Pasting to Excel sheet (getting desperate!)

I wrote a class in VB.NET to export the contents of a datagrid to Excel. It
works perfectly on my machine, but it fails on my customers' PCs that have
identical versions of Win XP (SP1) and Excel (SP1) installed.

The error is:
System.Runtime.InteropServices.COMException(0x800A03EC): Exception from
HRESULT: 0x800A03EC.
at Microsoft.Office.Interop.Excel._Worksheet.Paste(Object Destination,
Object Link)
at myProject.ExcelWriter.ExportToExcel(DataTable& tbl)
at myProject.frmMain.btnExportToExcel_Click(Object sender, EventArgs e)

My complete code for the class is below. Does anyone know what the problem
with the Paste() statement might be?

Thank you!

Eric


'''''''''''''''''' BEGIN CODE ''''''''''''''''''
Option Explicit On

Imports System.Text
Imports Microsoft.Office.Interop

Public Class ExcelWriter

Public Shared Sub ExportToExcel(ByRef tbl As DataTable)
' This routine copies the contents of a data table, named "dt"
(declared
' Private within this Public class), to the Windows Clipboard in a
tab-
' delimited format. It then creates an Excel spreadsheet and pastes
the
' contents of the Clipboard to the spreadsheet.

If tbl Is Nothing Then Exit Sub

Dim sb As New StringBuilder
Dim row, col As Integer

' Add the title.
Dim ReportTitle As String = tbl.TableName
If ReportTitle.Length < 1 Then ReportTitle = "New Report"
sb.Append(ReportTitle & vbNewLine & vbNewLine)

' Copy column headers.
For col = 0 To tbl.Columns.Count - 1
If Not IsDBNull(tbl.Columns.Item(col).ColumnName) Then
sb.Append(tbl.Columns.Item(col).ColumnName)
End If
sb.Append(vbTab)
Application.DoEvents()
Next
sb.Append(vbNewLine)

' Copy rows.
For row = 0 To tbl.Rows.Count - 1
For col = 0 To tbl.Columns.Count - 1
If Not IsDBNull(tbl.Rows(row)(col)) Then
If TypeOf tbl.Rows(row)(col) Is DateTime Then
Dim d As DateTime = tbl.Rows(row)(col)
sb.Append(d.ToShortDateString)
Else
Dim NewLine As Char = ChrW(32)

If tbl.Rows(row)(0).ToString = "68" AndAlso _
tbl.Columns(col).ColumnName = "Comments" Then

Dim iii As Integer = 0
End If

' Account for tab and newline chars in string.
Dim rawString As String =
tbl.Rows(row)(col).ToString
rawString = rawString.Replace(vbTab, " "c)
rawString = rawString.Replace(N, " "c)
rawString = rawString.Replace(NewLine, " "c)
sb.Append(tbl.Rows(row)(col))
End If
End If
sb.Append(vbTab)
Application.DoEvents()
Next
sb.Append(vbNewLine)
Next

Clipboard.SetDataObject(sb.ToString)

' Create Excel Objects
Dim ExcelApp As Excel.Application
Dim Book As Excel.Workbook
Dim Sheet As Excel.Worksheet
Dim Range As Excel.Range

' Start Excel and get Application object:
ExcelApp = CreateObject("Excel.Application")
ExcelApp.Visible = False

' Add a new workbook
Book = ExcelApp.Workbooks.Add
Sheet = Book.ActiveSheet
' NOTE: Excel worksheet name max length = 31.
Sheet.Name = Left(ReportTitle, 31)
Application.DoEvents()

'''''''''''''''''' ERROR OCCURS HERE ''''''''''''''''''
' Paste the Clipboard contents.
Sheet.Paste()

' Format column headers.
Range = Sheet.Rows(3)
Range.Font.Bold = True

' AutoFit Columns
Range = Sheet.Range("A1", "IA1")
Range.EntireColumn.AutoFit()

' Format title.
Range = Sheet.Cells(1, 1)
Range.Font.Bold = True
Range.Font.Size = 14
Application.DoEvents()

' Add date/time created.
Range = Sheet.Cells(2, tbl.Columns.Count)
Range.Value = "Report Created: " & Now.ToString
Range.Font.Size = 8
Range.HorizontalAlignment = Excel.XlHAlign.xlHAlignRight

' Center title across selection.
Dim cellStart As Excel.Range = ExcelApp.Range("A1")
Dim cellEnd As Excel.Range = _
DirectCast(Sheet.Cells(1, _
tbl.Columns.Count), Excel.Range)
Dim rng As Excel.Range = _
ExcelApp.Range(cellStart, cellEnd)
rng.Merge()
rng.HorizontalAlignment = _
Excel.XlHAlign.xlHAlignCenterAcrossSelection
Application.DoEvents()

ExcelApp.Visible = True
End Sub
End Class

'''''''''''''''''' END CODE ''''''''''''''''''

Just a suggestion, you could remove the dependency on having Excel installed
on the machine you run your program and eleminate the possibility in
differences in the API versions by formatting your data from your datatable
into an html table, then just save the string as .xls, Excel will interpret
the html correctly when the file is opened.

