[RESOLVED] Strange behavior - background Excel

I have a vbscript file that launches Excel in the background, opens a workbook and executes a macro (takes 1hr to execute the macro).

While the background instance of Excel is running, if I open a different workbook in the foreground by double clicking the file name, for some reason the workbook in the background instance of Excel becomes visible and the vbscript aborts.

I can get around this with a two-step process by launching Excel (via shortcut) then opening the desired workbook, but why would this be needed?

I don't understand why opening a (different) workbook in the foreground would mess up a background instance of Excel.

Comments?

opening another workbook, when one is already running could open in the same or a different instance of excel
it would appear opening excel by shortcut will open in a different instance of excel, whereas double clicking a file will try to open in an existing instance
you can keep your hidden workbook hidden by setting its primary window to visible = false when opening

vb Code:

xlapp.windows(1).visible = false

change app object to suit

whether keeping it hidden will allow the script to keep running or still fail i would be doubtful about, but you should be able to test what stops the script from running when the new workbook opens, are you using any excel events in your script?


there would be some other things you could try, but you will have to test to see if it can work
your script could create 2 instances of excel, in one open your workbook, lave the other for any additional workbooks to open in, you would have to test, to find if other workbooks open in the first created instance or the last, then open your book in the other, of course any other book opened may open in the last used

Thanks for the suggestions. Launching a 2nd instance of Excel seems to work. Opening subsequent files appears to use the latter instance. I just have to be careful to not kill the 2nd instance in the vbscript file like I do the first one!

you can count the open workbooks in 2nd instance, if none then quit