.Workbooks.Add()
Dim xlWorksheet As Excel.Worksheet = CType(xlWorkbook.Sheets("sheet1"), Excel.Worksheet)
xlWorksheet.Cells(1, 1) = "data in first cell"
xlWorksheet.SaveAs(Environment.GetFolderPath(Environment.SpecialFolder.Desktop) & "\" & "Test.xlsx")
xlWorkbook.Close()
xlApp.Quit()
xlApp = Nothing
xlWorkBook = Nothing
xlWorkSheet = Nothing
You should probably put this in Try/Catch/Finally block to catch errors in case you run into issues, but mostly because if the program doesn't continue properly finish that code block, an EXCEL.EXE will remain open in your task manager, as well as whatever Excel file it was accessing will be "in use by another program" when you try to access/modify/delete it.
just add one line, then it'll work
imports excel = microsoft.office.interop.excel
dim excelapp as excel.application
dim WB as excel.workbook
sub button1()
excelapp = new excel.application
WB = excelapp.workbooks.add
excelapp.visible=true
end sub
I have this code that allows me to export the data contained in the two TextBoxs in an excel spreadsheet, the problem is that the excel file is not created. I put the two statements are not working for rescuing comment below, maybe someone can test it and tell me why it is wrong.
Dim objExcel As New Excel.Application ' Represents an instance of Excel
Dim objWorkbook As Excel.Workbook 'Represents a workbook object
Dim objWorksheet As Excel.Worksheet 'Represents a worksheet object
objWorkbook = objExcel.Workbooks.Add
objWorksheet = CType(objWorkbook.Worksheets.Item(1), Excel.Worksheet)
'This form contains two text boxes, write values to cells A1 and A2
objWorksheet.Cells(1, 1) = TextBox1.Text
objWorksheet.Cells(2, 1) = TextBox2.Text
objWorkbook.Close(False)
'objWorkbook.Save()
'or
'objWorkbook.SaveAs("C:\Temp\Book1.xls")
objExcel.Quit()
Code is tried and tested
Your issue can be from a few different things that I can see. I provided a few issues that I could see from your code you posted.
Your calling .Close before actually saving the workbook.
You didn't specify the "FileFormat" in the save function.
Your not quitting the instance of Excel.
It's important to release ALL objects of Excel you use. If not, it's being held up in memory and will not be released.
Code Below
Dim xlApp As New excel.Application
Dim xlWorkBook As excel.Workbook
Dim xlWorkSheet As excel.Worksheet
Try
xlApp.DisplayAlerts = False
xlWorkBook = xlApp.Workbooks.Add
xlWorkSheet = DirectCast(xlWorkBook.Sheets("Sheet1"), excel.Worksheet)
xlApp.Visible = False 'Don't show Excel; we can and we don't have too
xlWorkSheet.Cells(1, 1) = TextBox1.Text
xlWorkSheet.Cells(2, 1) = TextBox2.Text
xlWorkBook.SaveAs("C:\Temp\Book1.xls", FileFormat:=56) 'Save the workbook
xlWorkBook.Close() 'Close workbook
xlApp.Quit() 'Quit the application
'Release all of our excel objects we used...
