Microsoft Office Excel cannot access the file 'c:\\inetpub\\wwwroot\\Timesheet\\App_Data\\Template.xlsx'

Question

I have my code as follows :-

Microsoft.Office.Interop.Excel.Application oXL = null;
Microsoft.Office.Interop.Excel.Sheets sheets;
Application excel = new Microsoft.Office.Interop.Excel.Application();


excel.Workbooks.Add(System.Reflection.Missing.Value);

/*
    * Here is the complete detail's about Workbook.Open()
    * 
    *  Excel.Workbooks.Open(String Filename, Object UpdateLinks, Object ReadOnly, Object Format, 
    *  Object Password, Object WriteResPassword, Object IgnoreReadOnlyRecommended, Object Origin,
    *  Object Delimiter, Object Editable, Object Notify, Object Converter, Object AddToMru, Object Local, Object CorruptLoad)
    */

Workbook workbook = excel.Workbooks.Open(
    System.Web.HttpContext.Current.Server.MapPath("~/App_Data/Template.xlsx"),
    Missing.Value, true, Missing.Value, Missing.Value,
    Missing.Value, Missing.Value, Missing.Value,
    Missing.Value, Missing.Value, Missing.Value,
    Missing.Value, Missing.Value, Missing.Value,
    Missing.Value);
sheets = workbook.Worksheets;

Now for the line :-

workbook = excel.Workbooks.Open(
    System.Web.HttpContext.Current.Server.MapPath("~/App_Data/Template.xlsx"),
    Missing.Value, true, Missing.Value, Missing.Value,
    Missing.Value, Missing.Value, Missing.Value,
    Missing.Value, Missing.Value, Missing.Value,
    Missing.Value, Missing.Value, Missing.Value,
    Missing.Value);

It gets executed directly from the visual studio (F5) but when i try to access it with IIS it wont work. Throws error as follows:-

Microsoft Office Excel cannot access the file 'c:\inetpub\wwwroot\Timesheet\App_Data\Template.xlsx'. There are several possible reasons:
• The file name or path does not exist.
• The file is being used by another program.
• The workbook you are trying to save has the same name as a currently open workbook.

I have tried the work around as:-

• Folder and the file exist, giving access to the IUSR_### (IIS user) and to the ASPNET user in the folder where the file is.
  
  • At Component Services(DCOM) given access to appropriate user.

I have already given all permission's to the folder where the template(.xlsx) exists

Any suggestions??

Answer 1

Try this:

1. Create the directory

C:\Windows\SysWOW64\config\systemprofile\Desktop

(for the 32-bit version of Excel/Office on a 64-bit Windows computer) or

C:\Windows\System32\config\systemprofile\Desktop

(for a 32-bit version of Office on a 32-bit Windows computer or a 64-bit version of Office on a 64-bit Windows computer).

2. For the Desktop directory, add Full control permissions for the relevant user (for example in Win7 & IIS 7 & DefaultAppPool set permissions for user IIS AppPool\DefaultAppPool).

Original post with answer:

• Excel 2007 automation on top of a Windows Server 2008 x64

Answer 2

Let me note that in my place, adding the c:\windows\syswow64\config\systemprofile\desktop directory didn't work.

The point is that WOW64 stands for Windows on Windows64, that means it actually applies for 32-bit programs running on the 64bit OS.

Since I have 64-bit Excel installed, the proper directory turned out to be the c:\windows\system32\config\systemprofile\desktop

Answer 3

I would like to add something to the Eric Bonnot's answer : The answer worked out partially as I worked on a IIS server with a non-admin user with the powerpoint PIA.

I noticed that I could not open a pptx file if this one had a media (picture for example) in it.

The "hack" was to add also the rights to the windows user (the one using the PIA) on the systemprofile/AppData directories.

Hope this helps

Answer 4

I was previously attempt this problem then i resolved.

Solution:

I put the full permission to particular folder(Sub folder and files) and checked working fine.

Answer 5

I've wrapped my WCF in a Windows Service. Creating the Desktop Folders did solve it for me on one machine, but not on another.

My problem in the end was, that my Windows Service did not run under an active User of the machine. Configuring the service to run under a user which is active on the machine solved this problem for me so far.

Only the combination of

• Existing Desktop Folder
• Service running under a real user Account

got it working for me.

This article lead me to the full solution: Cannot access excel file

Answer 6

This works

excel.exe /safe

This does not and gives the same error as the regular excel startup

excel.exe /automation

This also occurs for all MS Office 2007 apps for ANY network file. Local file access is fine.