Application won't die!!!

[tkstock]

I create an Excel application object, workbook, and worksheet on the fly in MS Access. When I close everything down, the EXCEL process remains in Task Manager. If I run the code multiple times, I get multiple processes that never die!

I think I posted my original thread on the wrong forum. Please check it out here and provide any input if you can!!

http://www.excelforum.com/showthread.php?t=364109

The full discussion of the problem is at this Access forum:
http://www.access-programmers.co.uk/...ad.php?t=85282

[Leith Ross]

Hello Tom,

Add these API calls to a VBA Module in your project. This will work like you click the Close Box on the Excel Application.


API Macro Code:
_________________________________________________________________

Option Explicit

'Declarations
Private Declare Function FindWindow Lib "user32" Alias "FindWindowA" (ByVal lpClassName As String, ByVal lpWindowName As String) As Long

Private Declare Function SendMessage Lib "user32" Alias "SendMessageA" (ByVal hwnd As Long, ByVal wMsg As Long, ByVal wParam As Long, lParam As Any) As Long

'Send Message Constant
Private Const WM_CLOSE = &H10

Public Sub CloseApp(ByVal Window_Title As String)

Hwnd = FindWindow(vbNullString, Window_Title)
SendMessage Hwnd, WM_CLOSE, 0&, 0&

End Sub
_________________________________________________________________

Your Code with CloseApp:

Private Sub Command0_Click()

Dim oXL As Excel.Application
Dim oWb As Excel.Workbook
Dim oWs As Excel.Worksheet

Set oXL = New Excel.Application
oXL.Workbooks.Add
Set oWb = oXL.Workbooks(Workbooks.Count)
oWb.Worksheets("Sheet1").Cells(1, 1).Value = "Test"
oWb.SaveAs "C:\Test.xls"
oWb.Close
CloseApp ("Microsoft Excel - Test.xls")

Set oWb = Nothing
Set oXL = Nothing

End Sub
_________________________________________________________________

If you have any problems let me know. You can e-mail at [email protected].

Sincerely,
Leith Ross

[tkstock]

Leith,

I don't have access to the program at the moment, I'll try it on Monday.

The only thing I can say upfront is that there is no open window for the application - only an unterminated process. If I look at "Applications" under task manager, nothing is there. Only "EXCEL" appears under "Processes". My gut tells me that there is no title attached to a process, subsequently I don't expect the supplied API calls to work, but who knows? I'll give it a try on Monday!!!

Thanks for your reply!!

[Leith Ross]

Hi Tom,

I always test my macros before posting them. This what what I did to check the macro code. I ran the macro and stopped it after it had closed the workbook. I then checked the task manager for another instance of Excel. It was there "hidden" in the tasks. After restarting the macro and letting it execute the API code, I rechecked the tasks and the 'hidden' Excel executable had been terminated. If you have any problems or other questions, e-mail at [email protected].

Sincerely,
Leith Ross

[tkstock]

Hi Leith,

I cut and paste your code into a separate module - unfortunately, I'm having the same problem. The Excel process remains despite the application being closed down. This ONLY occurs if I'm closing the application from code. If I run Excel normally and close it down, no problem.

Any more thoughts?

Tom

[Leith Ross]

HelloTom,

If you only have Excel running from your code this will work (provided XP Pro hasn't changed Excel's class name). This will close the first instance of Excel found in the system.

Close Excel by Class:

Option Explicit

'Declarations
Private Declare Function FindWindow Lib "user32" Alias "FindWindowA" (ByVal lpClassName As String, ByVal lpWindowName As String) As Long

Private Declare Function SendMessage Lib "user32" Alias "SendMessageA" (ByVal hwnd As Long, ByVal wMsg As Long, ByVal wParam As Long, lParam As Any) As Long

'Send Message Constant
Private Const WM_CLOSE = &H10

Public Sub CloseApp()

Hwnd = FindWindow("XLMAIN", vbNullString)
SendMessage Hwnd, WM_CLOSE, 0&, 0&

End Sub

Sincerely,
Leith Ross

[tkstock]

Sorry, still didn't work - the EXCEL process remains..!! Man, this is frustrating! Where did you learn your Win API stuff?

[Leith Ross]

Hello Tom,

I am begining to suspect this has to do with system access rights. I know there were quite a few changes made in Windows 2000 and more were added in XP. Unfortunately I don't have access to computer with either system. There are situations were the system will deny an API routine access to a thread or process because of the security rights. These rights might be set through Access. Sorry I don't have a better answer for you.

To answer your question about the API, books, head banging, and crashing the system. Really isn't much other way to learn it. Helps to know the basics about C code structures before you start.

Sincerely,
Leith Ross

[tkstock]

That may very well be... we are working in a Managed Environment (although, as a developer, I am semi-managed). They have restricted many things with policy settings - that may be one of the things.

Thanks again for your help!!!

[tkstock]

I am working in parallel on some excel VBA functions - I noticed in Excel that when I close a workbook using the wbk.Close method, or even by closing the workbook outright using the close button, the associated VBAProject DOESN'T close with it!!! This may be a source of the problem. Any more thoughts??? Why wouldn't the VBA Project attached to a workbook close with the workbook? The VBA projects only close when I shut down Excel completely!

[tkstock]

I think I've finally figured it out. We use LiveLink here at work. It has an associated addin that wasn't allowing the associated VBA projects to close down properly - there was a similar problem with the Google desktop addins. Once I change the appropriate registry key, everything started working properly!

The registry key in question is:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Office\Excel\Addins\LLAppInt.Connect

The value that was the problem:
LoadBehavior (3) <-- load on startup

Once I changed it to
LoadBehavior (9) <-- load on deman

everything started working properly. Yay!!!