ReleaseObject(xlWorkSheet)
ReleaseObject(xlWorkBook)
ReleaseObject(xlApp)
Catch ex As Exception
End Try
Method to Release Excel Objects
Public Shared Sub ReleaseObject(ByVal obj As Object)
Try
System.Runtime.InteropServices.Marshal.ReleaseComObject(obj)
Catch ex As Exception
obj = Nothing
Finally
GC.Collect()
End Try
End Sub
I am using the followiwing code to do some copying and pasting with excel files:
Imports Excel = Microsoft.Office.Interop.Excel
Imports System.IO
Imports System.Runtime.InteropServices
Private Sub btnCombine_Click(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles btnCombine.Click
Dim xlAppSource As New Excel.Application
Dim xlAppTarget As New Excel.Application
Dim xlWbSource As Excel.Workbook
Dim xlWbTarget As Excel.Workbook
Dim xlsheetSource As Excel.Worksheet
Dim xlsheetTarget As Excel.Worksheet
Dim xlRangeSource As Excel.Range
Dim xlRangeTarget As Excel.Range
Dim Progress As Integer = 0
pbrProgress.Minimum = 0
pbrProgress.Maximum = amountOfFiles
btnCombine.Enabled = False
btnSelect.Enabled = False
pbrProgress.Visible = True
getSaveLocation()
MakeExcelFile()
'loop through all excel files to get the required data
For i = 0 To amountOfFiles - 1
Dim CurrentFile As String = strFileNames(i)
Dim IntAmountOfRows As Integer = amountOfRows(CurrentFile)
Dim intStartOfEmptyRow As Integer = amountOfRows(SummaryLocation)
xlAppSource.DisplayAlerts = False
xlAppTarget.DisplayAlerts = False
'Set current workbook
xlWbSource = xlAppSource.Workbooks.Open(CurrentFile)
xlWbTarget = xlAppTarget.Workbooks.Open(SummaryLocation)
'set current worksheet
xlsheetSource = xlWbSource.ActiveSheet
xlsheetTarget = xlWbTarget.ActiveSheet
'copy range of data from source to target file
xlRangeSource = xlsheetSource.Range("A2:k" & IntAmountOfRows)
xlRangeSource.Copy()
xlRangeTarget = xlsheetTarget.Range("A" & intStartOfEmptyRow)
xlRangeTarget.PasteSpecial(Excel.XlPasteType.xlPasteValues)
'save summary file before closing
xlsheetTarget.SaveAs(SummaryLocation)
'updating progress bar
Progress = Progress + 1
pbrProgress.Value = Progress
Next
'close excel
xlWbSource.Close(True)
xlWbTarget.Close(True)
xlAppSource.Quit()
xlAppTarget.Quit()
xlAppSource.DisplayAlerts = True
xlAppTarget.DisplayAlerts = True
'Cleanup
Marshal.ReleaseComObject(xlAppSource)
Marshal.ReleaseComObject(xlAppTarget)
Marshal.ReleaseComObject(xlWbSource)
Marshal.ReleaseComObject(xlWbTarget)
Marshal.ReleaseComObject(xlsheetSource)
Marshal.ReleaseComObject(xlsheettarget)
Marshal.ReleaseComObject(xlRangeSource)
Marshal.ReleaseComObject(xlRangeTarget)
xlAppSource = Nothing
xlAppTarget = Nothing
xlWbSource = Nothing
xlWbTarget = Nothing
xlsheetSource = Nothing
xlsheetTarget = Nothing
xlRangeSource = Nothing
xlRangeTarget = Nothing
MsgBox("Samenvoegen compleet")
init()
End Sub
I have tried every solution given on SO:
Never use 2 points on a line
I have tried using marshall.ReleaseComObject
I have tried setting the objects to "Nothing"
However, everytime I run the application, there will be 10-20 excel processes still running.
Option Explicit
Sub Main()
Dim xlApp As Excel.Application
Set xlApp = New Excel.Application
xlApp.Visible = False
xlApp.DisplayAlerts = False
Dim xlWb As Workbook
Set xlWb = xlApp.Workbooks.Open("C:\...\path")
Dim xlSht As Worksheet
Set xlSht = xlWb.Sheets(1)
xlSht.Range("A1") = "message from " & ThisWorkbook.FullName
xlWb.Saved = True
xlWb.Save
xlWb.Close
xlApp.Quit
End Sub
Works for me every single time and does not leave any Excel processes hanging in the task manager.
