Check whether an excel file is already open using VB.NET

_{Friday, May 18, 2012 5:18 AM}

Hi there,

Am read the data from excel file and proceed with the VB.Net code. I would like to know whether that excel file is already open using VB.Net code. Suppose am having the file "Sample.CSV" if already opened a message will indicate to the user. Please let me know if anyone have the solution.

Thanks in advance,

_{Monday, May 21, 2012 5:06 AM ✅Answered | 4 votes}

Hi Karthik,

Welcome to the MSDN forum!

Please refer to the following code:

    ' Imports System.IO
    Sub Main()
        
        Dim bExist As Boolean
        bExist = TestExcel("Test.xlsx")
        If bExist = True Then
            Console.WriteLine("The file is already open")
        Else
            Console.WriteLine("The file isn't open")
        End If
        Console.ReadLine()

    End Sub

    Function Test(ByRef sName As String) As Boolean
        Dim fs As FileStream
        Try
            fs = File.Open(sName, FileMode.Open, FileAccess.Read, FileShare.None)
            Test = False
        Catch ex As Exception
            Test = True
        End Try
    End Function

Thanks.

Yoyo Jiang[MSFT]
MSDN Community Support | Feedback to us

_{Monday, May 21, 2012 6:32 AM}

Thank you Yoyo Jiang. The code works....

_{Wednesday, October 31, 2012 10:38 AM}

Another thank you from me!

_{Friday, January 25, 2013 2:24 PM}

Hi there, I have been looking for something along these lines for a while now and thought you were my saviour ... however ... my problem is that it's a Word Document, not an Excel document (though I don't think that is relevant), and I will be editing it, either as a new file, a re-opened file, or an already open file, but if I add your logic, the file is always locked !!!

This is my code, with yours commented out ... this works if the file is NOT open, if it is open it crashes, hence my problem & need for a solution (I have had other options sent my way by a very helpful Cindy Meister, but they are so complicated compared to this option ... if it works !!!).

        'Dim myFileOpen As Boolean

        'myFileOpen = IsFileOpen(myNewsLetter)

        'If myFileOpen = True Then
        'MsgBox("The file is already open")
        'Else
        Dim MSWord As New Word.Application
        Dim MSDoc As New Word.Document
        MSDoc = MSWord.Documents.Open(myNewsLetter)
        MSWord.WindowState = Word.WdWindowState.wdWindowStateNormal
        MSWord.Visible = True
        MSWord.Activate()
        'End If

====================================================================

    Private Sub Button2_Click(sender As System.Object, e As System.EventArgs) Handles Button2.Click
        Me.Close()
    End Sub

    'Function IsFileOpen(ByRef sName As String) As Boolean
    '    Dim fs As FileStream
    '    Try
    '        fs = File.Open(sName, FileMode.Open, FileAccess.Read, FileShare.None)
    '        IsFileOpen = False
    '    Catch ex As Exception
    '        IsFileOpen = True
    '    End Try
    'End Function

However, as soon as I uncomment your code, something, I assume it is the "fs = File.Open" command seems to lock the Word Document in the vshost.exe process.

Am I doing something wrong ? Is it an adjustable option ?

_{Thursday, May 8, 2014 6:55 PM | 1 vote}

I would change the Test Function because it has logical issue.
This function will always return false as long it is called more than once for the same file...
I would rather go with something like this:

    Function isFileOpen(ByRef sName As String) As Boolean
        Dim blnRetVal As Boolean = False
        Dim fs As FileStream

        Try
            fs = File.Open(sName, FileMode.Open, FileAccess.Read, FileShare.None)
        Catch ex As Exception
            blnRetVal = True
        Finally
            If Not IsNothing(fs) Then : fs.Close() : End If
        End Try

        Return blnRetVal
    End Function

_{Tuesday, May 13, 2014 7:22 PM}

Excellent. That's better.

Yoyo Jiang[MSFT]
MSDN Community Support | Feedback to us
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_{Tuesday, August 15, 2017 1:54 PM}

Thanks heaps!!!

_{Wednesday, May 2, 2018 9:10 AM}

This code fails if there no such file. It checks only if the file is already in the directory.

Thanks,

Raghu