Excel instance will not stop after calling asp.net page

Question

User-1732200463 posted

Hello Forum Folks,

 

I'm attempting to download an Excel spreadsheet, adjust the columns as needed and save it as a .prn file so that it can be uploaded to an AS400.  I'm currently running this all through VisualStudio 2008 before I try to put this all on a IIS server.  The problem here is after I adjust the columns and close excel, excel continues to run in the background. Here is the code dealing with Excel:

 

  

1                // get the workbook from the filepath.
2                oXL = new Excel.Application();
3                oWB = (Excel._Workbook)(oXL.Workbooks.Open(HttpContext.Current.Server.MapPath(filePath),
4                                                            Type.Missing, Type.Missing, Type.Missing, Type.Missing,
5                                                            Type.Missing, Type.Missing, Type.Missing, Type.Missing,
6                                                            Type.Missing, Type.Missing, Type.Missing, Type.Missing,
7                                                            Type.Missing, Type.Missing));
8                oSheet = (Excel._Worksheet)oWB.Worksheets.get_Item(1);
9    
10               // make sure the column widths are correct - 

11               foreach (DictionaryEntry de in columnWidths)
12               {
13                   oRange = (Excel.Range)oSheet.Columns[de.Key,Type.Missing];
14                   oRange.ColumnWidth = de.Value;
15               }
16   
17               // save as prn file
18               middleFilePath = HttpContext.Current.Server.MapPath("~/UploadExcel/" + middleFile);
19               oWB.SaveAs(middleFilePath, Excel.XlFileFormat.xlTextPrinter, Type.Missing, Type.Missing,
20                           false, false, Excel.XlSaveAsAccessMode.xlNoChange, Excel.XlSaveConflictResolution.xlLocalSessionChanges, 
21                           Type.Missing, Type.Missing, Type.Missing, Type.Missing);
22   
23               // exit out of excel, otherwise an instance of it keeps running.
24               oWB.Close(false,Type.Missing,Type.Missing);
25               Excel.Workbooks tmp = oXL.Workbooks;
26               tmp.Close();
27               System.Runtime.InteropServices.Marshal.ReleaseComObject(tmp);
28               tmp = null;
29               oXL.Quit();
30               System.Runtime.InteropServices.Marshal.ReleaseComObject(oRange);
31               System.Runtime.InteropServices.Marshal.ReleaseComObject(oSheet);
32               System.Runtime.InteropServices.Marshal.ReleaseComObject(oWB);
33               System.Runtime.InteropServices.Marshal.ReleaseComObject(oXL);
34               oRange = null;
35               oSheet = null;
36               oWB = null;
37               oXL = null;
38               GC.Collect();
39   

 As you can see at the end of the code, I am releasing all the objects and trying to get the GC to dispose of them.  No luck.  I have also tried to manipulate the DCOMCNFG to allow everyone full launch, access and configuration permissions.  Still nothing.  Any hints or help is greatly appreciated.

 

Thanks,

Andy

Answer 1

User-1827453801 posted

Office was not designed to (and never will be) be used by a web server application. Microsoft expressly advises this as a bad idea. Every time I've seen people attempt this it's ended badly.

That said, you could enumerate the running processes and 'kill' the excel process.

See the process class: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/system.diagnostics.process.aspx

Answer 2

User-1732200463 posted

 Thanks worldspawn. I will give that a try.

 Do you know where I can find documentation from Microsoft stating that Office apps in a Web application is a bad idea?  It would help tremendously in getting my superiors to try another route.

 

Thanks again!

--Andy

Answer 3

User-1827453801 posted

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;q257757

This page spells out all the evil. Plus working with com objects just sux. Love those 'Unknown Error 0x8000500' errors. So descriptive!