When you add a little error checking, what happens?

use strict;
use Win32::OLE qw(in with);
use Win32::OLE::Const 'Microsoft Excel';

$Win32::OLE::Warn = 3; # Die on Errors.

my $excelfile = 'book1.xls';

my $Excel = Win32::OLE->GetActiveObject('Excel.Application')
        || Win32::OLE->new('Excel.Application', 'Quit')
            || die Win32::OLE->LastError(); 

   $Excel->{DisplayAlerts}=0;   

my $Book = $Excel->Workbooks->Open($excelfile) or die Win32::OLE->Last
+Error();

print Win32::OLE->LastError();
[download]

And of course, I would be remiss if I didn't mention the Tutorial

C-.

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Flex the Geek