Thanks - I found the names in win32api help, but no number mappings. So, now I'm even more confused -- it hits my error message with 31 (association not found for the XLS file), but if I allow it to pass through with 31, Excel opens just fine. But I can also surmise that if Excel is not installed, it will cause an OLEDispatch error with 31 allowed. Looks like a rock vs. hard place? :)

Hi Bruce,

Is this a situation where an application other than Excel would be associated with the file? If not, are you trying to test in order to see if you can use OLE Automation on the spreadsheet/workbook?

The bottom line seems to be, that if 31 is returned, there isn't an assocation with the file name's extension. Doesn't necessarily mean that it isn't installed, but I've never seen an instance where it wasn't the (especially with Excel).

That's about all I can tell you. I would make one more suggestion, however. Use the fully qualified file name as the first parameter. I don't think it'll make a difference, but it might.