'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, May 04 '11 at 07:12
It is in the same directory. It must be this way. I shouldnt give the full path. — Shansal, May 04 '11 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, May 04 '11 at 17:39
[tested, working as expected!!! ](https://stackoverflow.com/a/76919456/12395911) — SHANTIMOY BANERJEE, Aug 17 '23 at 09:02

score 9 · Accepted Answer · answered May 04 '11 at 11:25

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 04 '11 at 11:25

Mikko Ohtamaa

82,057
50
264
435

What path should I supply to that function? – Shansal May 04 '11 at 14:02
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. – Shansal May 04 '11 at 14:14
os.path.join(os.getcwd(), "path, "to", "your", "file.xls")) – Mikko Ohtamaa May 11 '11 at 08:32

score 0 · Answer 2 · answered Dec 25 '12 at 02:54

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

score 0 · Answer 3 · answered Sep 04 '18 at 15:13

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 04 '18 at 15:13

sai

13
3

score 0 · Answer 4 · answered May 04 '11 at 14:42

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.

score 0 · Answer 5 · answered Mar 03 '20 at 06:28

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 03 '20 at 06:28

Ashutosh

1

'Run Excel File From Python' Error

5 Answers5

Linked