Hi: I am doing excel automation but am finding some discrepancies, I think, so wanted to check out some things.

1. I usually begin by making the variable that I will be using for excel, by making it public:

PUBLIC oExcel
oExcel = CreateObject("Excel.Application") 	

2. Where I am beginning to encounter problems is when I refer to oExcel in procedures. For instance:

procedure someThingForExcelToDo
     oExcel.visible = .T.  && here is where foxpro has now begun to say that oExcel is undefined
                                    && it doesn't help if I try to get a hook into a previously defined oExcel object
     oExcel = GETOBJECT("",'Excel.Application')  && if the above has occure, oExcel won't be able to find an excel object.
endProcedure

When automating excel, Is it too much to expect foxpro to be able to refer to public variable such as oExcel, in procedures? This is coming up because I am attempting to create a multi-tabbed excel workbook, where each procedure refers to the same excel object as it fills in a new tab.

Thank you,
Steve