Can't Open Excel file using Excel Services in VB.net

Question

I'm performing my first try of tackling Excel Services in SharePoint 2010. I'm trying to open an Excel file that I've uploaded to my shared documents. I have verified that I can manually open the file via the browser using the following url:

http://myserver/Shared%20Documents/Adds2011.xls

However when passing this to the following web routine I receive an error. Here is the routine:

Private Sub OpenExcel(myurl As String)
    Dim xlApp As New exServices.ExcelService
    xlApp.Credentials = System.Net.CredentialCache.DefaultCredentials
    Dim status(10) As exServices.Status
    Dim sessionID As String = ""
    Try
        sessionID = xlApp.OpenWorkbook(myurl, "en-US", "en-US", status)

        Dim sheetInfo() As exServices.SheetInfo = xlApp.GetSheetNames(sessionID, status)

        Dim cell As Object = xlApp.GetCell(sessionID, sheetInfo(0).Name, 1, 1, True, status)
    Catch ex As Exception
        Debug.WriteLine(ex.ToString)
    End Try
    If sessionID <> "" Then
        xlApp.CloseWorkbook(sessionID)
    End If

End Sub

I receive the following error:

A first chance exception of type 'System.Web.Services.Protocols.SoapException' occurred in System.Web.Services.dll System.Web.Services.Protocols.SoapException: The workbook that you selected cannot be opened.

The workbook may be in an unsupported file format, or it may be corrupt. at System.Web.Services.Protocols.SoapHttpClientProtocol.ReadResponse(SoapClientMessage message, WebResponse response, Stream responseStream, Boolean asyncCall) at System.Web.Services.Protocols.SoapHttpClientProtocol.Invoke(String methodName, Object[] parameters) at SMSMInventory.exServices.ExcelService.OpenWorkbook(String workbookPath, String uiCultureName, String dataCultureName, Status[]& status) at SMSMInventory.LoadSpreadsheetUserControl.OpenExcel(SPFile mySpFile) Auto-attach to process '[4292] w3wp.exe' on machine 'FS-CHI-SPDEV' succeeded. A first chance exception of type 'System.Web.Services.Protocols.SoapException' occurred in System.Web.Services.dll

Can anyone tell me what I'm doing wrong?

Michael Koscielski Michael Koscielski · Accepted Answer · 2012-04-24T15:31:12

After contacting Microsoft support, they pointed out my Error:

You cannot open a .xls in the browser (see below URL):

Differences between using a workbook in Excel and Excel Services http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/excel-help/differences-between-using-a-workbook-in-excel-and-excel-services-HA010021716.aspx

All other Microsoft Office Excel file formats are unsupported, including Office Excel 2007 Macro-Enabled Workbook (.xlsm) and Office Excel 2007 97-2003 Workbook (.xls).

Save as .xlsx and try again.

Using the recommended format solved my problem.

Can't Open Excel file using Excel Services in VB.net

1 Answers