>Not sure what you mean. I am using the following code..
>
>oExcel = CREATEOBJECT("Excel.Application")
>oExcel.Visible = .T.
>oBook = oExcel.Workbooks.FOPEN(xlFile)
>oSheet = oBook.ActiveSheet
>
>and it will allow me to open it and write to it even though it is ReadOnly. I want to prevent this from opening until someone else is done using it.

I didn't know excel had an fopen(), does it really (versions I've do not)?

lnHandle = FOPEN(m.xlFile,12)
llNotInUse = (lnHandle > 0)
if m.llNotInUse
 fclose(m.lnHandle)
 *oExcel.WorkBooks.Open(m.xlFile)
 *...
else
* check ferror etc
endif

Or open with notification:

oExcel.Workbooks.Open(m.xlFile,,,,,,,,,,.t.) && Use notification

Cetin