Note: if your code breaks at some point and you do not handle the already opened objects properly then they will just hang in the processes tab in the Task Manager. If you haven't implemented error handling in your code then start here.
just consider this as alternative
Option Explicit
Sub Main()
On Error GoTo ErrHandler
Dim xlApp As Excel.Application
Set xlApp = New Excel.Application
xlApp.Visible = False
xlApp.DisplayAlerts = False
Dim xlWb As Workbook
Set xlWb = xlApp.Workbooks.Open("C:\...\path")
Dim xlSht As Worksheet
Set xlSht = xlWb.Sheets(1)
xlSht.Range("A1") = "message from " & ThisWorkbook.FullName
xlWb.Saved = True
xlWb.Save
xlWb.Close
xlApp.Quit
Exit Sub
ErrHandler:
xlWb.Saved = True
xlWb.Save
xlWb.Close
xlApp.Quit
End Sub
The Interop Marshal release doesn't always work because Excel XP and lower suck at releasing. I had to use your loop, but replace the Process.Close() and Process.Quit() with Process.Kill(). Works like a charm. Just be careful that you want ALL versions of excel.exe to be killed, because they will.
I use this:
Workbook.Save()
Workbook.Close()
Application.Quit()
System.Runtime.InteropServices.Marshal.ReleaseComObject(Application)
Worksheet = Nothing
Workbook = Nothing
Application = Nothing
Dim proc As System.Diagnostics.Process
For Each proc In System.Diagnostics.Process.GetProcessesByName("EXCEL")
proc.Kill()
Next
When you do anything with the Excel Interop, it creates a new process.
The problem with killing all Excel processes is that you may kill a process that you are working with. You can kill all processes which have been running for a certain length of time (i.e. from a certain timestamp) with:
Dim proc As System.Diagnostics.Process
Dim info As ManagementObject
Dim search As New ManagementObjectSearcher("SELECT ProcessId FROM Win32_process WHERE caption = 'Excel'")
For Each info In search.Get()
'The string will give you the time that the process started
'You can then subtract that from the current time to see if you want to kill the process
Dim TheString As String = info.GetText(TextFormat.Mof).ToString
'Kill the process according to its ID
proc = System.Diagnostics.Process.GetProcessById(Mid$(TheString, _
(Len(TheString) - 8), 4))
proc.CloseMainWindow()
proc.Refresh()
If proc.HasExited Then GoTo NoKill
proc.Kill()
NoKill:
Next
You'll need to add:
Imports System.Management
and add the reference for the 'System.Management' to your project.
You can obtain the process ID from the Excel.Application hwnd and use that to kill the process safely.
I am tyring to run code like this
xlWorkSheet.Cells(rownumber, 1) = "Some Value"
the problem is when I open the excel document the cell value is not updated.
any help will be appreciated
I use the following code to open the file
Dim pathtofile As String = Server.MapPath("~/UserControls/Upload/MyUpload.xlsx")
Dim xlApp As Excel.Application =New Excel.Application
Dim xlWorkBook As Excel.Workbook
Dim xlworkbooks As Excel.Workbooks
Dim xlWorksheets As Excel.Worksheets
Dim misValue As Object = System.Reflection.Missing.Value
Dim xlWorkSheet As Excel.Worksheet = Nothing
xlWorkBook = xlApp.Workbooks.Add(misValue)
xlworkbooks = xlApp.Workbooks
xlWorkBook = xlworkbooks.Open(pathtofile )
xlWorkSheet = xlWorkBook.Sheets("Sheet1")
You need to save, close, and release the com objects to make sure excel doesn't remain running as a process.
Sub save(filename As String) ' Saves the sheet under a specfic name
xlWorkBook.SaveAs(filename)
End Sub
Sub closexl()
xlWorkBooks.Close()
xlApp.Quit()
End Sub
Sub cleanup() ' Releases all of the com objects to object not have excel running as a process after this method finishes
GC.Collect()
GC.WaitForPendingFinalizers()
System.Runtime.InteropServices.Marshal.ReleaseComObject(xlWorkSheet)
System.Runtime.InteropServices.Marshal.ReleaseComObject(xlWorkBook)
System.Runtime.InteropServices.Marshal.ReleaseComObject(xlApp)
xlApp = Nothing
End Sub