# Does anyone know how to open a excel file in read only?

**URL:** <https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/does-anyone-know-how-to-open-a-excel-file-in-read-only/128044>\
**Category:** Ruby\
**Created:** [February 4, 2008, 4:41pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/does-anyone-know-how-to-open-a-excel-file-in-read-only/128044 "2008-02-04T16:41:13Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![ddad01](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/d/919ad9/32.png) [@ddad01](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/ddad01)\
**Post date:** [February 4, 2008, 4:41pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/does-anyone-know-how-to-open-a-excel-file-in-read-only/128044/1 "2008-02-04T16:41:13Z")

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I’ve tried:  
$Test\_suite\_workbook = excel.workbooks.open(FileName,ReadOnly:=True)  
and  
$Test\_suite\_workbook = excel.workbooks.openFileName),ReadOnly:=True

Neither worked.

Thanks

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**Author:** ![ddad01](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/d/919ad9/32.png) [@ddad01](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/ddad01)\
**Post date:** [February 4, 2008, 5:03pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/does-anyone-know-how-to-open-a-excel-file-in-read-only/128044/2 "2008-02-04T17:03:20Z")

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well, these links may help.

[http://www.weheartcode.com/2007/10/05/reading-an-excel-file-with-ruby](http://www.weheartcode.com/2007/10/05/reading-an-excel-file-with-ruby)

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**Author:** ![ddad01](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/d/919ad9/32.png) [@ddad01](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/ddad01)\
**Post date:** [February 4, 2008, 5:05pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/does-anyone-know-how-to-open-a-excel-file-in-read-only/128044/3 "2008-02-04T17:05:41Z")

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On Feb 4, 2008 10:41 AM, Darin D. [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid)  
wrote:

> Posted via [http://www.ruby-forum.com/](http://www.ruby-forum.com/).  
> Have a look at the parseexcel gem  
> [http://raa.ruby-lang.org/project/parseexcel/](http://raa.ruby-lang.org/project/parseexcel/)

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![ddad01](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/d/919ad9/32.png) [@ddad01](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/ddad01)\
**Post date:** [February 4, 2008, 7:19pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/does-anyone-know-how-to-open-a-excel-file-in-read-only/128044/4 "2008-02-04T19:19:27Z")

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Darin D. wrote:

> I’ve tried:  
> $Test\_suite\_workbook = excel.workbooks.open(FileName,ReadOnly:=True)  
> and  
> $Test\_suite\_workbook = excel.workbooks.openFileName),ReadOnly:=True
> 
> Neither worked.
> 
> Thanks

try giving open() parameters as block…

xlApp=WIN32OLE::new(‘Excel.Application’)  
xlApp.Visible=1  
xl\_file = (‘c:\file.xls’)  
xlApp.Workbooks.Open({‘filename’=\> xl\_file, ‘readOnly’ =\> true})

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![ddad01](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/d/919ad9/32.png) [@ddad01](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/ddad01)\
**Post date:** [February 4, 2008, 7:40pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/does-anyone-know-how-to-open-a-excel-file-in-read-only/128044/5 "2008-02-04T19:40:14Z")

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Greg H. wrote:

> Darin D. wrote:
> 
> > I’ve tried:  
> > $Test\_suite\_workbook = excel.workbooks.open(FileName,ReadOnly:=True)  
> > and  
> > $Test\_suite\_workbook = excel.workbooks.openFileName),ReadOnly:=True
> > 
> > Neither worked.
> > 
> > Thanks
> 
> try giving open() parameters as block…
> 
> xlApp=WIN32OLE::new(‘Excel.Application’)  
> xlApp.Visible=1  
> xl\_file = (‘c:\file.xls’)  
> xlApp.Workbooks.Open({‘filename’=\> xl\_file, ‘readOnly’ =\> true})

Thanks Greg that worked.

DD