C# processstartinfo start process excel

Question

I am trying to start excel with a file. It works fine when I run it with the same user. But with different user, only excel starts and that also with unknown error.

private void button1_Click(object sender, EventArgs e)
        {
            SecureString securePwd = new SecureString();

            string password = "P@ssw0rd1";
            SecureString sec_pass = new SecureString();
            Array.ForEach(password.ToArray(), sec_pass.AppendChar);
            sec_pass.MakeReadOnly();

            ProcessStartInfo ps = new ProcessStartInfo();
            ps.FileName = "c:\\Program Files\\Microsoft Office\\Office15\\EXCEL.EXE";
            ps.Arguments = "c:\\test_folder\\test.xlsx";
            ps.WorkingDirectory = "c:\\test_folder";
            ps.Domain = "test.local";
            ps.UserName = "testuser";
            ps.Password = sec_pass;
            ps.UseShellExecute = false;
            Process.Start(ps);
        }

The very same code works perfectly fine by changing the process from ps.FileName = "c:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office15\EXCEL.EXE"; to ps.FileName = "notepad.EXE";

had there be any rights issue even notepad.exe also should not work.

This code is not going to get you anywhere. Actually logout of Windows, log back in and use the "testuser" account. And start Excel. If you don't get a better error message then you'd at least have created the profile you'd need to run Excel like that with your code. — Hans Passant, May 21 '17 at 12:11

Mahboob · Answer 1 · 2020-05-08T22:26:13.397

Knowing that it's an old post, still leaving a reply for someone like me with a similar problem. Looking at your code, it seems that you may need to set the "ps.UseShellExecute" as "true". I tried a similar code (given below) with a button in my WPF app, and it opens the excel file without issues.

private void Button_Click(object sender, RoutedEventArgs e)
    {
        string myPath = @"C:\Users\Lenovo\Documents\MyFile.xlsx";
        ProcessStartInfo ps = new ProcessStartInfo();
        ps.FileName = "excel"; // "EXCEL.EXE" also works
        ps.Arguments = myPath;
        ps.UseShellExecute = true;
        Process.Start(ps);
    }

And of course, don't forget to add the following line at the top of your .cs script.

using System.Diagnostics;

Well then, Happy coding :)

score 1 · Answer 2 · answered May 21 '17 at 15:18

1

There doesn't seem to be any problem withe the code. As without changing a bit, it just started working fine again. Simply nothing. This just opens up a question like what the problem was.?

Any suggestions.?

answered May 21 '17 at 15:18

Mashhoor Gulati

127
3
13

score 0 · Answer 3 · answered May 21 '17 at 11:20

0

This is very normal thing. if you working for example in company and you open share Excel file with your friend one of you will get information "File is open by another user" you can resolve this situation copy this file to for example C:/Temp and later replace it on share space.

answered May 21 '17 at 11:20

Rafał Developer

2,135
9
40
72

Doesn't seem to be an issue. Bcz the same file is opened normally if opened with notepad.exe instead. – Mashhoor Gulati May 21 '17 at 14:12

score 0 · Answer 4 · answered Jun 20 '23 at 23:01

Starting Excel Process using C# code with a non-admin user.

    public void StartExcelProcessAsDifferentUser(string filePath)
        {
            Process proc = new Process();
            proc.StartInfo = new ProcessStartInfo();
            System.Security.SecureString securePwd = new System.Security.SecureString();

            // Path where Excel application is installed. (Might be different for you)
            proc.StartInfo.FileName = "C:\\Program Files\\Microsoft Office\\root\\Office16\\EXCEL.EXE" 
            proc.StartInfo.Arguments = filePath;
            proc.StartInfo.UseShellExecute = false;

            proc.StartInfo.RedirectStandardInput = true;
            proc.StartInfo.RedirectStandardError = true;
            proc.StartInfo.RedirectStandardOutput = true;
            proc.StartInfo.LoadUserProfile = true;

            proc.StartInfo.UserName = "TestUser1";
            string pwd = "your_password";

            for (int x = 0; x < pwd.Length; x++)
            {
                securePwd.AppendChar(pwd[x]);
            }

            pwd = "";
            proc.StartInfo.Password = securePwd;
            proc.Start();
        }

Refer to this blog here to learn more about the 3 properties that are set to true.
For LoadUserProfile=true the user's profile in the HKEY_USERS registry key is loaded.
For the filePath argument, pass in the Excel file path you want to open as a different user. If null, Excel application will open to a new blank workbook.

C# processstartinfo start process excel

4 Answers4