How to get an object reference to an existing instance of Excel?

Hello Alex,

Thank you for the link to https://smartbear-cc.force.com/portal/KbArticleViewer?name=Get-COM-reference-for-a-running-Excel-instance&sp=testcomplete .

This is exactly what I was looking for!

After following the instructions to add the "EXCEL7" window class name to my TestComplete project MSAA settings, I was then able to view the NativeObject property that allowed me to access the COM reference to the Excel instance.  I could then check if the appropriate workbook and sheet had been loaded...

Here's the function that I'm using...

'Verifies that the expected Excel workbook and worksheet are active.
'Input: sWorkBookName = Expected workbook name that is active (e.g. "TestFile1.xls")
'       sWorkSheetName = Expected worksheet name that is active (e.g. "Execution")
'       bCloseWorkBook = True to close the workbook after validation of active book/sheet.
'                       False to leave the workbook open after validation.
'Returns TRUE if the expected workbook sheet is active. Otherwise returns false.
Function WorkSheetActive(sWorkBookName, sWorkSheetName, bCloseWorkBook)
  Dim objExcel, objWin, objApp
  dim arrPropNames(2)
  dim arrPropValues(2)
  bSheetActive = False

  If sys.Process("EXCEL").Exists Then

    set objExcel = sys.Process("EXCEL")

    arrPropNames(0) = "ObjectType"
    arrPropValues(0) = "Panel"  
    arrPropNames(1) = "WndClass"
    arrPropValues(1) = "EXCEL7"  
    arrPropNames(2) = "WndCaption"   
    arrPropValues(2) = sWorkBookName& "*"
    Set objWin = objExcel.FindChild(arrPropNames,arrPropValues,100)

    If objWin.Exists = True Then  
      If objWin.Focused = True Then

        Set objApp = objWin.NativeObject.Application
     
        If (objApp.Workbooks.Count > 0) Then
          If (Ucase(objApp.ActiveWorkbook.Name) = Ucase(sWorkBookName)) then
            If (Ucase(objApp.ActiveSheet.Name) = Ucase(sWorkSheetName)) then
              bSheetActive = True
              sMsg = "Expected Workbook and Worksheet [" &sWorkBookName& " : " &sWorkSheetName& "] are active."
            Else
              sMsg = "Expected Worksheet [" &sWorkSheetName& "] is NOT active!"
            End If        
          Else
            sMsg = "Expected WorkBook [" &sWorkBookName& "] is NOT active!"
          End If
        Else
          sMsg = "No workbooks are open in Excel!"
        End If
       
      Else
        sMsg = "Excel is not the active window!  (It should be after running the open spreadsheet task!)"
      End If
    Else
      sMsg = "Excel workbook [" &sWorkBookName& "] not found!"
    End If   
  Else
    sMsg = "Excel process not found!"
  End If
 
  Call LogAction (bSheetActive, sMsg)

  If (bSheetActive = True) and (bCloseWorkBook = True) Then
    Call LogAction (bSheetActive, "Closing active workbook.")
    objApp.ActiveWorkbook.Close
  End If

  set objApp = Nothing
  set objWin = Nothing
  set objExcel = Nothing
  WorkSheetActive = bSheetActive
End Function

Thanks so far.

Now, I  tried to quit the Windows Task, but it didn't work correctly:

The application window disappeared, but in the Task list, the Excel Task remained there.

The same is Happening, when I send Alt-F4 keys to the window.

It seems to be a common Problem to terminate Excel via vbScript.

How could I kill the Excel Task f´rom the Windows tasklist?