Paul, thanks for your response.
I enclose a sample version of the code that keeps failing
Appreciate any help that you can give on this one.
thanks,
use Win32::OLE qw(in with);
use Win32::OLE::Const 'Microsoft Excel';
$Win32::OLE::Warn = 3; # die on errors...
$test = 0;
$filename = 'c:\test.xls';
$ps = 'xx';
my $Excel = Win32::OLE->GetActiveObject('Excel.Application')|| Win32::OLE->new('Excel.Application', 'Quit');
my $Book = $Excel->Workbooks->Open($filename,,,,$ps);
$k = $Excel->Workbooks->Count;
print "$k\n";