"Eric" wrote:

> I wrote a class in VB.NET to export the contents of a datagrid to Excel. It
> works perfectly on my machine, but it fails on my customers' PCs that have
> identical versions of Win XP (SP1) and Excel (SP1) installed.
>
> The error is:
> System.Runtime.InteropServices.COMException(0x800A03EC): Exception from
> HRESULT: 0x800A03EC.
> at Microsoft.Office.Interop.Excel._Worksheet.Paste(Object Destination,
> Object Link)
> at myProject.ExcelWriter.ExportToExcel(DataTable& tbl)
> at myProject.frmMain.btnExportToExcel_Click(Object sender, EventArgs e)
>
> My complete code for the class is below. Does anyone know what the problem
> with the Paste() statement might be?
>
> Thank you!
>
> Eric
>
>
> '''''''''''''''''' BEGIN CODE ''''''''''''''''''
> Option Explicit On
>
> Imports System.Text
> Imports Microsoft.Office.Interop
>
> Public Class ExcelWriter
>
> Public Shared Sub ExportToExcel(ByRef tbl As DataTable)
> ' This routine copies the contents of a data table, named "dt"
> (declared
> ' Private within this Public class), to the Windows Clipboard in a
> tab-
> ' delimited format. It then creates an Excel spreadsheet and pastes
> the
> ' contents of the Clipboard to the spreadsheet.
>
> If tbl Is Nothing Then Exit Sub
>
> Dim sb As New StringBuilder
> Dim row, col As Integer
>
> ' Add the title.
> Dim ReportTitle As String = tbl.TableName
> If ReportTitle.Length < 1 Then ReportTitle = "New Report"
> sb.Append(ReportTitle & vbNewLine & vbNewLine)
>
> ' Copy column headers.
> For col = 0 To tbl.Columns.Count - 1
> If Not IsDBNull(tbl.Columns.Item(col).ColumnName) Then
> sb.Append(tbl.Columns.Item(col).ColumnName)
> End If
> sb.Append(vbTab)
> Application.DoEvents()
> Next
> sb.Append(vbNewLine)
>
> ' Copy rows.
> For row = 0 To tbl.Rows.Count - 1
> For col = 0 To tbl.Columns.Count - 1
> If Not IsDBNull(tbl.Rows(row)(col)) Then
> If TypeOf tbl.Rows(row)(col) Is DateTime Then
> Dim d As DateTime = tbl.Rows(row)(col)
> sb.Append(d.ToShortDateString)
> Else
> Dim NewLine As Char = ChrW(32)
>
> If tbl.Rows(row)(0).ToString = "68" AndAlso _
> tbl.Columns(col).ColumnName = "Comments" Then
>
> Dim iii As Integer = 0
> End If
>
> ' Account for tab and newline chars in string.
> Dim rawString As String =
> tbl.Rows(row)(col).ToString
> rawString = rawString.Replace(vbTab, " "c)
> rawString = rawString.Replace(N, " "c)
> rawString = rawString.Replace(NewLine, " "c)
> sb.Append(tbl.Rows(row)(col))
> End If
> End If
> sb.Append(vbTab)
> Application.DoEvents()
> Next
> sb.Append(vbNewLine)
> Next
>
> Clipboard.SetDataObject(sb.ToString)
>
> ' Create Excel Objects
> Dim ExcelApp As Excel.Application
> Dim Book As Excel.Workbook
> Dim Sheet As Excel.Worksheet
> Dim Range As Excel.Range
>
> ' Start Excel and get Application object:
> ExcelApp = CreateObject("Excel.Application")
> ExcelApp.Visible = False
>
> ' Add a new workbook
> Book = ExcelApp.Workbooks.Add
> Sheet = Book.ActiveSheet
> ' NOTE: Excel worksheet name max length = 31.
> Sheet.Name = Left(ReportTitle, 31)
> Application.DoEvents()
>
> '''''''''''''''''' ERROR OCCURS HERE ''''''''''''''''''
> ' Paste the Clipboard contents.
> Sheet.Paste()
>
> ' Format column headers.
> Range = Sheet.Rows(3)
> Range.Font.Bold = True
>
> ' AutoFit Columns
> Range = Sheet.Range("A1", "IA1")
> Range.EntireColumn.AutoFit()
>
> ' Format title.
> Range = Sheet.Cells(1, 1)
> Range.Font.Bold = True
> Range.Font.Size = 14
> Application.DoEvents()
>
> ' Add date/time created.
> Range = Sheet.Cells(2, tbl.Columns.Count)
> Range.Value = "Report Created: " & Now.ToString
> Range.Font.Size = 8
> Range.HorizontalAlignment = Excel.XlHAlign.xlHAlignRight
>
> ' Center title across selection.
> Dim cellStart As Excel.Range = ExcelApp.Range("A1")
> Dim cellEnd As Excel.Range = _
> DirectCast(Sheet.Cells(1, _
> tbl.Columns.Count), Excel.Range)
> Dim rng As Excel.Range = _
> ExcelApp.Range(cellStart, cellEnd)
> rng.Merge()
> rng.HorizontalAlignment = _
> Excel.XlHAlign.xlHAlignCenterAcrossSelection
> Application.DoEvents()
>
> ExcelApp.Visible = True
> End Sub
> End Class
>
> '''''''''''''''''' END CODE ''''''''''''''''''
>
>
>
>

