if Excel Workbook is open then...... VBA

Question

How could I write code to say.

    Dim xlApp As Excel.Application
    Dim xlWorkbook As Excel.Workbook
    Dim xlWorksheet As Excel.Worksheet

if an excel Workbook is already open then....

    Set xlApp = GetObject(, "Excel.Application")

    elseif xlApp is nothing then
    Set xlApp = New Excel.Application
    xlApp.Visible = True
    Set xlWorkbook = xlApp.Workbooks.Open("E:\InspectionCreator\InspectionSheet.xlsx")
End if

I don't want it to have to be a specific workbook just any workbook I can't seem to find anything on the internet. Any help would be awesome.

Answer 1

First try using getobject: if it throws an error then use createobject:

  Dim xlApp As Excel.Application

  On Error Resume Next
  Set xlApp = GetObject(, "Excel.Application")
  On Error GoTo 0

  If xlApp Is Nothing Then
    Set xlApp = CreateObject("Excel.Application")
    xlApp.Visible = True
  End If

Answer 2

I used to run code very similar to Tim's until Kevin Jones pointed out in an Experts-Exchange post that I will repeat here (as the EE post is behind the paywall)

"Be aware that when launching Excel through automation using the CreateObject function, Excel does not load any Add-Ins or other workbooks normally loaded automatically. This is not a good way to start an Excel session that will be used by the user. To start an Excel application instance without using automation from any application other than Excel, the Excel application must be launched using non-automation means. The code below illustrates the steps to do this. The code first tries to obtain an automation handle to an existing application instance. If an existing instance is not found then a new instance is started using the Shell command."

 Dim ExcelApplication As Object
   Dim TimeoutTime As Long

   On Error Resume Next
   Set ExcelApplication = GetObject(, "Excel.Application")
   On Error GoTo 0
   If ExcelApplication Is Nothing Then
       Shell "Excel.exe"
       TimeoutTime = Timer + 5
       On Error Resume Next
       Do
           DoEvents
           Err.Reset
           Set ExcelApplication = GetObject(, "Excel.Application")
       Loop Until Not ExcelApplication Is Nothing Or Timer > TimeoutTime
       On Error GoTo 0
   End If
   If ExcelApplication Is Nothing Then
       MsgBox "Unable to launch Excel."
   Else
       ' Do something with the Excel instance...
   End If