Excel OLE Link - fails to launch server application

[mdwyerva]

I have noticed a problem using pastespec and Excel with MEP 2018. AutoCad fails to close the Excel process it opens which is a mistake in AutoCad code, or so I think.

Products used: AutoCAD MEP 2018 _VERNUM = "O.107.0.0 (UNICODE)" , MS Excel 365 (Version 1707 Build 8326.2073), Windows 10

PROCESS

1) create excel spreadsheet and save in directory
2) highlight a section of the spreadsheet and press CTRL-C to copy
3) In MEP2018, type pastespec and press enter
4) Select radio button for PASTE LINK (not paste) and select Microsoft Excel Worksheet
5) click OK and locate as desired.
6) Close Excel (file was saved already)
7) Save and exit Autocad.

PROBLEMS

1) Autocad does not close the excel file. If you try to edit the Excel Spreadsheet in Excel, you get a message that the file is locked. If you open Windows Task Manager, and scroll down into Background Processes, you will find a copy of Excel running.

2) If you doubleclick on the OLE in Autocad at a later time, it says FAILED TO LAUNCH SERVER PROCESS.

This is esp annoying if you are the engr of record and the person who last left the process running in Autocad left for the day, and you want to change something.

Running "TaskKill /im excel.exe" at cmd line at applicable station where process is hidden will fix this problem, but... if you have Excel open on purpose on that station, well, better save first. TaskKill is aptly named.

I filled out a bug report on this.  If you believe this behavior is an 'undocumented feature', let me know, otherwise - FYIO. 

[Victoria.Studley]

Hi @mdwyerva,

Is your version of Microsoft Office/Excel 64-bit or 32-bit?

This kind of error with OLEs is often associated with a mismatch in the version of AutoCAD and Office/Excel. If you have the 32-bit version of Office/Excel installed, and the 64-bit version of AutoCAD MEP, you'll need to update your version of Office/Excel to the 64-bit version in order to prevent the error.

Could you verify your version and let me know if this is what you're experiencing?

If one or more of these posts helped answer your question, please click Accept as Solution on the posts that helped you so others in the community can find them easily.

[mdwyerva]

I had the MS default 32 bit installed. I uninstalled completely, rebooted
and installed 64 bit Office. Now using Excel 2016 MSO (16.0.8326.2076)
64-bit.

*And*.... same problems. This makes sense to me as a (quite amateur)
programmer as I'm pretty sure this is a simple lack of housekeeping by
AutoCad.

I don't think it would be difficult to fix - you just need to close an
instance of excel when dwg file is closed (or better/maybe required - once
you have retrieved the *view *shown in the dwg - but not certain).

[Victoria.Studley]

Hi @mdwyerva,

I have not been able to reproduce this behavior here.

Where are you storing the AutoCAD files? And the Excel files?

If you store them locally on your machine, does the issue subside?

If one or more of these posts helped answer your question, please click Accept as Solution on the posts that helped you so others in the community can find them easily.

[Anonymous]

I have this same issue and have identified the problem as Bentley ProjectWise. If I stop the Bentley connect program and open the OLE, it edits fine. Even if I 'disable' projectwise from the Civil3D menu, the OLE problem persists. 

You have to shut down projectwise to get it to allow OLE editing.