Excel doesn't know anything about VFP current directory and has its own current directory. You have to provide full file name including path. You can use FULLPATH() to get full file name

lcXlsName = FULLPATH("cards.xls")
loWorkbook = loExcel.workbooks.open(lcXlsName)

>how can open the excel sheet from a specific directory.
>while I set the default to the specific path but still and I got error not finding the location
>
>if it is like this I got an error of location
>loExcel = CREATEOBJECT("Excel.Application") && Create the Excel object
>loWorkbook = loExcel.workbooks.open("cards.xls")
>loExcel.Visible = .T. && display Excel
>
>however when I add the path as the following I do not get error. while I need to open from the default original path
>
>loExcel = CREATEOBJECT("Excel.Application") && Create the Excel object
>loWorkbook = loExcel.workbooks.open("c:\temp\cards.xls")
>loExcel.Visible = .T. && display Excel
>
>Thank You