>Is there a easy way to see if Word/Excel are installed on my system ?
>If i try a createobject("word.application") i get a CLASS DEFINITION IS NOT FOUND, but i want to check before i do the createobject.

Yes, this can be done. Here's some code. Pass the server name, as in:

lWordExists = CheckServer("Word.Application")

Hope this helps,

- della

* CheckServer.PRG
* Published in _Microsoft Office Automation with Visual FoxPro_,
* Hentzenwerke Publishing, June, 2000.
* www.hentzenwerke.com
* Copyright 2000 by Tamar E. Granor and Della Martin All Rights Reserved

LPARAMETER cServerName
LOCAL oRegistry, cClassID, cEXEName, lEXEExists, ;
      aClassIDValues, aClassIDValues, aServerNameValues

IF VERSION() >= "Visual FoxPro 06"
   oRegistry = NewObject("Registry", HOME() + "FFC\Registry")
ELSE
  SET PROCEDURE TO HOME() + "samples\classes\registry.prg" ADDITIVE
  oRegistry = CreateObject("Registry")
ENDIF

lEXEExists = .F.

DECLARE aClassIDValues[1], aServerNameValues[1]

WITH oRegistry
  * Find the CLSID of the server. First, look for
  * the Class's Key.
  IF .OpenKey(cServerName + "\CLSID") = 0
    * The Class's Key is open, now enumerate its values
    .EnumKeyValues(@aClassIDValues)

    * The data portion of the first (only) value returned
    * is the CLSID. Find the LocalServer32 key for the CLSID 
    IF .OpenKey("CLSID\" + aClassIDValues[1,2] + "\LocalServer32") = 0
      * Enumerate the LocalServer32 values
      .EnumKeyValues(@aServerNameValues)
 
      * The EXE file is stored in the first (only) data value returned. 
      cEXEName = aServerNameValues[2]

      * The value that's returned may have " -Automation" or " /Automation" or
      * " /AUTOMATION" & other trailing stuff at the end. Strip it off.
      IF "AUTO" $ UPPER(cEXEName)
        cEXEName = LEFT(cEXEName, ATC("AUTO", UPPER(cEXEName)) - 2)
      ENDIF

      * Verify that the file exists 
      lEXEExists = FILE(cEXEName) 
    ENDIF 
  ENDIF
ENDWITH

RETURN lEXEExists