<Eric> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
> I wrote a class in VB.NET to export the contents of a datagrid to Excel.
It
> works perfectly on my machine, but it fails on my customers' PCs that have
> identical versions of Win XP (SP1) and Excel (SP1) installed.
>
> The error is:
> System.Runtime.InteropServices.COMException(0x800A03EC): Exception from
> HRESULT: 0x800A03EC.
> at Microsoft.Office.Interop.Excel._Worksheet.Paste(Object Destination,
> Object Link)
> at myProject.ExcelWriter.ExportToExcel(DataTable& tbl)
> at myProject.frmMain.btnExportToExcel_Click(Object sender, EventArgs e)
>
> My complete code for the class is below. Does anyone know what the
problem
> with the Paste() statement might be?
>
> Thank you!
>
> Eric
>
>
> '''''''''''''''''' BEGIN CODE ''''''''''''''''''
> Option Explicit On
>
> Imports System.Text
> Imports Microsoft.Office.Interop
>
> Public Class ExcelWriter
>
> Public Shared Sub ExportToExcel(ByRef tbl As DataTable)
> ' This routine copies the contents of a data table, named "dt"
> (declared
> ' Private within this Public class), to the Windows Clipboard in a
> tab-
> ' delimited format. It then creates an Excel spreadsheet and
pastes
> the
> ' contents of the Clipboard to the spreadsheet.
>
> If tbl Is Nothing Then Exit Sub
>
> Dim sb As New StringBuilder
> Dim row, col As Integer
>
> ' Add the title.
> Dim ReportTitle As String = tbl.TableName
> If ReportTitle.Length < 1 Then ReportTitle = "New Report"
> sb.Append(ReportTitle & vbNewLine & vbNewLine)
>
> ' Copy column headers.
> For col = 0 To tbl.Columns.Count - 1
> If Not IsDBNull(tbl.Columns.Item(col).ColumnName) Then
> sb.Append(tbl.Columns.Item(col).ColumnName)
> End If
> sb.Append(vbTab)
> Application.DoEvents()
> Next
> sb.Append(vbNewLine)
>
> ' Copy rows.
> For row = 0 To tbl.Rows.Count - 1
> For col = 0 To tbl.Columns.Count - 1
> If Not IsDBNull(tbl.Rows(row)(col)) Then
> If TypeOf tbl.Rows(row)(col) Is DateTime Then
> Dim d As DateTime = tbl.Rows(row)(col)
> sb.Append(d.ToShortDateString)
> Else
> Dim NewLine As Char = ChrW(32)
>
> If tbl.Rows(row)(0).ToString = "68" AndAlso _
> tbl.Columns(col).ColumnName = "Comments" Then
>
> Dim iii As Integer = 0
> End If
>
> ' Account for tab and newline chars in string.
> Dim rawString As String =
> tbl.Rows(row)(col).ToString
> rawString = rawString.Replace(vbTab, " "c)
> rawString = rawString.Replace(N, " "c)
> rawString = rawString.Replace(NewLine, " "c)
> sb.Append(tbl.Rows(row)(col))
> End If
> End If
> sb.Append(vbTab)
> Application.DoEvents()
> Next
> sb.Append(vbNewLine)
> Next
>
> Clipboard.SetDataObject(sb.ToString)
>
> ' Create Excel Objects
> Dim ExcelApp As Excel.Application
> Dim Book As Excel.Workbook
> Dim Sheet As Excel.Worksheet
> Dim Range As Excel.Range
>
> ' Start Excel and get Application object:
> ExcelApp = CreateObject("Excel.Application")
> ExcelApp.Visible = False
>
> ' Add a new workbook
> Book = ExcelApp.Workbooks.Add
> Sheet = Book.ActiveSheet
> ' NOTE: Excel worksheet name max length = 31.
> Sheet.Name = Left(ReportTitle, 31)
> Application.DoEvents()
>
> '''''''''''''''''' ERROR OCCURS HERE ''''''''''''''''''
> ' Paste the Clipboard contents.
> Sheet.Paste()
>
> ' Format column headers.
> Range = Sheet.Rows(3)
> Range.Font.Bold = True
>
> ' AutoFit Columns
> Range = Sheet.Range("A1", "IA1")
> Range.EntireColumn.AutoFit()
>
> ' Format title.
> Range = Sheet.Cells(1, 1)
> Range.Font.Bold = True
> Range.Font.Size = 14
> Application.DoEvents()
>
> ' Add date/time created.
> Range = Sheet.Cells(2, tbl.Columns.Count)
> Range.Value = "Report Created: " & Now.ToString
> Range.Font.Size = 8
> Range.HorizontalAlignment = Excel.XlHAlign.xlHAlignRight
>
> ' Center title across selection.
> Dim cellStart As Excel.Range = ExcelApp.Range("A1")
> Dim cellEnd As Excel.Range = _
> DirectCast(Sheet.Cells(1, _
> tbl.Columns.Count), Excel.Range)
> Dim rng As Excel.Range = _
> ExcelApp.Range(cellStart, cellEnd)
> rng.Merge()
> rng.HorizontalAlignment = _
> Excel.XlHAlign.xlHAlignCenterAcrossSelection
> Application.DoEvents()
>
> ExcelApp.Visible = True
> End Sub
> End Class
>
> '''''''''''''''''' END CODE ''''''''''''''''''
>
>

