Reading Excel File without starting Excel ?

I am trying to learn more about AutoCAD, Excel and the VLAX commands.
I have learned how to read and write to an open Excel file.

Is it possible to read an excel file using VLAX- functions, without actually starting Excel?
If so, can you get me some direction?
If not, is this something that would be possible in VB.net?

TIA,
Alan

 

Here is an article I ran across the other day.

Jon Fleming talks about accessing Excel without having it running.

http://discussion.autodesk.com/thread.jspa?messageID=3041490

HTH

Bill

 

Thanks Jon,
This gets me started down the right path.
Alan

 

I followed your advice and downloaded your ADOlisp files.

I read the PDF and modified the code for Excel.




I can open the Excel file, but I haven't figured out how to read the Excel
file.

File name = Rate.xls

Sheet names = Events,Operations




If tried many variations to read file, but can't figure out how to read the
file, examples -

SQL line = (setq SQLStatement "SELECT * FROM Events")

SQL line = (setq SQLStatement "SELECT * FROM [Events$]")

SQL line = (setq SQLStatement "SELECT * FROM [Events$A1:B4]")

SQL line = (setq SQLStatement "SELECT * FROM Events$A1:B4")



Your program works fine for the Access database, but I just can't figure out
the next step.

 

Never mind, I had a typo that I just found and now the program is working.
Thanks again for the original push.