Attribute error when another excel instance has a process running

[dhbachh]

Hi guys,

Take the scenario whereby I have two spreadsheets open, one on which I run my xlwings function (call it fileA)and the other on which I'm currently doing something else (call it fileB)

when I have something running on fileB be it a formula highlighted or a form window open, then I run my xlwings fct on file A, that usually generates an Attribute error :
AttributeError: .Application

As a potential fix, I realised that
changing the exception handling in get_xl_apps() in file _xlwindows.py
from :

def get_xl_apps():
    xl_apps = []
    hwnds = get_excel_hwnds()
    for hwnd in hwnds:
        try:
            xl_app = get_xl_app_from_hwnd(hwnd)
            xl_apps.append(xl_app)
        except WindowsError:
            # This happens if the bare Excel Application is open without Workbook
            # i.e. there is no 'EXCEL7' child hwnd that would be necessary to make a connection
            pass
    return xl_apps

to

def get_xl_apps():
    xl_apps = []
    hwnds = get_excel_hwnds()
    for hwnd in hwnds:
        try:
            xl_app = get_xl_app_from_hwnd(hwnd)
            xl_apps.append(xl_app)
        except  (WindowsError,AttributeError):
            # This happens if the bare Excel Application is open without Workbook
            # i.e. there is no 'EXCEL7' child hwnd that would be necessary to make a connection
            pass
    return xl_apps

tends to solve the problem

[dhbachh]

It should be noted that sometimes, you can also get a com error as is shown on this link

http://stackoverflow.com/questions/3718037/error-while-working-with-excel-using-python

so maybe the error handling should just capture everything:

therefore try to use
except:

instead of except (WindowsError,AttributeError):