Start the task manager an select the processes tab. Click on "Image name"
and make sure there's no excel.exe ghost process. Or simply restar the
computer. What's in the datagrid? Does it make any difference if the user
tries to copy something like a single row?

/Fredrik

Thank you so much, Dan! You are truly brilliant. I coded up your idea this
morning, and it works perfectly. It's even much faster than using Interop.

I've had this issue hanging over my head for more than a year, and you saved
my hide. If I had extra money to give, I'd cut you a big fat check. :-)

Eric


"Alien2_51" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Just a suggestion, you could remove the dependency on having Excel
installed
> on the machine you run your program and eleminate the possibility in
> differences in the API versions by formatting your data from your
datatable
> into an html table, then just save the string as .xls, Excel will
interpret
> the html correctly when the file is opened.
>
> "Eric" wrote:
>
> > I wrote a class in VB.NET to export the contents of a datagrid to Excel.
It
> > works perfectly on my machine, but it fails on my customers' PCs that
have
> > identical versions of Win XP (SP1) and Excel (SP1) installed.
> >
> > The error is:
> > System.Runtime.InteropServices.COMException(0x800A03EC): Exception from
> > HRESULT: 0x800A03EC.
> > at Microsoft.Office.Interop.Excel._Worksheet.Paste(Object
Destination,
> > Object Link)
> > at myProject.ExcelWriter.ExportToExcel(DataTable& tbl)
> > at myProject.frmMain.btnExportToExcel_Click(Object sender, EventArgs
e)
> >
> > My complete code for the class is below. Does anyone know what the
problem
> > with the Paste() statement might be?
> >
> > Thank you!
> >
> > Eric
> >
> >
> > '''''''''''''''''' BEGIN CODE ''''''''''''''''''
> > Option Explicit On
> >
> > Imports System.Text
> > Imports Microsoft.Office.Interop
> >
> > Public Class ExcelWriter
> >
> > Public Shared Sub ExportToExcel(ByRef tbl As DataTable)
> > ' This routine copies the contents of a data table, named "dt"
> > (declared
> > ' Private within this Public class), to the Windows Clipboard in
a
> > tab-
> > ' delimited format. It then creates an Excel spreadsheet and
pastes
> > the
> > ' contents of the Clipboard to the spreadsheet.
> >
> > If tbl Is Nothing Then Exit Sub
> >
> > Dim sb As New StringBuilder
> > Dim row, col As Integer
> >
> > ' Add the title.
> > Dim ReportTitle As String = tbl.TableName
> > If ReportTitle.Length < 1 Then ReportTitle = "New Report"
> > sb.Append(ReportTitle & vbNewLine & vbNewLine)
> >
> > ' Copy column headers.
> > For col = 0 To tbl.Columns.Count - 1
> > If Not IsDBNull(tbl.Columns.Item(col).ColumnName) Then
