'Run Excel File From Python' Error

Question

When I try to open an excel file by calling EXCEL itself from python, I get error. How can I fix that?

Thanks in advance.

The code is:

    from win32com.client import Dispatch
    xl = Dispatch('Excel.Application')
    wb = xl.Workbooks.Open(r"data\Modules.xls")

And the error is:

pywintypes.com_error: (-2147352567, 'Exception occurred.', (0, u'Microsoft Office Excel', u"'data\Modules.xls' could not be found. Check the spelling of the file name, and verify that the file location is correct.\n\nIf you are trying to open the file from your list of most recently used files, make sure that the file has not been renamed, moved, or deleted.", u'C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Office\Office12\1033\XLMAIN11.CHM', 0, -2146827284), None)

Is the python code file in the directory where the data directory exists? Try giving full path of the xls file instead of relative path. — shahkalpesh
– shahkalpesh, Commented May 4, 2011 at 7:12
It is in the same directory. It must be this way. I shouldnt give the full path. — Shansal
– Shansal, Commented May 4, 2011 at 14:04
I know that's not what you are asking for but you should try the xlrd module instead of using win32com. Will make your life easier. — ktdrv
– ktdrv, Commented May 4, 2011 at 17:39
[tested, working as expected!!! ](stackoverflow.com/a/76919456/12395911) — SHANTIMOY BANERJEE
– SHANTIMOY BANERJEE, Commented Aug 17, 2023 at 9:02

Mikko Ohtamaa · Accepted Answer · 2011-05-04 11:25:56Z

9

Use os.path.abspath() to convert file system paths to absolute. The current working directory of yout Python and Excel process is not the same.

http://docs.python.org/library/os.path.html

answered May 4, 2011 at 11:25

Mikko Ohtamaa

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3 Comments

Shansal Over a year ago

What path should I supply to that function?

Shansal Over a year ago

When I use "wb = xl.Workbooks.Open(os.path.abspath(r"data\Modules.xls"))", I dont get error. But I cant see any Excel file opened. Even if I see an excel instance in task manager.

Mikko Ohtamaa Over a year ago

os.path.join(os.getcwd(), "path, "to", "your", "file.xls"))

Grim · Accepted Answer · 2011-05-04 14:42:46Z

0

I believe the reason why you must specify a full path to the file is because you are interacting with Excel through a COM interface. This is not the same as calling CreateProcess. The COM interface tells excel to open a file, however, the path is passed in relation to the working directory of the excel.exe process.

answered May 4, 2011 at 14:42

Grim

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Comments

crifan · Accepted Answer · 2012-12-25 02:54:41Z

I have tried many cases about:

raw path
using os.path.abspath
absolute path

the following is the result:

(1)Failed Cases:

#[1] Fail
# xlsPath = "chart_demo.xls";
# wb = xl.Workbooks.open(xlsPath); #pywintypes.com_error

#[2] Fail
# xlsPath = "D:\tmp\tmp_dev_root\python\excel_chart\chart_demo.xls";
# absPath = os.path.abspath(xlsPath);
# print "absPath=",absPath; #absPath= D:\tmp\tmp_dev_root\python\excel_chart\        mp      mp_dev_root\python\excel_chart\chart_demo.xls
# wb = xl.Workbooks.open(absPath); #pywintypes.com_error

#[3] Fail
# xlsPath = "D:\tmp\tmp_dev_root\python\excel_chart\chart_demo.xls";
# normalPath = os.path.normpath(xlsPath);
# print "normalPath=",normalPath; #normalPath= D:  mp      mp_dev_root\python\excel_chart\chart_demo.xls
# wb = xl.Workbooks.open(normalPath); #pywintypes.com_error

#[4] Fail
# rawPath = r"chart_demo.xls";
# wb = xl.Workbooks.open(rawPath); #pywintypes.com_error

(2)Successfull Cases:

#[5] OK
# xlsPath = "chart_demo.xls";
# absPath = os.path.abspath(xlsPath);
# print "absPath=",absPath; #absPath= D:\tmp\tmp_dev_root\python\excel_chart\chart_demo.xls
# wb = xl.Workbooks.open(absPath); #OK

#[6] OK
# rawPath = r"D:\tmp\tmp_dev_root\python\excel_chart\chart_demo.xls";
# wb = xl.Workbooks.open(rawPath); # OK

sai · Accepted Answer · 2018-09-04 15:13:25Z

0

@Shanshal I don't know if you are still looking for the answer After opening the excel if you can't see the file, write the below code

xl.Visible = True

answered Sep 4, 2018 at 15:13

sai

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Comments

Ashutosh · Accepted Answer · 2020-03-03 06:28:21Z

0

The path to excel file should be absolute and py file, excel file should be in different folder. I was also getting the same error when I used above measures problem got solved. In case of relative path you need to convert it to absolute.

answered Mar 3, 2020 at 6:28

Ashutosh

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