> > sb.Append(tbl.Columns.Item(col).ColumnName)
> > End If
> > sb.Append(vbTab)
> > Application.DoEvents()
> > Next
> > sb.Append(vbNewLine)
> >
> > ' Copy rows.
> > For row = 0 To tbl.Rows.Count - 1
> > For col = 0 To tbl.Columns.Count - 1
> > If Not IsDBNull(tbl.Rows(row)(col)) Then
> > If TypeOf tbl.Rows(row)(col) Is DateTime Then
> > Dim d As DateTime = tbl.Rows(row)(col)
> > sb.Append(d.ToShortDateString)
> > Else
> > Dim NewLine As Char = ChrW(32)
> >
> > If tbl.Rows(row)(0).ToString = "68" AndAlso _
> > tbl.Columns(col).ColumnName = "Comments" Then
> >
> > Dim iii As Integer = 0
> > End If
> >
> > ' Account for tab and newline chars in string.
> > Dim rawString As String =
> > tbl.Rows(row)(col).ToString
> > rawString = rawString.Replace(vbTab, " "c)
> > rawString = rawString.Replace(N, " "c)
> > rawString = rawString.Replace(NewLine, " "c)
> > sb.Append(tbl.Rows(row)(col))
> > End If
> > End If
> > sb.Append(vbTab)
> > Application.DoEvents()
> > Next
> > sb.Append(vbNewLine)
> > Next
> >
> > Clipboard.SetDataObject(sb.ToString)
> >
> > ' Create Excel Objects
> > Dim ExcelApp As Excel.Application
> > Dim Book As Excel.Workbook
> > Dim Sheet As Excel.Worksheet
> > Dim Range As Excel.Range
> >
> > ' Start Excel and get Application object:
> > ExcelApp = CreateObject("Excel.Application")
> > ExcelApp.Visible = False
> >
> > ' Add a new workbook
> > Book = ExcelApp.Workbooks.Add
> > Sheet = Book.ActiveSheet
> > ' NOTE: Excel worksheet name max length = 31.
> > Sheet.Name = Left(ReportTitle, 31)
> > Application.DoEvents()
> >
> > '''''''''''''''''' ERROR OCCURS HERE ''''''''''''''''''
> > ' Paste the Clipboard contents.
> > Sheet.Paste()
> >
> > ' Format column headers.
> > Range = Sheet.Rows(3)
> > Range.Font.Bold = True
> >
> > ' AutoFit Columns
> > Range = Sheet.Range("A1", "IA1")
> > Range.EntireColumn.AutoFit()
> >
> > ' Format title.
> > Range = Sheet.Cells(1, 1)
> > Range.Font.Bold = True
> > Range.Font.Size = 14
> > Application.DoEvents()
> >
> > ' Add date/time created.
> > Range = Sheet.Cells(2, tbl.Columns.Count)
> > Range.Value = "Report Created: " & Now.ToString
> > Range.Font.Size = 8
> > Range.HorizontalAlignment = Excel.XlHAlign.xlHAlignRight
> >
> > ' Center title across selection.
> > Dim cellStart As Excel.Range = ExcelApp.Range("A1")
> > Dim cellEnd As Excel.Range = _
> > DirectCast(Sheet.Cells(1, _
> > tbl.Columns.Count), Excel.Range)
> > Dim rng As Excel.Range = _
> > ExcelApp.Range(cellStart, cellEnd)
> > rng.Merge()
> > rng.HorizontalAlignment = _
> > Excel.XlHAlign.xlHAlignCenterAcrossSelection
> > Application.DoEvents()
> >
> > ExcelApp.Visible = True
> > End Sub
> > End Class
> >
> > '''''''''''''''''' END CODE ''''''''''''''''''
> >
> >
> >
> >